Summer 2010 issue of Viewpoints
The Summer 2010 issue of Viewpoints, the newsletter for UBC’s Retirement and Survivor Benefits Program, has been released.
Please download the PDF, or visit the RSB Newsletter and Memo index for archived information about the RSB program at UBC at http://hr.ubc.ca/retiring/rsb/newsltr_memo/.
If you’re thinking about retirement, check out the HR website at http://hr.ubc.ca/retiring/ for information about transitioning into retirement.
Download the Summer 2010 issue of Viewpoints today!
Moving: Changing your address at UBC
Moving to a new house or apartment can be a busy and chaotic process. Once the dust has settled and you’ve managed to find the coffee cups, make sure to change your address with UBC, to ensure that you’ll continue receiving all information:
Faculty and Staff Self-Service
The one-stop address change location is in UBC’s Faculty and Staff Self-Service portal. Under the “myPersonal Info” tab, select “Home and Mailing Address” to update your address. While you’re there, make sure that your emergency contacts and email address are up-to-date as well!
Medical Services Plan (UBC Group Enrolment)
If you are enrolled in the provincial Medical Services Plan through UBC group enrollment (a direct debit from your UBC paycheque), you will need to contact Payroll to change your address on the MSP system:
- Fill out Section E of the MSP change form, and submit the form to Financial Services (Forms and addresses are available at the Benefits Forms page).
or
- Email Payroll, indicating that you need to change your address with MSP. You can find your payroll portfolio representative contact information online.
Food Services' Olympic Experience
11,087 hot dogs sold in the first five games! UBC Food Services staff have been serving up a storm to the spectators watching Olympic ice hockey at Thunderbird Arena.
Thunderbird Arena, UBC's venue of 2010 Olympic Hockey
Check out Game Time for a message from Andrew Parr, Managing Director of Food Services: UBC Food Services serves thousands at UBC Thunderbird Arena:
To accomplish this takes immense hard work and dedication from a huge team of Food Service professionals. From production staff making huge volumes of excellent meals to distribution staff, to house staff and store person, all service and front of house staff and a strong management and administration team, everyone needs to work in unison to make all this happen.
-Feb. 16 issue of Game Time
With only a few games to go at UBC’s Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Arena, the UBC Food Services’ staff have certainly outdone themselves. Amazing job, everyone!
Faculty and Staff Pension Plan Newsletters
There are important changes coming up for both the UBC Staff Pension Plan and the UBC Faculty Pension Plan. These changes as well as helpful articles for members can be read in the Staff Pension Plan Update February 2010 issue and the Faculty Pension Plan’s 2009 Fourth Quarter Pension News.
Watch your mailbox this week as members will start receiving copies of their respective newsletters. Visit the Pensions website for more information.
Highlights of UBC: Museum of Anthropology
The UBC Point Grey campus is home to the world-renowned Museum of Anthropology. This weekend, on Jan. 23-24/10, MOA will hold a Celebration of Creativity to celebrate the completion of the Museum’s recent renovation and expansion. The celebration is open to all, and free to the public. Visit the MOA Events page for details on the weekend’s celebration.
If you can’t make it to the opening weekend, you can visit the Museum over the coming months. UBC Staff, Faculty and Students get free admission year-round by presenting your valid UBC ID at the door.
North side of the Museum of Anthropology
The Museum of Anthropology Celebration of Creativity is co-presented by the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad.
EFAP Services During the Holidays
The holiday season can be a great time of year, but it can also be quite stressful for some people. UBC Faculty and Staff (and your eligible dependants) can access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), provided by Human Solutions, to speak with a counsellor if you are having a difficult time this holiday season.
Human Solutions offers confidential short-term counselling on many issues. You can call Human Solutions if you need to talk with someone about:
- Relationship problems
- Parenting and caregiver concerns
- Work-related issues
- Stress and anxiety
- Depression
- Alcohol and drug dependencies
- Bereavement
- Financial advisory services
- Nutritional counseling
Call Human Solutions at 1.800.663.1142.
As part of your enrollment in the EFAP plan, your eligible dependants can also access EFAP services.
Please visit the HR Benefits website and click on your employee group to learn more about the services provided by the UBC EFAP provider, enrollment information, and details on the eligibility of your dependants.
Enrolling in UBC’s Group Medical Services Plan (MSP)
In BC, the provincial government provides medical insurance to all residents of the province. MSP covers medically required services, such as a doctor’s visit or medically necessary surgery.
