Why are your UBC benefits so important?

Have you ever stopped to consider why benefits are so important?

You might appreciate reduced out-of-pocket costs when visiting the dentist and other health professionals, but it must be more than just getting reimbursed for visiting a massage therapist or getting those prescription lenses for your partner. 

It supports your health and wellbeing 

The benefit plans support faculty and staff and eligible dependents through a broad range of provisions to manage their health and wellbeing, provide peace of mind, and security.  

UBC provides a comprehensive benefits program that has a number of plans to support you: 

• Extended Health and Dental 
• Employee and Family Assistance Program 
• Long-term Disability/Income Replacement Plan 
• Group and Optional Life Insurance 
• Tuition waiver and professional development 

UBC also provides many additional resources to support your health and wellbeing. 

Benefits provide financial security 

The benefits programs are designed to provide financial security. Most benefit plans are also designed to be non-taxable, that means reimbursement of health and wellbeing costs are not taxed.  UBC benefits support health and wellbeing costs, provide income protection if you become ill or disabled, and assists you with the costs of tuition and professional development opportunities. 

Are you making the most of your benefits? 

Now that you know why they are there, have you made the most of your benefits program has to offer? 

Your first step should be to take a look at your specific benefits package as it differs between employee groups. You can take a look at the particulars here.  After that, we recommend: 

• Review your Benefits in Workday 
  • If you need to update any details in your benefits, take a look at this guide: Enroll in, Waive or Add/Remove Dependent from Health Benefits 
• Read Benefits FYI 
  • Our quarterly newsletter aims to share useful tips and important benefits updates for the UBC Community. Don’t miss the next edition!  
• Explore your Employee and Family Assistance Program: TELUS Health 
  • The new EFAP platform is packed with health and wellbeing information, access to counselling, and some new online programs like CareNow/iCBT 
• Understanding you UBC Benefit Plan
  • Janet McHugh and Truelove Twumasi from the Health, Wellbeing and Benefits team will help you better understand the wide range of benefits available to you with a focus on the Out of Province/Country Emergency Medical Coverage included under the Extended Health Plan.

Have questions or need help with your benefits? 

For questions about your eligibility or benefits coverage, visit hr.ubc.ca/benefits, call a benefits specialist at 604-822-8111 between 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. or email benefitsinfo@hr.ubc.ca. 

For information about Pensions, please visit the UBC Faculty Pension Plan and the UBC Staff Pension Plan websites.  

If you are having issues with Workday, please submit a Workday support request through the UBC Self Service Portal.