Benefits

Open Enrollment

Open Enrollment 2024

Open Enrollment: Save the Date!

This year, Open Enrollment will start at 8 a.m. on Thursday, October 26, and end at 5 p.m. on Friday, November 17. The main website will go live the week of October 23. Online Open Enrollment Information Sessions, in partnership with the UC Berkeley Health Care Facilitator and Benefits Managers, will be held to provide you with...

Departmental Human Resources: Change in Employment Status

Some employees hired initially in temporary, contract or part-time positions, and who are initially eligible for only the Mid-Level or Core benefits package, may become eligible for Full (or Mid-Level, if they had Core) benefits.

collapse all expand all Toward Full Benefits eligibility - 750/1,000 Hours

If an employee is not eligible for the Full benefits package when hired, and then works more than 1,000 eligible hours (750...

Departmental Human Resources: New Hire, Rehire, Intercampus Transfer

When a new, rehired, or transferred employee begins work, please follow the steps below to ensure the employee is able to enroll in their desired benefits plans.

Changes Resulting from Supreme Court's Defense of Marriage Act and Prop 8 Rulings

Update: Faculty, staff and retirees who are legally married with a same gender spouse are now able to reclaim income taxes for open taxable years—usually up to three years. Note: the ruling and benefits changes do not apply to same gender domestic partners. The IRS has issued guidance regarding the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and individuals’ ability to recoup taxes paid in previous years. With guidance in place, UC has now set a process for...

Departmental Human Resources: Employees Returning from Leave

Employees must reenroll in benefits within 31 days of their return from a leave of absence using forms UPAY 850 (PDF) and/or UPAY 919 (PDF). To ensure all benefits resume as desired, employees must re-enroll in all of their Health & Welfare benefits, regardless of whether or not the benefit was continued while on leave.

If an employee is on leave for less than 120...

Departmental Human Resources: Leave of Absence Premium Overpayment

Timely HCM action is required to formally put the employee on leave. If an employee is showing as active at the time of the monthly payroll deadline, the department will be charged for the following month’s premiums. Once charged, premiums are not refundable unless they are refunded automatically through the consolidated billing process. If UC is refunded the premium by the insurance company, then the department is also refunded.

To avoid this problem, departments must

Place the employee on leave in HCM in a timely manner Take an active role in assuring that employees...

Departmental Human Resources: Employees Going on Leave

Please Note: This list is not intended to be all-inclusive, but covers major information needed for employees going on or returning from a leave of absence.

Important: see also Leave of Absence Overpayment Information.

At the Beginning of a Leave of Absence:

Give employee the appropriate Benefits Checklist: Disability Checklist (includes pregnancy disability); for employees needing to...

Departmental Human Resources: Benefits Bridge for Lecturers

As part of the January 1, 2004, collective bargaining agreement between the University and NSF Unit 18 employees (lecturers), a Benefits Bridge provision was created.

What is the Benefits Bridge?

Allows continuation of benefits during the summer, IF a lecturer has a written commitment for re-employment at the end of the Benefits Bridge period If a lecturer is enrolled in a UC plan on the last day of their appointment, coverage can be maintained for up to three months by making direct payment, in advance to the payroll office, for the full...

Departmental Human Resources: Employees Going on Leave

Please Note: This list is not intended to be all-inclusive, but covers major information needed for employees going on or returning from a leave of absence.

Important: see also Leave of Absence Premium Overpayment Information

At the Beginning of a Leave of Absence, please ensure that all the following steps have been covered with the employee....

Departmental Human Resources: Employment Events

New or newly eligible employees Benefits procedures Employment Events that Create a Period of Initial Eligibility (PIE) Designate your beneficiaries online...