IBM CANADA LTD HUMAN RESOURCES PROGRAMS FOR IBM … · 2018-10-26 · form of a single, worldwide "one IBM" profit sharing pool. Payments under this program vary and are based on

IBM CANADA LTD

HUMAN RESOURCES PROGRAMS

FOR IBM REGULAR EMPLOYEES

Effective on January 1, 2015

This brochure is intended to provide an overview of certain plans and programs in which

you may participate. The information in this brochure is based on the official plans and

program documents, contracts, and administrator’s manuals/guides, as well as

information residing in the Employee and Manager’s Reference database and the You

and IBM Canada Intranet site. If there happens to be any difference between this

summary and the listed documents, the above listed sources will be followed. Detailed

information on these programs can be found on the You and IBM Canada Intranet site

at: http://w3-01.ibm.com/hr/web/ca/navigation/

The company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify (includes change,

discontinue, suspend or improve) any of its plans or programs at its discretion, and the

company’s decision on all matters relating to the operation, administration and

interpretation of its plans and programs shall be final. The Plan Administrator retains

the exclusive authority and discretion to interpret the terms of the plans and programs

described herein. This statement applies to all IBM employees (regular full-time,

special/regular part-time, assignees, on-leave), individuals receiving Short or Long-Term

Medical Disability Income, Retirees and Survivors. Nothing contained in this document

shall be construed as creating an express or implied obligation on the part of the

Company to maintain such benefit plans, programs, practices, or policies. Eligibility to

participate in a plan or program does not constitute a promise or right of continued

employment or render any person an employee of IBM.

INSIDE

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For more information, log on to http://w3-01.ibm.com/hr/web/ca/navigation/

Questions? Call the Employee Services Contact Centre at 1-866-214-0977

Your Compensation ............................................................................................ 4

Your Flexible Benefits ......................................................................................... 6

Your Pension and Saving Plans ........................................................................... 13

Other Benefits / Services .................................................................................... 15

Your Flexible Work Arrangements ...................................................................... 18

Some important things you should know ........................................................... 20

Contacts & Resources ......................................................................................... 22

YOUR COMPENSATION

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IBM Canada’s compensation program ensures you are paid appropriately for your skills,

contribution/leadership, and impact on the business/scope. The program supports key business

success factors by focusing on skills, differentiation, accountability, responsibility, global teaming

and affordability. In turn, employees have the opportunity to be rewarded, based on the success of

the company and how they have contributed to that success.

Compensation Design

IBM’s total compensation is designed to support the following key business success factors:

• high-performance culture,

• growth in shareholder value, and

• global teaming.

We need your help to achieve this by contributing to those activities and areas of focus which are

critical to the success of our business. In return, IBM offers a challenging, exciting and successful

working environment, backed by a comprehensive compensation system, designed to properly

recognize your contribution, relative to the marketplace.

Cash Components

IBM Canada’s pay objective is to provide compensation that will attract and retain an outstanding,

highly motivated work force and meet the business challenges of the future. To help achieve this

objective, our pay program will be:

• strongly influenced by the results you deliver,

• driven by overall business objectives, and

• competitive with leading companies in the marketplace.

When the business exceeds its plan and you perform at the highest level, you will have an earnings

opportunity that places you among the best in the marketplace.

IBM Canada’s compensation program is designed to provide employees with rewards that are

competitive in the marketplace relative to their contributions to the business. Cash compensation

can consist of the following components:

• Base Pay

The fixed portion of your cash compensation paid on a bi-weekly basis.

• Employee Salary Program

This program can provide increases to your base salary based on your performance and

contributions to the success of the company.

• Incentive / Commissions

For eligible employees in sales and some services roles, these plans are driven by key corporate

objectives such as revenue and profitability.

YOUR COMPENSATION

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• Additional Compensation

Additional compensation may include overtime, shift premiums, standby premiums, etc. and is

designed to compensate eligible employees for work beyond normal working hours, primarily

based on provincial legislation requirements.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)

You may participate in the IBM Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) through payroll deductions.

When you purchase IBM shares through the ESPP, you receive an automatic discount of 5% off the

market price on the date your shares are purchased.

The plan is built around two offering periods – a block of time during which participants purchase

shares – January 1 to June 30 and July 1 to December 31. Eligible employees may enroll at any

time during the offering period. To enroll, you must be on the IBM payroll on or before the first day

of the offering period in which you are enrolling. When you enroll, you authorize the deduction of

a portion of your compensation (you may contribute 1% to 10% in any whole percentage of your

pay, up to certain plan and regulatory limits). Once enrolled in the plan, you do not have to re-

enroll for the following offering period as your participation continues automatically (unless you

are suspended for selling shares bought in the current offering period) until you process a change.

