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UCPath Notice: Disability Insurance and Dependent Verification Reminders

A UCLA Gold swatch.

On May 16, we received the following notice from UCPath.

UCPath requests location assistance in sharing key reminders related to disability insurance and dependent reverification, which generate a growing number of avoidable cases.

To help reduce confusion, lower case volume and support timely employee action, please share this with your location employees via your local channels.

Voluntary Disability Insurance – Partial Income Replacement, Not Just Disability

  • The University does not participate in California State Disability (CA-SDI)
  • Many employees opt out of this benefit because they mistakenly believe they can claim CA-SDI while disabled or they can select the plan during the annual Open Enrollment period
  • Encourage departments to frame this as partial income replacement, if someone becomes too sick or injured to work – or needs time off for pregnancy  
  • If they did not enroll in voluntary disability when first eligible, they may apply to enroll through the Evidence of Insurability (EOI) process

Helpful link to share: Lincoln Financial Group - Evidence of Insurability

Family Member Eligibility Reverification – Action Required

UC resumed this process, which paused during the pandemic. Here’s what employees need to know:

  • They may receive a packet from UnifyHR (UC’s administrator for the program) asking them to re-verify family members like spouses, domestic partners, stepchildren, grandchildren/step-grandchildren, legal wards and overage disabled dependents
  • If they miss the deadline, UC will remove their dependents from coverage
  • Local benefits offices receive a list of impacted employees each month
  • Contact UnifyHR, not UCPath, for assistance

Helpful link to share: Verifying Family Members’ Eligibility for Benefits | UCnet

How You Can Support

  • Please help reinforce these reminders regularly across your communication channels so employees see this important information beyond new hire onboarding and open enrollment. It’s best to share all throughout the year
  • If your location has examples of creative/effective local outreach, please let us know at the monthly Organizational Change Management and Training COI meetings. UCPath always looks for best practices to share across the system.

Thank you,

UCPath
(855) 982-7284
Monday - Friday from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
ucpath.universityofcalifornia.edu