Benefits (2024)

Open Enrollment for 2024 benefits will begin Thursday, October 26, at 8:00 am, and end on Friday, November 17, at 5:00 pm. Please do not wait until the last minute! Make time on your calendar now to allow yourself to ask questions if that need arises.

Note that employees will experience an increase in premiums for the following medical plans:

• For the lowest-cost Kaiser plan (self-coverage for people making $68,000 or less per year), the monthly employee premium will change by fewer than $8 a month
• For UC Health Savings Plan members covering family members, premiums will be up to three times higher than they were last year
• UC will continue to pay the full cost of dental and vision coverage for employees and their eligible dependents. Employee vision plan coverage for contact lenses will change from a combined maximum benefit of $160 for lenses and exam to a maximum benefit of $160 for lenses, with the exam covered separately with a copay of up to $60
• There are no changes to premium costs or benefits for legal, disability, life or accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance

For more information, please refer to the Employee Medical Plan Costs (2024) page on UCNet.

Who to Contact

• Benefits Options & General Information: Visit UCnet. Browse information on BLINK.
• Counseling & Benefits Advice: Contact the UC San Diego Benefits Office at 858-534-2816, benefits@ucsd.edu, or reach out to your local benefits representative.
• Your Personal Benefits Summary: View on UCPath onlineat Employee Actions > Health & Welfare > Benefits Summary.
• Benefits Enrollment: Browse resources on UCPath onlineat Employee Actions > Health & Welfare > Enroll in Benefits.
• To contact UCPC for assistance click on "Ask UCPath" at the top right corner of the online portal screen or call 855-982-7284.

Be Ready to Provide the Following Information

• Details on your specific issues or questions. Use UCPath Online to gather your Employee ID and Job Title before calling (from the blue box at the top left corner of the screen).

What to Expect

• If you open a case with UCPC, you can return to "Ask UCPath" to check the status of your case and to send follow-up information as needed.

Who to Contact

• Refer employees to the resources listed above. If you are not sure how to proceed in assisting the employee, contact the UC San Diego Benefits Team at benefits@ucsd.edu or call 858-534-2816.

Be Ready to Provide the Following Information

• Details on issues or questions. For eligibility, gather information on Job such as Job Code, FTE, Employee Class, Job End Date.

What Happens Next

• The UC San Diego Benefits Team will provide guidance on how to resolve issues or questions. They may refer you or the employee to UCPath Center in some instances.

No. Retirement checks are processed through the Retirement Administration Service Center (RASC).

Absence Management (AM) service months are notthe same as Retirement Administration Service Center (RASC) service credits for pension calculation purposes.

• RASC service credits are based on the following:
  
  • Actual percentage of time on pay status while in covered, UCRP-eligible employment
  • Employee on pay status 50% = 50% retirement service credit
  • Vesting after 5 years and eligibility for the UC Retirement Plan (UCRP)
• Employee service credits are based on the following:
  • Accrue one month of service for each month at 50% time or more
  • Employee on pay status 50% = 100% employment service credit
  • Eligibility for higher vacation accruals and service awards

The Campus HR Benefits team can assist campus employees with confirming their years of Service Credit & vesting status in the UC Retirement Plan (UCRP) – also referred to as the “Pension” plan.

UCPath has no visibility to service credits. Employees should work directly with RASC for service credit inquiries.

Billing notices are prepared during the final week of the month and mailed to the employee beginning the last day of the month. Employees should receive the invoice the first week of the month and payment is due by the end of the month.

If Leave, Furlough or Short Work Break begins mid-June:

• If the transaction is entered into UCPath no later than 06/15/22, this will ensure the data is captured for the 07/01/22 Finance Invoice for August Coverage. Invoices are prepared starting 06/24/22 and mailed to the employee starting 06/30/22.
• See Navigation Below:
  • UCPath Quicklinks -> Benefits Resources -> Location Users - Administrators for Benefits Billing Calendars -> Processing Calendars for Benefits Billing Processing Calendar 2022
  • Note: The leave should be entered and locally approved no later than the first date in the column under Benefits Billing Employee Reconciliation of Accounts to ensure the data is captured for the upcoming Benefits Billing Statement.

Benefits Billing is always on a monthly basis, so employees will receive separate bills each month.