The plan rules limit you to purchasing a maximum of $25,000 worth of shares in any calendar year

or 1,000 shares in any offering period. You may also increase or reduce your contribution, add or

delete a joint owner, or withdraw from the plan at any time during an offering period. If you

withdraw from the plan, you may re-enter at any time, during the same offering period or a

subsequent one.

Growth Driven Profit-sharing (GDP) program

To support IBM’s global focus on profitable growth, the Growth Driven Profit-sharing (GDP)

program returns a portion of year over year revenue and net income growth back to IBMers, in the

form of a single, worldwide "one IBM" profit sharing pool. Payments under this program vary and

are based on your job role, job level, IBM’s financial results and your individual performance.

Eligibility for payment is dependent upon your being continuously employed by IBM through to the

end of the calendar year. Employees in sales or services incentive roles are not eligible for the GDP

Program.

Awards

IBM values and supports a culture of recognition and appreciation and makes a practice of

encouraging and recognizing special and significant achievements through a number of company-

wide individual and team award programs and may include cash and/or participation in a special

event, etc.

YOUR FLEXIBLE BENEFITS

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IBM’s suite of employee benefits ranges from flexible benefits and pension to voluntary employee

services programs. IBM’s Flexible Benefits Plan allows you to design a benefits package that is best

suited to meet the needs of you and your family. IBM currently offers the following Flexible

Benefits:

• Supplemental Health

• Dental

• Personal Emergency Travel Assistance Plan (Medi-Passport)

• Employee / Spouse/Partner / Children’s Life Insurance

• Employee / Spouse/Partner / Children’s Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance

• Long Term Disability Insurance (LTD)

• Health Care Spending Account (HCEA)

• Taxable Cash

Eligibility

As a Regular Full-time and Regular Part-time employee (RPT), you and your eligible dependents are

eligible for coverage under the IBM Flexible Benefits Plan.

You will initially be assigned IBM’s Standard Benefits Package with single coverage (You Only).

However, you will have a one time 30-day opportunity to enroll and customize your benefits and

add your eligible dependents and/or change your coverage options effective your hire date.

Active Regular Full-time and RPT employees are eligible to participate in the Annual Flexible

Benefits Enrollment. Employees on a non-legislated Leave of Absence (e.g. personal, education,

pre-retirement and disability leaves) are not eligible to enroll.

How Flexible Benefits Work

Flexible benefits provide you with the opportunity to tailor a benefits package that is best suited to

you and your eligible family members. You will choose your benefits from a variety of options that

range from extensive coverage to basic, or no coverage. The choice is yours!

The tool you will use to enroll in your benefits is the Your Benefits ResourcesTM (YBR) Web site. YBR

is a third-party web site customized for IBM. IBM’s HR team continues to manage the Flexible

Benefits Plan.

IBM will provide you with flex dollars to help pay for your benefits. You receive flex dollars towards

Supplemental Health, Dental, Employee Life Insurance and Long Term Disability Insurance. You can

purchase Optional Employee Life Insurance and additional Long-Term Disability Insurance.

Each benefit option will have a price tag - this is the cost to you for that benefit option. You also

have some flexibility in choosing who you cover under your Supplemental Health and Dental

options.


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In addition, IBM will deposit money directly into each eligible employee’s Health Care Expense

Account (HCEA).

The dollar amount is based on the supplemental health and/or dental options selected during

enrolment. These dollars cannot be used to offset the cost of your benefits choices and cannot be

taken as taxable cash.

The money deposited your HCEA can be used to reimburse yourself for a wide range of health-

related expenses as per Canada Revenue Agency guidelines. You have the flexibility to determine

how you spend this money, as long as the expenses meet the guidelines.

The benefits coverage categories are:

• You only ............................. Coverage for you (employee only)

• You plus one ....................... Coverage for you (employee and one eligible dependent)

• You plus two or more .......... Coverage for you (employee and two or more eligible dependents)

The coverage you select for Supplemental Health may be different from the coverage category you

select for Dental. If your coverage category is “You Only”, and you have just added your Spouse as

an eligible dependent, then you can select either “You Only” or “You Plus One” as your coverage

category. If you have more than one eligible dependent (your spouse and children), you may not

choose the “You plus one” coverage category. You must choose between “You Only” or “You Plus 2

or More”. When you have more than two eligible dependents in your profile, the “You Plus One”

category will not be available to you to select.

Once you have made your benefit selections, your flex dollars will be pooled together and will be

used to pay for your benefits in the most tax effective manner. This means you will have payroll

deductions to pay for all your life insurance options and if selected, for LTD option 4. In addition,

any remaining costs that are not offset by your total flex dollars will be paid through payroll

deductions.

