Welcome to Benefits FYI This month we invite you to join a benefits webinar, discuss your health spending account, and look at some tips for managing your benefits through Workday. | Update: Sun Life changing in Pharmaceutical Benefits Manager in November 2022 In the Summer edition of Benefits FYI, we shared a story about a change to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Manager in September 2022. Sun Life has deferred the transition to Express Scripts Canada to November 2022. Find out more | Workday corner: Leaves of absence and overage dependents This month we share some helpful advice for maintaining your UBC benefits while you are on an unpaid leave of absence or government leave. We also review scenarios for overage dependents — if you have a child over 19, this Workday corner is for you. Take a look | Don't forget to use your health spending account Eligible faculty and staff have access to a health spending account, which will help you and your dependents reduce the cost of healthcare. In this article, you will learn how to check your balance and some tips for when to use this valuable benefit. Learn about your HSA | | Do you have questions about your benefits? Join us for a benefits webinar on Nov. 8! Our ever-popular Benefits Webinar is back for the Fall season — with a focus on Tuition Waivers! We invite all faculty and staff at both campuses to join us on Tuesday, November 8, from 11 am. - 12 p.m. via Zoom. In addition to learning more about our benefits, we will also be hearing more about our Employee and Family Assistance Plan and taking a close look at Tuition Waivers. Don't delay, spaces are limited. Sign-up and submit your questions | Provincial drug integration form Some prescription drug types require special authority approval from BC Pharmacare in order to receive coverage. If you are prescribed a drug that can be covered under the provincial special authority drug program, there are certain forms you will need to complete. Find out more | Looking for a simpler way to access your benefits? Use your smartphone to submit claims and more... If you would like to complete your benefits-related tasks on the go, download the Sun Life mobile app. Submit claims, lookup providers, check your balances, and much more, quickly and easily on your smartphone. You can download the app by visiting SunLife.ca/Mobile (external site). And if you need help signing in and navigating the app, take a look at this video. Watch the video | Have a hearing impairment? Here's how the Centre for Workplace Accessibility & benefits can help If you’re a faculty or staff member with a hearing impairment and you use one or more hearing aid(s) in the workplace, contact the Centre for Workplace Accessibility (CWA) to learn more about funding from the new Workplace Accommodations Fund in addition to any coverage under your extended health benefit plan. Contact the Centre for Workplace Accessibility | Event focus: Understanding your Staff Pension Plan – Fall 2022 Workshops The UBC Staff Pension Plan (SPP) is one of the most valuable benefits offered by the university. It’s designed to help you save for your future with the purpose of providing you with a stable lifetime pension income in retirement. It’s never too early (or too late!) to learn about how your pension plan works, what kinds of benefits you can expect, and what you should do when you start thinking about retirement. Understanding your Staff Pension Plan (UYSPP) is an online, interactive, 90-minute workshop that covers the basics as well as more in-depth pension-related topics, and it allows you to connect with resources and ask questions. The next workshop sessions are taking place on: - Tuesday, October 18, 9:30 a.m.
- Wednesday, November 9, 1:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 13, 9:30 a.m.
Fall UYSPP workshops tend to be very popular and waiting lists will be provided for sessions that fill up. To learn more and to register for UYSPP, visit staff.pensions.ubc.ca/workshops. Please note that if you are close to retiring, you may want to consider booking a Retirement Information Session (RIS), rather than attending this workshop. At a RIS, we can review your specific situation and provide pension estimates. For more information about booking a RIS, please contact Margaret Leathley, SPP Pension Administrator. | Intergenerational March to Commemorate Orange Shirt Day Each year on September 30, people across Canada wear orange and participate in Orange Shirt Day to recognize and raise awareness about the history and legacies of the residential school system in Canada. If you are looking for opportunities to take part in events on The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, consider joining UBC Applied Science and Land and Food Systems for an Intergenerational March to Commemorate Orange Shirt Day. All are welcome and registration is not required. The event starts at 11:45 am at the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre. For full event details visit the website | 2022 UBC United Way Campaign: Kickoff The annual UBC United Way Campaign will celebrate its launch through Kickoff Week from October 11 to October 14 at the UBC Vancouver Campus. Get involved by making a donation or attending one of the Kickoff Week events or initiatives. Learn more about the 2022 UBC United Way Campaign, your impact and other ways of getting involved in this year's campaign | Update: Pride month articles and resources The Summer edition of Benefits FYI contained a feature related to Pride Month, and this included articles from UBC’s external EFAP provider. We have since received feedback that some of the content and wording in these articles aren’t fully aligned with UBC’s internal approach and expertise with respect to 2SLGBTQIA+ education. We’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge this, and we regret any frustration experienced as a result. In response, we’ve provided feedback about this to our EFAP provider, and in the future, we plan to utilize UBC’s internal approach, content, and expertise regarding equity, diversity and inclusion as much as possible. There are many ways to continue learning about and supporting sexual and gender diversity inclusion at UBC, including through: - Positive Space: Foundation course – a new online and on-demand course available for all students, faculty and staff. This course provides low-barrier access to learn about sex, sexuality, and gender diversity.
- Pride at Work Canada – In 2021, UBC joined Pride at Work Canada. By joining Pride at Work Canada, UBC’s faculty and staff gain access to educational webinars, workshops, networking opportunities, leadership development programming, and services designed to support individual and collective learning and strategies for inclusion on the basis of gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Pride at Work is an organization dedicated to helping create a safer, more inclusive workplace that recognizes the skills of 2SLGBTQIA+ people.
2SLGBTQIA+ affinity space Members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community at UBC who are seeking to connect with others in the community and for support can reach out to Rachael Sullivan, Equity Education Strategist, to learn more about the emerging 2SLGTBQIA+ affinity group. Keep up to date on UBC's equity, diversity, and inclusion activities sign up for the EIO monthly newsletter. | MindWell U update The Workplace Wellbeing team will be pausing on MindWell U programming as of August 31, including the 30-day Mindfulness Challenge, in order to conduct an evaluation and determine if this is the most effective platform for faculty and staff. In the meantime, you can access the following mindfulness resources: | | The best stories from the previous edition of Benefits FYI | | Need more health and wellbeing stories? Have you signed up for Healthy UBC? In this opt-in monthly newsletter, you will get a selection of our best health and wellbeing stories and events from across UBC. Subscribe to Healthy UBC | Health, Wellbeing and Benefits
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