Grant- and contract-funded staff and faculty

• Sick leave benefits paid after one month of continuous sick leave (paid for by the grant or contract, or failing that, from other sources), up to the end of the six-month waiting period for long-term disability, or the end of paid sick leave, whichever is earlier. The EEF reimburses up to a maximum of five months of sick leave benefits.
• Grant- and contract- funded staff and faculty who are covered under the long-term disability plan should make a claim for long-term disability benefits during their third month of absence from work. If their disability claim is approved, benefits will start the first month after the six-month waiting period is served (these benefits are payable from the UBC Income Replacement/Disability Benefit Plan and not the EEF).

Postdoctoral fellows (employees and award recipients)

• Sick leave benefits paid after one month of continuous sick leave (paid for by the grant or contract, or failing that, from other sources), up to a maximum of five months. Postdoctoral fellow employees and award recipients are not covered under the long-term disability plan.

Payment for unexpected severance or working notice arrangements is available, except for postdoctoral fellow employees or award recipients.

Grant- and contract-funded staff and faculty

Top-up salary is paid during maternity, parental, or adoption leave for those who are in receipt of Employment Insurance in accordance with the UBC Supplemental Employment Benefits top-up plan for their employment group.

To initiate the leave and request top-up benefits, grant- and contract- funded staff and faculty should review the relevant page below for more details. 

Postdoctoral fellows employees and award recipients

Postdoctoral fellows employees and award recipients must complete a Maternity/Parental/Adoption Leave Application form (doc) and provide it to their department administrator who will forward it to UBC's faculty relations department. Faculty Relations will then forward the form to the Payroll Department and any eligible top-up benefits or earnings will automatically be paid from the Extraordinary Expense Fund.

• Maternity, parental and adoption leave
• Maternity, parental and adoption leave for Academic Executives, Faculty and Postdoctoral Fellows (employees)
• Maternity, parental and adoption leave for Postdoctoral Fellows (award recipients) 

Postdoctoral fellow award recipients

Maternity, parental, or adoption leave benefits equivalent to 95% of the portion of their total award paid out as earnings will be paid as follows.

• Maternity leave 
  Weeks paid: The lesser of 17 weeks or until the end of the appointment.
• Parental leave (if not combined with a maternity leave or if not shared with a partner/spouse who has taken maternity leave) or adoption leave
  Weeks paid: The lesser of 20 weeks or until the end of the appointment
• Parental leave (if combined with a maternity leave or if shared with a partner/spouse who has taken maternity leave)
  Weeks paid: The lesser of 20 weeks or until the end of the appointment

Effective April 1, 2025, the contribution percentage is 0.40% for Tri-Agency grant- or contract-funded employees, as well as postdoctoral employee and award recipients. For Non Tri-Agency grant- or contract-funded employees, the contribution percentage is 0.80%.

History of extraordinary expense fund rates

• Effective April 1, 2025
  Tri-Agency rate: 0.40%
  Non Tri-Agency rate: 0.80%
• Effective April 1, 2024
  Tri-Agency rate: 0.25%
  Non Tri-Agency rate: 0.25%
• Effective July 1, 2022
  Tri-Agency rate: 0.40%
  Non Tri-Agency rate: 0.30%
• Effective April 1, 2020
  Tri-Agency rate: 0.75%
  Non Tri-Agency rate: 0.70%
• Effective April 1, 2019
  Tri-Agency rate: 0.60%
  Non Tri-Agency rate: 0.90%

Fund sources

Staff and faculty funded by grants or contracts – EEF contributions are collected from grant and research worktags where salary expenses are being charged to.

• Postdoctoral employees – EEF contributions are collected from grant and research worktags where salary expenses are being charged to.
• Postdoctoral fellow award recipients who receive their earnings through UBC – EEF contributions are collected from department/faculty where benefit expenses are being charged to.
• Postdoctoral fellow award recipients who receive funding directly from a source external to UBC – EEF contributions are collected from department/faculty under the earnings expense line.

Examples

Based on a salary or earnings of $45,000, the annual or monthly contributions would be:

• 0.25% x $45,000 = $112.50/year or $9.38/month for Tri-Agency grant- or contract-funded employees.
• 0.25% x $45,000 = $112.50/year or $9.38/month for Non Tri-Agency grant- or contract-funded employees.

The contribution rate is reviewed regularly, and may be changed subject to the financial status of the fund to ensure funding is sufficient to meet expenses.

Please refer to the fund code for the worktag from which the employer paid portion of the benefits is being charged to determine if the funding source is considered Tri-Agency or Non Tri-Agency.