If you have flex dollars remaining after the tax effective allocation, you will need to allocate them

towards a Health Care Expense Account (HCEA) and/or Taxable Cash. The HCEA allows you to use

your excess flex dollars to pay for other eligible health care expenses not covered by the IBM

Flexible Benefits plan or provincial health insurance plans. The Taxable Cash Plan allows you to take

the flex dollars, less any applicable taxes, and have the cash deposited into your bank account on

each bi-weekly pay. You may choose one of these or a combination of the two.

Opting Out

A big advantage of flexible benefits is that you can opt out of either the Supplemental Health or

Dental Plan if you don’t need the level of coverage available through the program. If you do decide

to opt out, you will receive a specified amount of flex dollars to be used somewhere else. Your pool

of flex dollars will be used to pay for any other flexible benefits options in the most tax effective

manner and any excess flex dollars can be taken as taxable cash and/or deposited into an HCEA.


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Why would you consider opting out? If, for example, your spouse or partner has comprehensive

benefits coverage through his or her employer, you likely will not need to duplicate coverage

through IBM. Or, if you are relatively healthy and have few medical or dental expenses beyond

what provincial health insurance covers, you can opt out and put your excess flex dollars in the

HCEA to pay for any miscellaneous health care expenses that do come up.

Important: ALL Quebec residents MUST participate in a drug insurance plan that provides a

reimbursement level of at least 68%. For IBM employees living in Quebec, this means you must

enroll in either Option 2 or 3 of IBM’s Supplemental Health Plan unless you have coverage

elsewhere (i.e., spouse’s coverage). Quebec employees who elect Option 0 (Opt-out) or Option 1

(20% Coverage) of the IBM Supplemental Health Plan are required to provide evidence of coverage

elsewhere. You will be advised by mail what information you will be required to provide.

Standard Benefits Package for New Hires

The following benefit coverage is assigned to you as a “New Hire” until you enroll using the YBR

Web site and select your own benefit options and add your eligible dependents for coverage. The

applicable payroll deductions and taxable benefits (for Quebec residents) for this coverage will be

applied to your bi-weekly pay.

• Supplemental Health - Option 2 (plan reimbursement level at 80%) - “You Only” coverage

Benefit Reimbursement Level

Prescription Drug Deductible = Dispensing Fee

Lowest Cost Alternative Drug (often referred to as generic drug substitution.)

80 % company paid

If no generic drug available:

• Reimbursement Level for

Drugs on the National

Formulary

• Reimbursement Level for

Drugs not on the National

Formulary

80 % company paid

60 % company paid

Hospital Maximum Semi-private room at 80% up to $150/day

Vision Maximum $250 for contacts/frames/lenses every 2 years

Hearing Maximum $500 every 3 years

• Dental - Option 2 (plan reimbursement level at 80%) - “You Only” coverage

Benefit Reimbursement Level Maximum

Routine 80 % Unlimited

Major Restorative 60 % $1,300/year

maximum

Orthodontia 80 % $2,400/lifetime


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maximum

Dental Fee Guide 2014

• Employee Life Insurance Option 2, equivalent to 1 x base salary (salary equivalent). For Regular

Part-time (RPT) employees coverage is based on their RPT salary equivalent. Premiums for all

Life Insurance options are paid through employee payroll deductions.

• Long Term Disability Option 2, IBM Income Replacement Plan - 60% of pre-disability income

minus C/QPP plus COLA (cost of living adjustment).

New Hire Enrollment

As a new hired employee, you are provided with a one time opportunity to enroll in your flexible

benefits under the “New Hire” eligibility rules. You will have a 30-day enrollment window in which

you can change your benefits coverage from the above assigned “You Only” coverage to a benefit

plan that suits the needs of your family. Below are some important points you should be aware of

as a new hire:

• Your User ID and Password

An email (“Your Action Required (YAN)”) will be sent to your work email address, requesting your

enrollment action on the YBR website. A second email will be sent to you containing your

temporary User ID and password (PIN). The sender ID of these two notes is “IBM – Your Benefits

Resources / IBM – Vos avantages sociaux en ligne”. Emails will arrive within two to three weeks

after your start date. Please contact the IBM Employee Services Contact Centre, if you did not

receive your notices after three weeks of your start date.

To enrol you, have your User Id and Password ready to access the Your Benefits ResourcesTM (YBR)

website. Upon accessing YBR with your temporary User ID and PIN you will be required to set up

your secure profile in YBR.

• Enrollment Window

The 30-day enrollment window begins once you receive the “Your Action Required (YAN)” notice in

your Lotus Notes Inbox and last for 30 calendar days. A deadline to enroll will be displayed on the

YBR Web site. This is a one-time enrollment, once you confirm your elections, they are final and

the window is closed. If you do not participate in your enrollment, the 30-day enrollment window

expires and your next chance to change your benefits will be during the Annual Flexible Benefits

Enrollment in the fall or if you have an eligible family status change.