All residents of BC must enroll in MSP. There are two ways for UBC employees to pay MSP premiums – the government either sends you an invoice directly, or you can enroll through the UBC Group MSP. If your spouse or partner’s employer also offers benefits coverage, make sure you are enrolled under the employer’s plan that offers the best cost-sharing arrangement to you.
To enroll in UBC’s Group MSP, fill out the MSP enrollment form (.pdf), sign it, and send the original to UBC Financial Services.
(If you are already enrolled in the UBC Group MSP, you’ll stay enrolled until you leave the University or cancel your coverage. You can check your UBC Group MSP enrollment at the UBC Employee Self-Service Portal.)
Changes to the Faculty and Staff Optional Life Rates – Effective January 1, 2010
Highlights:
- Decrease in Faculty/Staff Optional Life Insurance rate by 20%, effective Jan. 1/10.
- Faculty and Staff eligible for UBC Basic Life Insurance can apply for Optional Life Insurance.
The UBC Optional Faculty and Staff Life and Spousal Life insurance plan is an employee-paid plan that provides life insurance benefits for you, your spouse or your dependant children. Participation in the Optional Life insurance plan is voluntary and coverage is in addition to your Basic Group Life insurance through UBC.
If you are enrolled in the Optional Life plan, the following information applies to you. If you are not currently enrolled in the plan, but wish to enrol, please jump to the bottom of the post to learn about eligibility.
Each year, with the support of our Benefits Consultant (Mercer), the Optional Life plan is reviewed. Due to a favourable claims experience for the past year, the optional life premium rates will be reduced. Effective Jan. 1/10, the premium rates will decrease by approximately 20%. (Please note that premium rates are subject to change on an annual basis, and may increase or decrease in subsequent years depending on the experience on the plan.)
For those enrolled in the Optional Accidental Death and Dismemberment Plan, premium rates remain unchanged for the upcoming year.
The new monthly Optional Life premiums will be reflected on your Dec. 31/09 pay stub, as premiums are taken one month in advance. To determine your monthly premium for the upcoming year, you can find the age bracket, smoker status and coverage amount for you and/or your spouse by viewing the Faculty and Staff Optional Life premium rate table.
UBC faculty and staff enrolled in the UBC Optional Faculty and Staff Life and Spousal Life insurance plan will receive a memo about these changes.
Eligibility for New Enrolments
If you are not enrolled in the UBC Optional Faculty and Staff Life and Spousal Life insurance plan and are enrolled in the UBC Basic Life insurance plan, you are eligible to apply for coverage. Applications are subject to a health questionnaire and approval from Sun Life, UBC’s life insurance provider. For more information on the plan, visit the Benefits section of the Human Resources website and click on your Employment Group on the right navigation menu, then Optional Life Insurance.
If you have questions regarding the changes to the Optional Faculty and Staff Life and Spousal Life insurance plan, please contact Stephanie Mah at stephanie.mah@ubc.ca.
Changes to UBC's Broadcast Email System
UBC is changing how it delivers broadcast emails to faculty and staff. The new system will allow broadcast messages to be directed to Vancouver faculty and staff.
As of Dec. 16, UBC broadcast e-mails to all faculty, staff and student employees will be delivered to the e-mail address listed in the UBC HR database (you may know this as the Self-Service Portal). Messages intended only for UBC Okanagan faculty and staff will continue to be sent in the normal global e-mail manner.
To ensure that you continue to receive important broadcast e-mails, please log into the UBC HR Faculty and Staff Self-Service portal at https://www.msp.ubc.ca to check that your e-mail address is accurate and up-to-date. You will need your campus-wide login (CWL) to access Self-Service.
Note: If you are off-campus, please ensure that you first connect to the UBC myVPN service in order to access the self-service portal. Instructions for setting up myVPN are available at the IT website.
How to update your email address
- Go to https://www.msp.ubc.ca.
- Under myPersonal Info on the left side of the screen, click on the Email Addresses.
- Ensure that the email listed in the Primary email field is correct. This is the address that will be used by the new UBC broadcast email service.
- While you are in Self-Service, please ensure that your Emergency Contacts are current.
This message was sent out on Dec. 7/09 through the UBC Broadcast Email system, on behalf of UBC Public Affairs, UBC Information Technology, and UBC Human Resources.