Tri-Agency fund codes

• FD210 Tri-Agency

Non Tri-Agency fund codes

• FD200 Sponsored Research
• FD220 Unrestricted Research
• FD300 Specific Purpose
• All other funds (excluding FD200, FD210, FD220, FD300) **

** Applies to postdoctoral fellows (employees and award recipients) only.

EEF and Other Benefits Charged to Alternative Funds

There are some departments that may require the cost of benefits, including EEF, to be charged to an alternative source of funds than the funds that are being charged for the employee salaries. This may be due to restrictions of the funding sources (i.e. grants or fellowships that may not allow coverage of benefits costs) or an agreement between more than one department to share salary costs, but only one department cover the benefits costs.

In Workday, departments will be unable to allocate an alternative source of funding to cover the benefits costs.  Therefore, the benefits cost will be charged to the same funds as the employee salaries.

In order to allocate the benefits costs to an alternative funding source, departments are responsible for manually transferring the benefits costs using an accounting journal in Workday.  This may be done on a monthly, quarterly or year-end basis. 

Login to Workday

For workday resources and help visit the Integrated Service Centre.

In addition, postdoctoral employees and award recipients must meet the following criteria:

• Must be eligible for regular health and welfare benefits, such as meeting the minimum salary requirements
• Must have held an appointment of at least one year with a 50% workload or greater (this criteria only applies to PDF award recipients who are applying for maternity, parental or adoption leave benefits);
• Must currently be on an appointment of at least one year, with a workload of 50% or greater; and
• PDF award recipients who receive their funding directly from a source external to UBC (rather than receiving their earnings through UBC) must also provide proof of award and earnings and have a valid Canadian Social Insurance Number. The other criteria above remains the same.

For working notice or pay in lieu of working notice (excluding postdoctoral fellows), all of the following conditions must be met:

• The termination is not for cause.
• The termination is the result of the grant or contract funding either not renewed or cancelled prior to the original termination date and without reasonable notice.
• The grant- or contract- holder gives the employee notice within five days of receipt of notice from the granting agency or contract source.
• The grant- or contract-holder has consulted UBC's human resources or faculty relations departments.
• No alternative employment can be secured at UBC for the employee.
• Employees have been properly terminated;
• Costs of related law suits are ineligible for EEF funding.
• The grant or contract funding source of the employee’s salary is the first payor, and therefore must first be exhausted before EEF funding will cover extraordinary expenses.

To determine which EEF reimbursement request form to complete, please refer to the fund code for the worktag from which the employer paid portion of the benefits is being charged.

If the fund code is in the Tri-Agency fund codes list, then please complete the Tri-Agency EEF reimbursement request form. If the fund code is in the Non Tri-Agency fund codes list, then please complete the Non Tri-Agency EEF reimbursement request form.

For Tri-Agency fund codes see Contribution Amounts. 

Grant holders don't need to complete and submit the reimbursement request form for top-up benefits or earnings. Once the appropriate faculty/staff appointment or postdoctoral fellow leave application form is submitted to UBC's payroll department, any eligible top-up benefits or earnings will automatically be paid from the Extraordinary Expense Fund.

Please complete the request for reimbursement for short-term sick leave once the faculty, staff, or Postdoctoral Fellow has returned to work or after six months, whichever is earlier. You will need to provide the start and end dates of the sick leave.

The following details and supporting documentation are required as part of your application for reimbursement for severance/working notice:

• A letter from the granting agency that funds have been discontinued or reduced.
• The length of the severance or working notice period (start and end dates).
• The portion of the severance or working notice period for which EEF funding is requested.
• Confirmation that alternate funding sources are not available to fund the severance or working notice period requested.
• The severance or working notice agreement letter with terms outlined and signed by the employee.

This 30-minute webinar uses Career Navigation & Transition services as a case study to analyze, evaluate, and shift perspective regarding careers from individualized and confidential to a strategic organizational tool for enhancing overall performance, engagement, and retention. It also identifies the role of leadership in fostering career resilience at both individual and team levels. It introduces the importance of relational intelligence for leaders to align individual career aspirations and organizational needs, identify opportunities and challenges, and design action plans to enhance mutual success, emphasizing the importance of partnership, possibilities, practice, and purpose in driving performance.

View webinar #1

This webinar is a sequel to the previous webinar on ‘Introduction to advancing performance through career retention’ and transitions from understanding the importance of career retention in enhancing organizational performance to implementing strategies for leaders to engage with careers effectively. It emphasizes the shift in mindset necessary for leaders, focusing on viewing performance and career as interconnected aspects. The discussion delves into three key steps for leaders: cultivating the right mindset, expanding job roles into meaningful work experiences, and fostering the necessary relationships for career-enabled performance conversations. Additionally, it highlights resources available to support leaders in this endeavor, emphasizing the alignment of individual and organizational goals. 

