> Mandatory retirement lifted at SFU
Mandatory retirement lifted at SFU
Contact:
- Dario Nonis, Ex. Dir. Human Resources, 604.291.3602, dario_nonis@sfu.ca
- Glenn Chapman, 604.291.3814, glennc@cs.sfu.ca
- Carol Thorbes, 604.291.3035, cthorbes@sfu.ca
May 31, 2007
Effective immediately, Simon Fraser University employees who are
members of the university’s faculty association (SFUFA) do not have to
retire at age 65.
In keeping with the provincial government’s plan to end mandatory retirement at age 65 in British Columbia, effective January 1, 2008, SFU is eliminating the practice now. SFU’s agreement still recognizes normal retirement as the first day of September succeeding an SFUFA member’s 65th birthday.
The association represents professorial appointments, researchers, librarians, archivists, lecturers and lab instructors. SFU will seek similar agreements with three other groups representing its staff: the Administrative and Professional Development Association, the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the Poly Party.
SFUFA members now have several options. They may continue to work full-time, they can retire or they can opt for one of two retirement options phased in over a three-year period. These are a reduction in workload or a reduction in the scope of specific duties.
SFUFA members scheduled to retire in 2007, before the province’s new law takes effect, and who want to continue working must advise their department chairs in writing by June 30.
“We are happy that we were able to reach an agreement with the administration that also lifted mandatory retirement for the ‘Class of 07’. They were scheduled to retire on August 31, 2007 in advance of the province’s new legislation,” says Glenn Chapman, SFU professor of engineering and president of the faculty association.
Pat Hibbitts, VP finance and administration, says the university’s ability to allow experienced faculty members to work past age 65 is advantageous particularly in these challenging times for recruitment. She notes, though, that, “we want to have a variety of ages of individuals in the workforce and hopefully this will not skew it in favour of the older employee.”
SFU’s 1,000-member faculty association voted 88 per cent in favour of this agreement, with 412 ballots cast.
Backgrounder on lifting mandatory retirement
Additional highlights of the SFU agreement:
Confederation of University Faculty Association/BC (CUFA/BC) response:
In keeping with the provincial government’s plan to end mandatory retirement at age 65 in British Columbia, effective January 1, 2008, SFU is eliminating the practice now. SFU’s agreement still recognizes normal retirement as the first day of September succeeding an SFUFA member’s 65th birthday.
The association represents professorial appointments, researchers, librarians, archivists, lecturers and lab instructors. SFU will seek similar agreements with three other groups representing its staff: the Administrative and Professional Development Association, the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the Poly Party.
SFUFA members now have several options. They may continue to work full-time, they can retire or they can opt for one of two retirement options phased in over a three-year period. These are a reduction in workload or a reduction in the scope of specific duties.
SFUFA members scheduled to retire in 2007, before the province’s new law takes effect, and who want to continue working must advise their department chairs in writing by June 30.
“We are happy that we were able to reach an agreement with the administration that also lifted mandatory retirement for the ‘Class of 07’. They were scheduled to retire on August 31, 2007 in advance of the province’s new legislation,” says Glenn Chapman, SFU professor of engineering and president of the faculty association.
Pat Hibbitts, VP finance and administration, says the university’s ability to allow experienced faculty members to work past age 65 is advantageous particularly in these challenging times for recruitment. She notes, though, that, “we want to have a variety of ages of individuals in the workforce and hopefully this will not skew it in favour of the older employee.”
SFU’s 1,000-member faculty association voted 88 per cent in favour of this agreement, with 412 ballots cast.
Backgrounder on lifting mandatory retirement
Additional highlights of the SFU agreement:
- Faculty who are assumed to be continuing on must inform the university administration of their decision to pursue any retirement option at least 12 months and preferably 18 months before retirement. Once such a notice is given it cannot be modified.
- To be eligible for phased-in retirement an SFUFA member must be age 60 or over and have worked full-time for 10 continuous years at SFU. Full benefits and pension contributions are based on the starting salary.
- The SFU Faculty Association (SFUFA) and SFU’s administration have formed a joint committee to discuss the current biannual salary and promotion review policy.
- Faculty members, hired after September 1, 2001 and not eligible for retiree benefits, will be given the option to join the applicable retiree group but will be required to pay the full cost of premium coverage.
- Benefit costs may rise slightly, but in the long run they are expected to be relatively neutral as this agreement restricts some key benefits for members over the age of 65. For example, long-term disability and accidental death and dismemberment will be discontinued after age 65. Basic life insurance will be reduced.
- Members who have exhausted their sick leave entitlement and cannot work may either retire or remain on unpaid leave of absence for a maximum of 24 months. The university’s pension contributions will cease when a member begins drawing from the Academic Pension Plan or as required by federal pension/taxation regulation.
- British Columbia is the latest province to bring in legislation to lift mandatory retirement. Nova Scotia’s legislation was passed this spring but will not be fully in force for two more years.
- The following public universities in B.C. have given final approval to lifting mandatory retirement: University of Northern British Columbia (June 2006), University of British Columbia (April 2007) and Simon Fraser University (June 2007). University of Victoria reached an agreement in May 2007 and expects to solve outstanding issues of benefits by mid-June. That leaves Thompson Rivers as the only remaining university in B.C. with mandatory retirement still in place.
Confederation of University Faculty Association/BC (CUFA/BC) response:
- The organization representing BC’s public university professors applauds the lifting of mandatory retirement in British Columbia. “Unlike Ontario, which allows employers to cut off benefits to workers over age 65,” says CUFA/BC executive director Robert Cliff, “the BC legislation continues benefit coverage, but allows for age-based differences in how the benefits will work. This is a fair and sensible approach.” (excerpt from CUFA/BC news release)