• Your Dependents

Your assigned coverage is for you only. If you wish to cover your eligible dependents effective the

date of your hire, you must log on to YBR to add your dependent(s) to your profile and enroll your

eligible dependent(s) within the 30-day enrollment window. Your next opportunity to add eligible

dependent(s) or to change your benefit options is through the Annual Flexible Benefits Enrollment


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or if you experience a valid family status change during the year. Annual Flexible Benefits

Enrollment generally takes place each fall.

• Beneficiary Designation

When you join IBM you will have a minimum level of Employee Life Insurance, therefore you must

complete a beneficiary designation (this beneficiary designation is optional for IBM employees

living in Quebec). You complete this designation online through YBR during your enrollment period.

Your beneficiary designation may be changed at any time, if permitted by law.

• Payroll Deductions

Once you have enrolled, your payroll deductions and taxable benefits (for Quebec residents) will

change retroactively to your hire date to reflect the benefits you selected and how your flex dollars

were allocated.

• Changing your benefit choices

Once a year, you will be able to change the benefit options you’ve selected during the Annual

Flexible Benefits Enrollment. Also, if your family status changes, you may make specific changes to

some of your benefit choices to reflect your new circumstances. This must be completed within 60

days of the date your status changed. Examples of family status changes are birth of a child,

marriage, divorce, relationship breakdown, spouse gain/loss of coverage and dependent now

eligible or no longer eligible.

• Selecting the appropriate coverage for you and your family

Of course, only you can determine the flexible benefit options and coverage category that are right

for your situation. When you consider all your options, the following questions may help you make

your decisions and consider the tradeoffs:

• Does my spouse/partner have health or dental coverage through his or her employer?

If so, you may not need a high level or any supplemental health or dental coverage from IBM. The

tradeoff is flex dollars to spend elsewhere.

• What have my medical and dental expenses been in the last few years?

If you (and your family) are relatively healthy with a low level of expenses, you might consider a

lower level of coverage, supplemented by the HCEA. Also think about whether your expenses are

expected to be more than the price tag you will pay.

• How much life insurance do I (and my family) really need?

Consider the expenses your survivors would need to cover in the event of your death. If you’re

single and have no dependents, maybe a lower level of coverage is all you’ll need. Please keep in

mind however; any future increases to employee and/or spousal life insurance will require proof of

insurability.


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• Should I pay for Long-term Disability (LTD) coverage with flex dollars or my own after-tax payroll

deductions?

There are two types of LTD plans. The first is an income replacement plan and contains 3 options

(LTD options 1, 2 and 3). These plans must be paid with flex dollars, since the LTD benefit is paid by

IBM and it is taxable. The second plan is an insured plan with Manulife (LTD option 4); you must

pay for this plan with payroll deductions. Benefits paid from the insured LTD plan with Manulife

are non taxable. The tradeoff to consider is whether the premiums you pay for the insured LTD

plan with Manulife are worth the additional dollars paid if you become disabled.

Note: Under the Income Tax Act, benefits paid by C/QPP are taxable income regardless of which

LTD plan you select.)

Your Flexible Benefits Plans - Summary

• Supplemental Health

In addition to the basic level of coverage provided by provincial health insurance plans, IBM Canada

offers several Supplemental Health options for you to choose from. Each option provides different

coverage levels for prescription drugs, semi-private hospital room, paramedical, vision, and hearing

care benefits. Coverage is available for you and your eligible family members. If you decide not to

take this coverage (you opt out), your pool of flex dollars will be used to pay for any other flexible

benefits options in the most tax effective manner, and any excess flex dollars can be taken as

taxable cash and/or deposited into an HCEA.

• Dental

The Flexible Benefits plan offers several dental options which provide different levels of coverage

for routine, preventive, restorative and orthodontic services. If you decide not to take this

coverage, your pool of flex dollars will be used to pay for any other flexible benefits options in the

most tax effective manner and any excess flex dollars can be taken as taxable cash and/or

deposited into an HCEA.

• Personal Emergency Travel Assistance Plan

The Personal Emergency Travel Assistance Plan provides emergency coverage through Europ

Assistance USA Inc. for you and your eligible dependents if you are faced with a medical emergency

while on personal travel outside of your province/country. This optional benefit plan covers eligible

services/expenses incurred within 60 days of leaving the province where you live.

• Group Life Insurance

In addition to the employee life insurance coverage (1 x base salary) already provided to you as a

new hire, you can increase the amount of Life Insurance coverage you have. Under the Group Life

Insurance plan, you can purchase Optional Employee Life Insurance, Spouse Life Insurance (both

require proof of insurability) and Children’s Life Insurance.

• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance (AD&D)


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AD&D insurance pays a benefit if you die or are seriously injured as the result of an accident. You

may cover yourself, your spouse/partner and/or your children under this benefit plan.

• Additional Long Term Disability Insurance

Long term disability (LTD) coverage continues a portion of your income if you are disabled beyond

the 26 weeks for which you receive short term disability benefits. As a new hire, during your 30-

day enrollment window, you may select any LTD option without proof of insurability, but your

coverage will be subject to a pre-existing conditions exemption.

• Health Care Expense Account (HCEA)

The HCEA allows you to use the flex dollars you don’t spend on other benefits to cover eligible

health care expenses not covered by the IBM Flexible Benefits plan or provincial health insurance

plans. The advantage to using the HCEA to pay for health care expenses are that, by doing so, you

use before-tax flex dollars from IBM—rather than your own income after taxes. HCEA claims must

meet the eligibility requirements of Canada Revenue Agency’s list of eligible services/expenses

which are subject to change at any time.

Note: For IBM employees living in Quebec, the flex dollars allocated to an HCEA are considered a

taxable benefit for provincial income tax purposes.

• Taxable Cash

If you have flex dollars remaining after making all your flexible benefit decisions, you may choose to

take your excess flex dollars in cash. Any cash will be taxable and paid to you over the course of

the year on your bi-weekly pay.

YOUR PENSION AND SAVINGS PLANS

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IBM Canada Retirement Plan - Defined Contribution (DC) Match Pension Plan

The purpose of the DC Match Pension Plan is to provide you with a source of retirement income.

You and IBM Canada Ltd. (IBM) can make contributions to your personal DC Match Pension Plan

account and you decide how these contributions are invested among a variety of funds made

available under the plan. Your retirement income from the DC Match Pension Plan will depend on a

number of variables, including the amount you decide to invest, the value of the funds

(accumulated contributions and investment earnings) in your account when you retire and the

interest rate at the time you transfer your account to an income-generating vehicle.

Eligibility

• Regular Full-time and Regular Part-time Employees are automatically eligible to join the Defined

Contribution (DC) Match Pension Plan.

Enrollment

The DC pension plan is a match plan. As a new hire, you will be enrolled in the DC Match Pension

Plan at a 0% employee and employer contribution rate on the first pay period following your date

of hire. Subsequently, you are encouraged to select another contribution rate. New DC Match

members must complete a DC Fund Investment Allocation form to designate their beneficiary and

select their investments. This form is provided in the Your IBM new hire sessions. Sun Life Financial

will also be mailing you a ‘Welcome Package’ that provides additional details on the DC Match Plan

and also includes a hardcopy enrolment form. The package will also include a password and userID

in order to access the Sun Life pension website.

Contributions

IBM will match 100% of your contributions up to 4% of your pensionable earnings (maximum total

is 8% employee and employer contribution). You may choose to make bi-weekly contributions of

0%, 1%, 2%, 3% or 4% to the DC plan, and you may change your contribution rate at any time. If

you choose not to contribute to the plan, you will not receive any employer matching

contributions.

Pensionable earnings

Your pensionable earnings are used for calculating your pension benefit and include your regular

base salary, Growth Driven Profit-sharing payment, commission, shift premium, regular short term

disability plan payments, holiday pay, payments for vacation taken and similar extra compensation

payments.

Vested Rights

The vesting of your IBM Canada DC pension plan is immediate. Employees are entitled to their

entire DC account balance, including employer match contributions, when the employee

terminates or retires from IBM.

YOUR PENSION AND SAVINGS PLANS

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Investment Options

There is a choice of 16 investment funds. You may access the Sun Life Financial Web site to change

your fund options at any time. Information on how to access the Web site will be mailed to your

home address after you join IBM.

Employee Group Savings Plan (EGSP)

Saving for your future financial needs means something different to everyone. It is up to you to

create your own retirement and personal savings program. The Employee Group Savings Plan

(EGSP) offers you a convenient way to contribute towards your future financial goals, including

retirement.

Eligibility

• All Regular full-time and Regular Part-time employees can participate in the Employee Group

Savings Plan. Participation on this plan is completely voluntary.

Contributions

Contributions are made via bi-weekly payroll deductions, lump sum direct payments, and/or

transfers from other financial institutions.

You can contribute 1% to 50% of your bi-weekly pay. Your payroll withholding taxes are calculated

after your contribution is deducted from each pay.