• Examples:
  • For monthly employees, if their furlough begins mid-June (around 06/19), then the 07/01/22 monthly paycheck should be their last Active paycheck with deductions to cover for July premiums, for pay period dates 06/01/22 – 06/30/22.
  • For bi-weekly employees, if their furlough begins mid-June (around 06/19), then the 07/06/22 bi-weekly paycheck should be their last Active paycheck with deductions to cover for the 1st half of August premiums, for pay period dates 06/12/22 – 06/25/22.
  • Employees should receive the 07/01/22 Invoice for August coverage month around the 1st week of July, and payment is due by 07/31/22.
  • If the furlough/leave/SWB transactions beginning mid-June (around 6/19) are entered after 06/15/22 and are not captured during the 07/01/22 Finance Invoice:

The following 08/01/22 Invoice for the September coverage month would reflect August + September due for monthly employees and half August + September due for bi-weekly employees, all for the same 08/01/22 Invoice due date 08/31/22.

Locations should share with local employees and leverage two UCnet articles:

• Health Flexible Spending Account Summary Plan Description (page 11/12)
• Leave Without Pay (page 5/12)

Locations should share with local employees and leverage two UCnet articles:

• Leave Without Pay (page 5/12)
• Taking a Furlough
• Taking a Leave of Absence

Note: Payments towards the voluntary disability plans will be discontinued when employees are placed onto an unpaid leave or a paid leave that does not allow for continuation of these plans.

• Employees should contact UCPath to confirm eligibility.

Plans that were discontinued during employee’s Leave, Furlough or Short Work Break may be reinstated when employee returns to Active Status.

Upon return, employees should review their Benefits Enrollment Summary to ensure timely reinstatement of their plans in UCPath, including Voluntary Disability.

As a reminder, to qualify for the inactive cost of living adjustment (COLA) increase, eligible UC Retirement Plan (UCRP) benefit recipients must have 1976 Tier service credit or safety classification and have at least one business day break in service before a July 1 retirement.

Refer to the updated Retirement Processing for July 1 Retirement Date - COLA job aid for terminology, examples, and guidance on processing this transaction in UCPath.

Action Items:

• Submit retirement templates
• Submit final pay requests for accrual payouts
  • **Include takes not previously reported in these payroll requests to ensure accurate final TRM payout
  • The Processing Final Pay for 7/1 Retirees Quick Reference has been updated with the new extended date
• Submit Accruals & Service Adjustment eForm to adjust any sick time that has been converted to service credit

Note:

• Transaction templates should be submitted and approved per location deadlines in the payroll processing calendars linked below.

Resources:

• Job Aid: Retirement Processing for July 1 Retirement Date - COLA
• Job Aid: Emeriti Processing for July 1 Retirement Date
• Simulation: Initiate Retirement Template Transaction
• Simulation: Submit Final Pay Request
• Forms Library in UCPath
• Job Aid: Review Payroll Processing Schedule
• Payroll Processing Schedule

If a participant transfers employment from one UC location to another UC location, any voluntary salary deferral election will stop automatically. The participant must re-enroll at the new location (currently through Fidelity) to continue contributions.

To review your 403b, 457b, and DCP account information, log into your Fidelity account here or call Fidelity Investments for assistance at (866) 682-7787. Although the participant will see their prior deduction set up, a small change to the enrollment will trigger a file upload to the new location.

Employees who retire or separate from the University can access pay statements and tax documents for up to 36 months via the Former Employee Portal.

Before Retirement or Separation:Employees should update their primary/home email address in UCPath online by navigating to the following page:

• Log in to UCPath > Employee Actions > Personal Information > Personal Information Summary > Email Address

Employees must list an email address that will be accessible to them after leaving their UC employment.If UCPath has your personal email address on file, you’ll receive a notification email as soon as you’re eligible to register.

Setting Up a Former Employee Portal Account After Separation:As a best practice, employees are asked to clear their cache to avoid receiving errors and stale requests:

• Navigate to: https://ucpath.universityofcalifornia.edu
• Select:University of California, Former Employees
• Select: Create an Account
• Enter your primary email address (updated above)
• Enter the last four digits of your social security number
• Click the “Send me a registration link” button
• The system will generate an email with further instructions that will walk the employee through completing the registration process and grant them access to the Former Employee Portal
• If the registration email is not received within an hour, the employee should check their Spam or Trash folders

Additional Information:

• Employees without a social security number on file will not be able to gain access to the former employee portal
• If an employee needs additional support setting up their Former Employee Portal, they can contact UCPath at 1-855-982-7284

For more information, view UCPath Online for Former Employees in UCNet.