Buying service for a leave

Learn about your options for buying service during or after a leave of absence.


What the cost will be

The cost to buy service for your leave of absence is based on:

  • The number of months of service you want to buy
  • Your current full-time gross monthly pensionable salary (or full-time equivalent, if you work part time)
  • The current employee and employer contribution rates

WorkSafeBC will pay the employer portion of the cost on your behalf for all eligible leaves.

Estimating the cost of a lump-sum payment

Sign in to My Account and use the personalized purchase cost estimator to find out how much it may cost to purchase your leave as a lump sum.

Estimating the cost of continuous contributions

If you’re planning to make continuous contributions to your pension during an ESA–approved leave, you can estimate your monthly cost by adding together the pension deduction on two biweekly pay stubs.

Additional cost considerations

  • Since your payment cost is based on current salary and contribution rates, buying your service earlier may be less expensive
  • If you are making continuous contributions, your cost may change slightly month to month with regular salary increases

External link to employment standards

Government of B.C. Employment Standards