Your Guide to UC Disability Benefits

Your Guide to UC Disability Benefits

Your Guide to UC Disability Benefits

KEY DEADLINES

WITHIN 31 DAYS OF BEING HIRED BY UC ? Enroll in Voluntary Short-Term Disability, Voluntary Long-Term

Disability or both now when you won't need to submit a statement of health.

BEFORE DISABILITY LEAVE BEGINS As soon as you know you need to take a disability leave: ? Talk with your supervisor, the person or office coordinating

your leave, or the UC Retirement Administration Service Center (if you're eligible for UCRP Disability) about your situation.

? See your doctor--to be certified for disability income, you need to be under a doctor's continuous care.

? File claim(s) for disability benefits (see page 14 for details).

? To continue benefits during an unpaid leave, your method of payment for the employee portion of your premiums depends on your location. If you use UCPath to manage your benefits, you'll receive billing statements from them once you're placed on unpaid leave. Otherwise, you will need to make payment arrangements with your Benefits Office.

DURING YOUR DISABILITY PERIOD Keep your supervisor updated regarding your status and any changes in your planned return to work date. As soon as possible after your last day on pay status:

? Make arrangements to continue your health and welfare benefits

? If you have a 403(b) loan, make arrangements to continue or suspend payments or to repay the loan in full

Track the maximum continuation periods for your benefit plans and take action to convert or port if desired.

AFTER YOUR DISABILITY ENDS Within 31 days after you return to work: ? Contact your leave coordinator as soon as you return to work.

At a minimum, you'll need to review your benefits within 31 days after you return to work. When you return, you'll need to follow the appropriate process to restart your benefits.

? Contact UCPath or your Payroll Office to make sure that any deductions from your paycheck for 403(b) loan repayments will resume.

Tip Remember that when you're applying for disability and making changes to your benefits, it's your responsibility to meet the deadlines set by UC and the insurance carrier. Be sure to leave yourself enough time to do this.

Soon after you return to work: ? Contact your leave coordinator to find out if you need to

restart payments on any previous UCRP service credit purchase you have in progress.

? Consider a service credit purchase for your time on leave (see page 25 for details).

Got questions? For general information, UC publications and forms, and details on benefit plans check out UCnet (ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu). UC's disability policies are available at ucal.us/disabilitypubs.

For questions about your Voluntary Disability coverage, contact Lincoln Financial (formerly Liberty Mutual) at 800-838-4461, or visit , code: UNIVERSITY.

To review your benefits, sign in to your UC benefits account (ucal.us/accounts). You can also contact your local Benefits Office for help.

By authority of the Regents, University of California Human Resources, located in Oakland, administers all benefit plans in accordance with applicable plan documents and regulations, custodial agreements, University of California Group Insurance Regulations, group insurance contracts, and state and federal laws. No person is authorized to provide benefits information not contained in these source documents, and information not contained in these source documents cannot be relied upon as having been authorized by the Regents. Source documents are available for inspection upon request (800-888-8267). What is written here does not constitute a guarantee of plan coverage or benefits-- particular rules and eligibility requirements must be met before benefits can be received. The University of California intends to continue the benefits described here indefinitely; however, the benefits of all employees, retirees and plan beneficiaries are subject to change or termination at the time of contract renewal or at any other time by the University or other governing authorities. The University also reserves the right to determine new premiums, employer contributions and monthly costs at any time. Health and welfare benefits are not accrued or vested benefit entitlements. UC's contribution toward the monthly cost of the coverage is determined by UC and may change or stop altogether, and may be affected by the state of California's annual budget appropriation. If you belong to an exclusively represented bargaining unit, some of your benefits may differ from the ones described here. For more information, employees should contact their Human Resources Office and retirees should call the UC Retirement Administration Service Center (800-888-8267).

In conformance with applicable law and University policy, the University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Please send inquiries regarding the University's affirmative action and equal opportunity policies for staff to Systemwide AA/EEO Policy Coordinator, University of California, Office of the President, 1111 Franklin Street, 5th Floor, CA 94607, and for faculty to the Office of Academic Personnel and Programs, University of California, Office of the President, 1111 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA 94607.

CInhtaropdteurcTtiiotlne

Having the right disability insurance in place is a critical--and often overlooked--piece of your financial safety net. It can give you essential peace of mind should illness or injury ever prevent you from working for a long time. This type of insurance can also replace a portion of your salary during pregnancy and for the first few weeks after childbirth.

As a UC employee, you have a wide range of options for disability coverage. This guide outlines:

? The types and amounts of disability coverage that may be available to you

? How the plans work together

? How to apply for disability benefits

? How benefits are paid

? Your options for continuing other UC benefits during your disability

? What happens when your disability ends or your coverage runs out

It also includes important information to consider about your choices regarding Voluntary Disability insurance, for which you pay the premiums.

If you're a faculty member, some of the information in this fact sheet may not apply to you. For more information about what you need to know and do, please see the Disability Benefits for Faculty Fact Sheet (ucal.us/disabilityfaculty).

If you expect to become pregnant, the Pregnancy, Newborn Child and Adopted Child Fact Sheet (ucal.us/pregnancy) provides information specific to your situation.

Please note that this is a summary of your benefits only; additional requirements, limitations and exclusions may apply. Refer to applicable plan documents and regulations for details. The Group Disability Income policy issued by the carrier and the University of California Group Insurance Regulations and other applicable UC policies will take precedence if there is a difference between the provisions therein and those of this document.

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents

UC's Disability Plans 4 ........................................................................................................................................... Making Choices about Voluntary Disability 5 ............................................................. Understanding UCRP Disability 7 ..................................................................................................... How the Plans Work Together 9 .......................................................................................................... Examples of How the Plans Work Together 11 ............................................................... How to Apply for Disability 14 ................................................................................................................... Once You've Applied: What Happens Next 15 ...............................................................

Continuing Other UC Benefits While on Disability 16 ..................................... Continuing Your Benefits: What You Need To Do 20 .......................................... Disability and Your Retirement Benefits 21 ........................................................................ During Your Disability 22 ..................................................................................................................................... When Your Disability Leave Ends 23 ................................................................................................ If You Decide to Retire 25 ....................................................................................................................................

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