View webinar #2

This quick 5-minute self-assessment is designed to check one’s understanding and ability to navigate one’s career at UBC. Leaders can also take this survey to check their own resilience with career navigation at UBC.

Take survey

The one-page primer prepares leaders for before, during and after conversation reflections, through a series of questions and tips. 

View primer (PDF)

This presentation deck is available for HR representatives and leaders to begin supporting their staff in preparing for a successful career journey at UBC. It will enable employees to successfully prepare for taking part in effective career-enabled performance conversations with their leaders. Career Retention services is available to actively partner with leaders and HR reps in sharing this session with staff/teams. 

Download PPT slides

Designing the work environment to support healthy work postures and purchasing the right equipment can reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injury and increase productivity.  More information and examples of equipment can be found online.

• Please refer to our Office Ergonomics Page for more information
• If you are looking to purchase office furniture and equipment please check out our Ergo Design & Purchasing Considerations for tips and examples.
• If you or your staff are interested in sit-stand desks, please refer to our Sit-Stand Ergo Resources for more information
• We encourage each DEPT or unit to have an Office Ergo Rep to assist with initial set-up and problem solving.

1. Discussion with Manager. We encourage staff/faculty to let their Supervisor/Manager know if they are experiencing pain or difficulty at work. As feasible, the Manager and staff or faculty member can explore options available within the department. Purchasing decisions are made by the department. Please note that standard equipment at a UBC office (e.g. an external keyboard, mouse/pointing device, one or more external monitors, and standard options such as a palm rest, monitor riser, keyboard tray or footrest) do not require an ergonomics assessment. 

    

2. Reporting an injury. If the staff/faculty member reports that they an injury that occurred as a result of work, this should be reported to WSBC and a CAIRS report should be completed—see UBC Safety & Risk Services for details. 

    

3. Ergonomic resources. Staff and faculty are encouraged to complete the Ergo Your UBC Office and Remote Work. Home Office Ergonomics for guidance on how to set up your workstation. If available, staff and faculty can connect with a Department Office Ergo Rep for initial assistance. 

3. Ergonomics assessment. If Staff/Faculty would like to proceed with an assessment they can complete the Ergonomic Assessment Request Form. 

    

4. Assessment. We will meet privately with the staff/faculty member for the ergonomics assessment. The assessment will involve a 15 to 20 minute interview to review background, concerns and symptoms followed by 30 to 45 minutes of observations, education, and, if possible, adjustments to the actual workstation.

    

5. Meeting with department and ergonomics report.  After the assessment, we will call the Supervisor/Manager to discuss findings and recommendations to determine suitable and feasible options for your department. A formal report will be sent to both the Staff/Faculty and the Supervisor/Manager.  The supervisor and staff/faculty member are encouraged to meet to review this report. This will require an open dialogue to explore options, barriers and solutions. These solutions may require creativity, flexibility and compromise by both parties.

    

6. Purchasing Decisions. Purchasing decisions are the responsibility of the department. It is recommended that the supervisor follow-up with their department to determine, who, within their department, has the authority to approve purchases and to determine if the department has a preferred provider for equipment/furniture purchases. Providers listed in our reports are merely suggestions of where equipment can be purchased.

    

7. Follow-up. The Ergonomics Program will send a follow-up survey to both the supervisor and staff/faculty member approximately one month after the assessment.  During the assessment, we provide education regarding proper workstation set-up; the goal is for the Staff/Faculty member to set-up and adjust their workstation if new equipment is received or they move to another workstation. A follow-up assessment is conducted only if requested.

Requirements. Under the WSBC Ergonomic MSI Requirements (4.51), workers must receive training in ergonomic risk identification, recognition of MSI signs and symptoms and, how to safely use equipment and do their jobs.

How to meet the WSBC Ergonomic Requirements.

• Ensure Staff/Faculty have received the necessary ergonomic and MSI training either by taking the relevant Ergonomics Orientation Workshops or contact us to arrange a customized workshop if necessary.
• Alternatively, the DEPT may develop their own ergonomic training in accordance with the WSBC Ergonomic MSI Requirements, if preferred.
• The DEPT is also responsible for training staff on how to safely use equipment and do their jobs.

Requirements. Under the WSBC Ergonomic MSI Requirements (4.47), the employer must identify Ergonomic (MSI) Risk Factors.

How to meet the WSBC Ergonomic Requirements.