Available Products

Members can choose to have their contributions directed to any of the following, or a

combination of all three:

• Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP)

• Registered Retirement Savings Plan - Spousal Account

• Non-Tax Effective Savings Plan

Investment Options

A variety of investment funds are offered, including:

• Market Based Funds

• Guaranteed Investment (GIC) Funds

• Segregated Funds

• Equity Funds

OTHER BENEFITS AND SERVICES

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Adoption Assistance

The IBM Adoption Assistance Plan provides financial assistance for regular or retired employees

towards some expenses incurred in the adoption of children.

Business Travel Accident Insurance

This insurance plan covers you and pre-approved eligible family members in the event of an injury

(as defined by the policy), or death as the result of an accident occurring while traveling on

company business at company expense.

Emergency Medical Assistance While Traveling on Company Business

If traveling on company authorized business you will have access to Europ Assistance USA Inc. via a

toll-free number which can be used from anywhere in the world for emergency medical assistance.

Eligible expenses incurred due to a medical emergency are charged directly to the carrier.

Employee Assistance Program

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP), offered through Shepell-fgi, is a voluntary and confidential

counseling and referral service for IBM employees and their spouse/partner/dependents. This service

provides immediate assistance in dealing with a wide range of personal and work-related concerns.

Employee Purchase Plan

The IBM Employee Purchase Plan (EPP) allows you to purchase selected Lenovo PC products

(suitable for home use) at a reduced price.

Government Programs

IBM Canada contributes to the Employment Insurance (EI), Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP),

and provincial Workers’ Compensation funds, Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Quebec Pension Plan

(QPP) and provincial Medicare programs on your behalf.

Holidays

Regular employees and eligible supplemental employees are paid for statutory holidays.

Integrated Health Services

Integrated Health Services provides employee well-being services including health & safety,

ergonomics, industrial hygiene, and disability case management.

IBM Club

The IBM Club is a group that brings employee and retirees, as well as their families, together

outside of work to participate in activities that are social, cultural or recreational. The IBM Club also

makes available discounts to entertainment, leisure and recreational venues and events. IBM Clubs

exist in about 150 locations worldwide today. Today, the notion of an IBM Club is being expanded

to embrace employees who are mobile, work at customer locations and travel, as well as have a

desire to connect with co-workers around a specific interest.


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IBM – Discount for IBMers

This program provides employees and retirees of IBM Canada access to discount services and

products that are not normally available to the general public.

IBM HospMed (Medical-Surgical) Program

The HospMed program pays individual premiums on your behalf when you are eligible for

provincial medicare in British Columbia.

IBM Learning

IBM offers a wide range of education and training services to support the skills enhancement and

career development of its employees.

LifePlan

The purpose of the Lifeplan program is to assist IBM employees and their families in maintaining a

healthy lifestyle and work/life balance. This plan reimburses a percentage of specific course fees

from Group Exercise classes, Smoking Cessation classes, Weight Management classes, etc.

Maternity Supplementary Benefits

Applicable to Regular and RPT employees initiating a pregnancy leave of absence, where IBM will

top up your regular Employment Insurance maternity benefits (Quebec Parental Insurance Plan for

employees in Quebec) with a salary supplement for the first six weeks you are away from work on

pregnancy leave of absence.

Optional Post-Retirement Benefits Product

IBM has made arrangements with Sun Life Financial to provide access to an Optional Post-

Retirement Health and Dental Benefit product. Upon retirement, employees will be given a one-

time opportunity to review this product and determine if they would like to purchase this coverage

from Sun Life Financial. The coverage would be effective from the first day of retirement. Those

purchasing the product will pay premiums for the coverage they select directly to Sun Life Financial.


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Short-Term Disability Benefits

If you become medically disabled from working, this plan can provide 100% of your pay for a

minimum of four weeks. After four weeks, depending on your years of service, you will receive

either 100% or 66.67% (based on years of service) of your bi-weekly salary or salary equivalent) for

each day absent to a maximum of six months (based on you qualifying for the benefit).

Tuition Refund

On satisfactory completion of a previously approved course, the IBM Tuition Refund Plan assists by

paying up to $1,200 for courses taken, within a degree or diploma program, that have been

management approved as job related. The plan also pays for the purchase of required text books.

Vacation

The vacation plan provides you with paid time (based on your length of service) away from work.

Immediately upon joining IBM, your vacation entitlement will be three weeks of paid vacation.

During your first year of employment your vacation entitlement will be prorated based on your hire

date. After 10 years of service your vacation entitlement will be increased to four weeks, and to

five weeks after 20 years of service.

Citizenship at IBM

Giving Back to the Community

Each year, IBMers across the country donate hundreds of thousands of hours to community

service. The IBM On Demand Community program encourages and recognizes IBM employee and

retiree volunteer service by providing intellectual property to assist in volunteering, and (upon

eligibility) contributing grants to eligible Canadian registered charitable organizations. Together,

we can improve the health and welfare of the communities where we live and work.

