Multi-employer benefit plans play a critical role in supporting workers across industries where employment structures are inherently complex. A multi-employer group health plan is a health benefit arrangement jointly sponsored by two or more employers, often under collective bargaining agreements, allowing employees from multiple unrelated businesses to access pooled health coverage. These plans also enable unions to provide benefits to members who work for different employers, ensuring they have access to–and can maintain–consistent coverage.

Multi-employer plans have a level of administrative complexity that traditional benefit models simply don’t face. To succeed, multi-employer plans require specialized software, well-defined processes, experienced staff, and continuity. For most plans, building and maintaining these capabilities independently can be costly and inefficient. That’s where AGA fills the gap, offering the appropriate technology, expert support, and the advantages of scale to deliver reliable, continuous administration.

A major player in that field, AGA currently administers more than 20 multi-employer plans and Employee Life and Health Trusts (ELHTs) across Canada, supporting over 40,000 members. This experience has shaped our approach: structured, disciplined, and designed to support long-term plan sustainability.

If you are a benefit trust representative, you are probably looking to achieve the following goals: improve the member experience, spend less time on administrative tasks, and ensure compliance. This is where working with AGA makes sense.

What Makes Multi-Employer Plans So Complex?

“Unlike single-employer plans, multi-employer arrangements must serve a diverse group of employers and members, with distinct identities and needs, requiring flexible solutions that can adapt to those differences,” says Todd Rappitt, Vice President, Specialized Markets at AGA.

With his team and other collaborators across Canada, he helps trusts navigate through the intricacies of such plans: multiple contributing employers, negotiated eligibility rules, and trust governance structures.

Key complexities include eligibility that can be based on hours worked or contributions rather than employment status, constant movement of members between employers within the same plan, communication with a decentralized membership and strict reporting requirements for trustees and regulators.

Many of the plans are provided through Employee Life and Health Trusts (ELHTs), bringing additional layers of governance and fiduciary responsibility. For trustees and plan sponsors, this means relying on an administrator that can provide:

• Clear, auditable financial reporting
• Consistent and transparent eligibility management
• Secure handling of sensitive data
• Reliable governance support for meetings, minutes, documentation, and decision-making

AGA’s brand promise is the best of people and technology; look no further than our Specialized Markets team to embody this winning formula. AGA is using specialized software configured to address the specifics of multi-employer plans; with a qualified group of internal administrators “behind the wheel” to make it work.

“The true strength of plan management lies in the right tools in the hands of experienced people. Skilled teams, strong support, and thoughtful succession planning are what ensure constant service and long-term continuity,” adds Mr. Rappitt.  

Member-Centric Service, Even in Complex Environments

Multi-employer plans often serve diverse workforces with varying levels of benefits literacy. Clear communication and accessible support are essential to sustaining engagement and trust. This is why AGA supports members through:

• Intuitive digital self-service tools
• Clear enrollment and eligibility communications
• Bilingual contact centers
• Ongoing plan-related guidance

Todd Rappitt adds that service is at the heart of what the team does: “We take care of members like they were our own—not because it sounds good, but because it matters.”

Security, Compliance, and Governance You Can Rely On

Data integrity and regulatory compliance are non-negotiable in trust-based arrangements. AGA’s administrative model is built around operational excellence, with processes designed to meet or exceed federal and provincial privacy requirements.

This includes:

• Canadian-based data storage and processing
• Privacy-by-design operational frameworks
• Continuous monitoring and cybersecurity safeguards

For trustees and plan sponsors, this means peace of mind—and fewer surprises.

Learn More About Specialized Benefits Administration

If you oversee a multi-employer benefit plan or an ELHT, the right administrative partner can make a measurable difference—in compliance, efficiency, and member experience.

Discover how AGA can support your plan with its unique expertise.