Student - Pay and benefits

The purpose of this document is to provide students at Parks Canada with information related to their pay and benefits. Any specific questions should be directed to their supervisor / manager.

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When will I be paid?

At Parks Canada, you are paid biweekly and two (2) weeks in arrears, and your pay is issued via Direct Deposit. It can take up to four (4) weeks for your first paycheque to be deposited in your account. In the unlikely event that there are issues setting up your Direct Deposit banking information, your first pay will be sent to you via mail, so it is important to ensure that we have a current mailing address on file. If you do not receive your first pay after four (4) weeks, or if you continue to receive paycheques in the mail, reach out to your manager for support.

What about my rate of pay?

A new employee’s rate of pay may default to the lowest pay rate of their academic level until a compensation advisor at the Pay Centre adjusts the pay rate to match what appears on the letter of offer. If the rate was incorrect on your first pay cheque, this will be adjusted and any missing pay from your first cheque will be issued to you retroactively. However, if after two (2) consecutive pay cycles, you are still being paid at an incorrect rate, you should reach out to your manager for support.

Leave, benefits and pension plan

• What type of leave am I entitled to?
• What type of benefits / insurance am i eligible for?
• Do i contribute to the public service pension plan?

Have you asked yourself any of these important questions? We have the answers! Refer to the Benefit Chart for Students below to better understand your eligibility to different types of benefits (health/insurance plans), entitlements and paid leave.

When can I expect my final pay?

When your contract comes to an end, the Pay Centre may have to review and make manual adjustments as they reconcile your pay file. For this reason, it is not uncommon for there to be a two (2) week delay to receive your final pay.

Before your last day, it is important to review your personal information on file and ensure that there is a valid mailing address and personal email. In the event that the Pay Centre has to contact you after you leave, they will use one of these two methods.

What is MYGCPAY?

The myGCPay portal will provide you with a complete view of your pay and benefits information. It provides important features and details such as:

• Your most recent employment information, rate of pay and hours of work/week
• A breakdown of your net pay, deductions and taxes paid
• A summary of your benefits with links and instructions on how to submit claims
• A list of your Pay Centre cases, including their current status
• Important documents such as Proof of Employment letter, tax slips and your pay stubs

‌Benefit chart for students‌

The purpose of this chart is to provide a summary overview of the benefits/entitlements available to Students at Parks Canada. This summary is for information purposes only – the Pay Centre will determine eligibility based on current acts and regulations.

Paid vacation leave / Paid sick leave / Statutory holidays

• Paid Vacation Leave: Students are not entitled to paid vacation leave. In lieu of vacation, students are entitled to vacation pay equal to four per cent (4%) of their total regular and overtime earnings.
• Paid Sick Leave: Students are not entitled to paid sick leave and do not accumulate sick leave credits.
• Designated Paid (Statutory) Holidays: Students employed on a full-time basis are entitled to pay for designated paid holidays provided they were not absent without pay on the full working day before and the full working day after the designated holiday. Part-time Students are not entitled to pay for designated paid holidays. However, if they work a minimum of one-third (1/3) of the Standard Work Week (12.5hrs for a 37.5hr/week and 13.3hrs for a 40hr/week), they will receive a holiday in lieu payment of 4.6% on their pay.

Health and dental coverage

• Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP): The PSHCP is an optional plan and, as such, one needs to apply for this benefit to receive coverage. Students are entitled to apply to the PSHCP once they have completed six (6) months of continuous employment. If their term is greater than 6 months, they are eligible to apply from their appointment date.
• Public Service Dental Care Plan (PSDCP): The PSDCP is an automatic plan (one does not need to apply) and Students will be enrolled once they have completed six (6) months of continuous employment. Part-time Students that work less than one-third (1/3) of the Standard Work Week (12.5hrs for a 37.5hr/week and 13.3hrs for a 40hr/week) are not entitled to PSDCP coverage.

Bilingual bonus / Disability insurance / Union dues

• Bilingual Bonus: Students are not entitled to the Bilingual Bonus.
• Disability Insurance: Students do not have coverage under the Disability Insurance plan.
• Union Representation / Dues: Students are not considered public service employees and are therefore not represented by the union (PSAC). They do not have union dues deducted from their pay.

Public Service Pension Plan

Students will be enrolled in and begin contributing to the Public Service Pension Plan once they have completed six (6) months of continuous employment. If their term is greater than 6 months, they will be enrolled and will begin contributing from their appointment date. Students must work a minimum of 12 hours per week to contribute to the plan. The contribution amount is based on their rate of pay at the time of contribution.

Consult the Public Service Pension Plan page for more information on enrollment, service buyback, what happens to coverage when on leave without pay and more.

Additional information & links

MyGCPAY: MyGCPay - Canada.ca

Understanding your Pay Stub: Check your pay stub - Canada.ca

Student Onboarding Portal at Parks Canada: Student onboarding - Parks Canada Intranet (Available on ParksCanada network)

Client Contact Centre (Pay Centre): 1-855-686-4729

Public Service Pension Centre: 1-800-561-7930