Employees’ Charitable Fund (ECF)

The Employees’ Charitable Fund is an excellent opportunity for IBM employees to be able to

contribute to the quality of life within their communities. The fund allows employees to contribute

through various means to over 85,000 charities in Canada. The fund has shown the community that

IBMers care.

Matching Grants

To encourage support within your community, IBM will match your contribution (subject to a

maximum limit) to approved hospitals, colleges, universities, nursing homes as well as cultural and

environmental organizations of your choice.

YOUR FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS

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IBM offers several flexible work options to vary IBM’s work schedule. These are designed to help

employees manage their business and personal lives while creating value for our customers. These

options require management approval.

Individual Work Schedules (IWS)

This option allows employees to begin work up to 2 ½ hours before of 2 ½ hours after the normal

location start and stop times.

Flexweek

This option allows employees, with management approval, to complete the workweek by varying

their daily or weekly work schedule.

Regular Part Time

This allows regular employees to work either 50%, 60% or 80% of a regular schedule with

management approval.

Workplace Flexibility/Mobility Program

IBM has identified the following environments that reflect the nature of our workplace:

• Traditional: identifies employees who have a dedicated workspace such as an enclosed office or

open landscape cubicle at an IBM location (an IBM owned or leased building), and the majority

of the work day is spent at the IBM location.

• Mobile: identifies employees who are usually on the move; at customer locations, traveling

from city to city and from IBM location to IBM location. The Mobile/Telecommuting employees

do not have a dedicated workspace in any IBM location; but make use of Mobility Centres or

other shared workspace environments at visited IBM locations. The employee may spend 1-3

days per week working at home or an alternate location

• Customer: identifies employees assigned to a customer/vendor location, assigned to a

customer location as part of an outsourcing contract, or working for a government/university

on a formal loan program. The Customer/Alternate Location employees do not have a

dedicated workspace at an IBM location. These employees use the customer/alternate

infrastructure to accomplish their job.

• Work-At-Home: identifies employees who, with management approval, work from their home

residence. The Work-At-Home employee does not have a dedicated workspace in any IBM

facility. When visiting IBM locations, they make use of Mobility Centres.

• Non-Office: identifies employees who are housed within an IBM location (IBM owned or leased

building) but by the nature of their work, do not require a dedicated office workspace. This

category pertains primarily to manufacturing production workers and warehouse dock and

distribution employees.

YOUR FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS

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Flexible Summer Workweek Option

The Flexible Summer Workweek Option, allows regular full-time employees to compress their

regularly scheduled work week into 4 ½ days over the summer months. The period for the program

begins the first Friday prior to June 21 and ends on the last Friday prior to Labour Day.

Management approval is required to participate in the program and in the selection of the specific

flex half day. This option is not available in all provinces.

Leave of Absence Programs

IBM’s leave of absence programs have been developed in response to personal needs such as

parenting, family care, retirement preparation, educational, military or other special circumstances.

If it is necessary for you to be away for an extended period of time, as a regular employee, a Leave

of Absence may be appropriate. Leaves may be granted at the discretion of your manager and are

dependent on the individual personal and business circumstances.

You should discuss any requirements to take time off for personal reasons with your manager. If

the absence is of short duration (less than 10 days), your manager may arrange for you to take time

off with or without pay, depending on the circumstances. Whenever you must be absent from work

because of sickness or an emergency, contact your manager as soon as possible.

IMPORTANT THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

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Paydays and payroll deposits

You will receive a base salary based on regularly scheduled hours.

Your base salary is deposited directly to your bank, credit union or trust company on alternate

Fridays. For each pay period, you will receive an e-Paystub with your Statement of Earnings and

Deductions. The Company is required by law to withhold various taxes.

You may request that additional voluntary deductions be taken for example the Employee Group

Savings Plan (EGSP), the IBM Employee Stock Purchase Plan or for the Flexible Benefits options you

have selected.

The voluntary deductions are not limited to those identified in the paragraph above as IBM also

offers Non-RRSP, BONDS, CREDIT Union and ECF.

It is your responsibility to review each e-Paystub to ensure that all information is accurate.

Your personal information and personnel records

During the course of your employment with IBM, personal information will be collected about you

such as, payroll data, benefit and medical records and performance data. To achieve a proper

balance between the legitimate information, needs of the business and the proper handling of your

personal information, IBM has adopted four fundamental practices:

• Collect, use and retain only personal information that is required for business or legal reasons.

• Provide employees with a means of ensuring that personal data contained in IBM personnel

records is correct.

• Limit the internal availability of personal information about others to those with a business

need to know.

• Release certain personal information outside IBM only with employee approval, except to verify

employment or to satisfy legitimate investigatory or legal needs.

