Benefits on Unpaid Medical Leave: Postdoctoral Fellows (Employees)

While on an unpaid medical leave, you may elect to either keep or cancel your benefits.

Keeping Your Benefits

While you are on an unpaid medical leave, you have the option to maintain some or all your benefits at your own cost. This means that you will be responsible for both the employee and employer portions of the premiums.

If the start date of your unpaid medical leave is on or after January 1, 2009, the maximum length of time you may maintain your benefits and pension is 24 months.

If you are working past your Normal Retirement Date (June 30th or December 31st coincident with or following the date you turn age 65) and are on an unpaid medical leave, please note the following:

• Under the Extended Health plan, the number of days you are covered for an unexpected medical emergency reduces to 60 days from the date you leave your home province.
• Under the Group Life plans (Basic and Optional), you may maintain coverage at your own cost for up to 24 months only (with the approval of the carrier).

Benefits Premiums

Financial Services will send you an invoice – you can select what benefits you wish to maintain at this time. The Benefits Cost Calculator can tell you what it will cost you to maintain your benefits while on leave.

Canceling your benefits

You may also choose to cancel all of your benefits while on leave. If you take this option, some of your benefits will be automatically reinstated, while you will have to re-apply for others.

Re-apply for benefits

Medical Services Plan (MSP):
If you elect not to maintain your MSP coverage through UBC, you must pay MSP directly or ensure that you have coverage through a spouse or partner’s plan. Upon your return to work from leave, should you wish to re-enrol in MSP through UBC, you must complete an enrolment form.

Automatically reinstated

Extended Health, Dental Care, Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP):
If you elect not to maintain these benefits, they will be automatically reinstated the first day of the month on or after the date you return to work from leave.