• Review CAIRS Reports and First Aid Reports and consult with the Joint Committee/Worker Health & Safety Rep
• Refer to a tip sheet the Ergo MSI Incident Investigation Tip Sheet
• For lifting related injuries, complete the Lifting Incident Investigation Form and submit it to the Ergonomics Program
• Check-in with your staff and faculty to identify tasks that are difficult or associated with near misses and/or tasks that faculty and staff have identified as having musculoskeletal injury risk factors.
• Encourage staff and faculty to report MSI injury signs & symptoms early

Requirements. Under the WSBC Ergonomic MSI Requirements (4.48 and 4.49), when MSI risk factors have been identified, the employer must ensure that the risk is assessed. the employer must identify Ergonomic (MSI) Risk Factors.

How to meet the WSBC Ergonomic Requirements.

• Consult with the Joint Committee/Worker Health & Safety Rep and a representative sample of workers and workers with MSI injury signs & symptoms
• Refer to an overview of risk factors
• If you need assistance, contact us to arrange an ergonomics assessment

Requirements. Under the WSBC Ergonomic MSI Requirements (4.50, 4.51 and 4.52), the employer must implement controls that eliminate or, if that is not practicable, minimize the risk of musculoskeletal injury to workers; provide workers with training on how to use the control measures; and, must evaluate the effectives of the control measure.

How to meet the WSBC Ergonomic Requirements.

• Consult with the Joint Committee/Worker Health & Safety Rep
• Refer to WSBC Hierarchy of Controls: implementing engineering controls is more effective than providing training on correct body mechanics
• If you need assistance, contact us and we will work with you to source appropriate control measures.
• Train workers on how to safety and effectively use the equipment or control measures implemented
• If cost is a barrier, the DEPT may apply for funding for innovative solutions for non-office environments through the Ergo Fund. Refer to our Info Sheet and Application Form

• Safe Lifting Resource Sheet
• General Ergonomics Website

• Workplace risk assessments with consideration of personal health histories of employees
• Supportive consultation with the Occupational Health Nurse, including a focus on prevention of injury/exposure
• Immunization review with an Occupational Health Nurse
• Vaccinations, tests, and screenings based on workplace exposure risks
• Medical clearance for respirator fit testing
• Pregnancy planning and workplace risk assessments (i.e. chemical exposure risk)
• Occupational allergy prevention, diagnosis, and follow-up care
• Workplace risk assessments for exposure to infectious agents (i.e. Hepatitis B Virus)
• Consultations with the OPH Physician
• Specialist referrals for occupational related health concerns
• Referral to the Centre for Workplace Accessibility or the Stay at Work/Return to Work Team

As a manager or supervisor, you are responsible for the health and safety of your employees at work. For some employees, enrolment in the OPH program is required by the provincial and/or federal regulations described below.

• WorkSafeBC Regulation 6.39 states that an employer must offer vaccination to all workers who are at risk of occupational exposure to biological agents for which there is a vaccine that prevents against infection.
• The Canadian Biosafety Standards & Guidelines state that a medical surveillance program must be in place to help prevent and detect illnesses related to the exposure of personnel to infectious material or toxins.

Employees are encouraged to enrol in OPH as a part of their UBC onboarding process, or at any point during their employment at UBC if they meet one or more of the following criteria.

1. If your employees’ work at UBC involves one or more of the following exposure risks, ask them to enrol in OPH by booking a First Assessment appointment with the OPH Nurse. Alternatively, you can contact us directly and we will facilitate the enrolment of your employee or team in the OPH program.

• Entry into a hospital, clinical or dental facility
• Potential exposure to human blood, body fluid, tissue or cell lines
• Work with animal species
• Potential exposure to human feces and/or urine
• Potential exposure to infectious biological agents
• Work in a childcare facility
• Potential exposure to dirt/soil or rusty metal
• Entry into a Containment Level III facility

2. If one of your employees has had a workplace exposure incident (i.e. to human blood, body fluid, or tissue), instruct them to contact OPH after they have received appropriate first aid and/or medical follow-up.

To book an appointment, please email the OPH team at oph.info@ubc.ca. 

Every situation is unique and OPH will work with you and/or your employees to determine the next steps to help support physical and mental health in the workplace. We take into account potential workplace risks within the context of personal health needs in order to recommend and provide follow-up services like vaccinations, tests, health screenings and referrals to specialists.

Care & support

Our medical team provides evidence-based services, resources and advice to promote a healthy UBC community, in support of UBC’s Strategic Plan.

Accessibility

OPH is committed to providing accessible services. OPH offers appointments over the phone and in-person at our accessible on-campus clinic. Employees are expected to engage in all OPH activities during work hours. If there’s anything we can do to make an appointment more accessible (i.e. sign language interpretation, captioning, accessible parking, etc.), please contact oph.info@ubc.ca.

Confidentiality

OPH operates under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and does not disclose personal or medical information to anyone without their written consent.