Personal information in your Human Resources personal folder and data system is available for

your inspection upon request to your manager or the Employee Records Department.

It is your responsibility to update your personal information immediately whenever there are

changes such as home address/phone, spouse, dependents, work address/phone, etc.

Your safety and security

IBM is committed to provide working conditions that are safe, pleasant and efficient and to supply

excellent tools and equipment. IBM has an exceptional safety record which has been achieved with

the cooperation of all employees. Emphasis is placed on good housekeeping and providing the

proper working facilities and equipment.

Safety and security at each facility is an important responsibility of all employees. Your manager is

responsible for ensuring you are instructed in the best and safest working practices applicable to

IMPORTANT THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

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your job. Managers are also encouraged to discuss safety and security in meetings and in individual

discussions. However, these procedures depend on you to make them work.

Diversity

Valuing Diversity is an integral part of IBM’s culture. We are committed to creating an environment

which fully respects, embraces and accommodates cultural differences. For IBM, diversity is

embedded into our business strategy and it contributes directly to our ability to provide clients

with innovative leading solutions. To ensure that talented people can reach their full potential,

IBM insists on a workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment based on race, colour,

religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, or other factors that are unrelated

to its legitimate business interests. IBM prohibits psychological harassment and workplace

violence. This creates a strong working environment that provides opportunities for development

and advancement for all people. Our starategy is to preserves our commitment to Diversity and

Equal Opportunity as we expand into new and emerging markets and move towards Diversity of

Thought as the ultimate end state.

Separation policy

Separation may be initiated by either an employee or IBM management. If an IBM employee

initiates the separation, it is considered a voluntary resignation.

IBM management can also initiate the separation at anytime for cause without notice of a

separation allowance or without cause with notice or a separation allowance payment in lieu of

notice equivalent to one week’s salary for each fully completed six months of service up to a

maximum of 52 weeks of salary.

CONTACTS & RESOURCES

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IBM’S HR PROGRAMS AND POLICIES

This brochure provides a brief summary of IBM’s programs.

For detailed information please refer to:

� w3/You and IBM-Canada

Link: http://w3-01.ibm.com/hr/web/ca/navigation/

IBM EMPLOYEE SERVICES CONTACT CENTRE

For general questions and inquiries about your IBM Human Resources Policies and

Programs contact the

IBM Employee Services Contact Centre:

� 1-866-214-0977 - For health and benefits enrollment related questions,

please select option #1 – Health benefits.

� email: [email protected], Lotus Notes: ESHelp/CanWest/IBM

IBM INTEGRATED HEALTH SERVICES

� for services in English: (905) 316-2422

� For services in French: (450) 534-6054

IBM EMPLOYEE PURCHASE PLAN

The EPP contact number

� 1-800-465-2289

� www.lenovo.com/ibmepp

BENEPLACE (DISCOUNT FOR IBMERS)

Visit the Discount for IBMers website to see what’s available at:

� www2.beneplace.com/ibmca

� In Canada or US: (512) 346-3300

� Outside Canada/US): 1- 800-683-2886

� http://www2.beneplace.com/contact.jsp

CONTACTS & RESOURCES

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COMPUTERSHARE (EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN)

Computershare (formerly Equiserve Trust Company, Inc.)

� [email protected]

Mailing address: 525 Washington Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 0731

EUROP ASSISTANCE USA INC.(PERSONAL AND BUSINESS EMERGENCY TRAVEL

ASSISTANCE )

For questions about your personal emergency travel assistance claims contact

Europ Assistance USA Inc.:

� 1-800-511-4610 in the US and Canada

� (001-800-368-7878) in Mexico

� (202) 296-7493 elsewhere

� [email protected]

SHEPELL-FGI ( EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM)

To contact our EAP provider, visit the Shepell-fgi website at:

� http://www.shepellfgi.com/go/ibm/

� In Canada or US: English: 1-800-387-4765, French: 1-800-361-5676

� Outside Canada/US): Call collect: 1-416-961-8555

SUN LIFE FINANCIAL (MEDICAL BENEFITS AND PENSION CARRIER)

For questions about your Supplemental Health and Dental claims (e.g.: vision,

hearing, drugs, etc) and/or your DC Match Pension Plan contact Sun Life Financial:

� 1-877-SUN-2244 or 1-877-786-2244

� Link: http://www.mysunlife.ca

Have your benefits policy number/contract number (#23000) and employee serial

number (i.e. Certificate Number) ready

Documents

IBM CANADA LTD HUMAN RESOURCES PROGRAMS FOR IBM … · 2018-10-26 · form of a single, worldwide "one IBM" profit sharing pool. Payments under this program vary and are based on