Unit 3
Reimbursement Funds
The Unit 3 Fund is a pool of $182,700 to be disbursed to eligible members to offset expenses incurred for (a) attendance at an academic or pedagogical conference, and (b) to offset expenses related to your teaching. Applications are processed and funds are disbursed once per year, with more information on the page linked above. Please contact VP2 at vp2@cupe3902.org for questions.
To apply: Applications will be available online through the Member Portal September 1 to 30 of the current year.
Select ‘Fund Applications’ under the ‘Forms’ tab, or see the Unit 3 Fund page for more details.
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The Unit 3 Fund is for members who incur expenses related to (1) their attendance at an academic or pedagogical conference and/or (2) their teaching.
The application will be available between September 1 and September 30.
Note: The application window is for the preceding academic year (September 1 to August 31).
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Any Unit 3 member who is employed between September 1 and August 31 of the current academic year, and meets the following criteria, is eligible to apply:
(a) you are a Union member in good standing;
(b) you have secured either 34 hours of work (if paid on an hourly basis) or at least 0.17 FCE (if employed as a Sessional Lecturer) in the bargaining unit; and
(c) you have incurred expenses related to academic or pedagogical conference attendance and/or expenses related to teaching.
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For a conference expense to be eligible, the conference must take place during the eligible claim period (September 1 to August 31). Eligible expenses include: registration fees (even if paid prior to the eligible claim period); travel costs (airfare, train, or car; if travelling by car, cost will be calculated at the CUPE 3902 reimbursement rate of 57₵/kilometer to a maximum of 500KM); flight cancellation insurance; transit between residence and hotel/airport/train station; and standard hotel costs (basic accommodation).
PLEASE NOTE: meals are notan eligible expense.
For a professional expense to be eligible, the related professional activity must take place during the eligible claim period (September 1 to August 31).
Eligible expenses include:
(a) membership fees for professional and/or learned societies related to the member’s discipline (even if paid prior to the eligible claim period);
(b) subscriptions to professional and/or learned journals (even if paid prior to the eligible claim period);
(c) books, materials, equipment and services directly related to research or teaching;
(d) computer hardware, tablets, smartphones, and software and supplies used in performance of academic duties that are not considered ‘required’ to do the job and thus the responsibility of the Employer; expenses incurred in the preparation and completion of scholarly manuscripts (self-publication efforts are excluded) and page or reprint charges;
(e) office supplies related to the performance of teaching and research duties that are not covered by the C.A. and thus the responsibility of the Employer; and
(f) fees incurred for professional development;
(g)expenses related to teaching commute (transit/parking).
PLEASE NOTE: Decorative items for home office, internet, and data charges are not eligible expenses.
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The Unit 3 Fund has been allocated $182,700 per year. Individual disbursements will depend on the number of applicants and the overall need.
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Applications for this fund will be open between September 1 to September 30. Applications will be processed and disbursed, according to the following schedule. The opening of the fund will be announced in the CUPE 3902 e-newsletter.
Starting in the academic year 2023-2024, funds will only be disbursed once a year by the end of November. A single, annual disbursement:
Ensures access to all applicants.
Ensures fairness of disbursements
Ensures that disbursement of fund amounts follow the Collective Agreement and pre-empts overspending that could result in some members not receiving the full eligibility amount, depending on when they apply.
Ensures the fund can cover all applicants, which can only happen at the point of the Local receiving all applications at the same time (i.e., at the end of the academic year).
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The application form will be available online and accessible through the Member Portal only between September 1 and September 30. To find the form, log into the Member portal.
A complete application for the Unit 3 Fund will include:
The Unit 3 Fund Application Form, and
supporting documentation — this documentation should include receipts/invoices for the expense.
You will receive an immediate confirmation email for the application you submit.
PLEASE NOTE: if you do not receive a confirmation email, you did not successfully submit the application.
You need to have signed a membership card in order to access the form.
If you do not have a membership card (i.e., you do not have a CUPE number, found on the left-hand side of the Portal home page), fill out a Membership Application Form (found on the ‘Forms’ tab).PLEASE NOTE: processing membership applications can take up to one hour. Failure to fill out a membership application in a timely way is not grounds for submitting a late application. If you experience any issues during the application process, please see the for answers to commonly asked questions.
Professional Expenses Reimbursement Account (PERA)
This is a pre-Union benefit that has been “grand-parented,” i.e. maintained for those who had it in the past.
Members who taught at least 1.5 courses in 2004-05 and who continue to do so are entitled to a PERA based on course-load. You can use this money for expenses related to conferences, travel between campuses, books, journals, professional memberships, etc.
For those members who have been teaching since 2005-06, you may be eligible to apply for the Unit 3 Fund. Details for this fund can be found in the Unit 3 Benefits Section.
Group RRSP
The GRRSP is an optional RRSP for any Unit 3 member who is not already enrolled in the Employer’s (UofT) pension plan.
All members of Unit 3 who are not on the UofT Pension Plan are entitled to membership in a Group RRSP.
The contributions for members enrolled in the GRRSP are based on rank, and are matched by the Employer as follows:
Each participating employee who is a Sessional Lecturer I, Writing Instructor 1, Applied Music Sessional I, Music Professional I or a Sessional Instructional Assistant will contribute 6% of eligible income and the Employer will match at 6%.
Each participating employee who is a Sessional Lecturer I – Long Term, Sessional Lecturer II, Sessional Lecturer II – Long Term, Writing Instructor 1 – Long Term, Writing Instructor 2, Writing Instructor 2 – Long Term, Applied Music Sessional I – Long Term, Applied Music Sessional II, Applied Music Sessional II – Long Term, and Music Professional I – Long Term will contribute 7% of eligible income and the Employer will match at 7%.
Each participating employee who is Sessional Lecturer III, Sessional Lecturer III – Long Term, and Writing Instructor 2 (Priority), Writing Instructor 2 (Priority) – Long Term will contribute 8% of eligible income and the Employer will match at 8%.
At the end of each academic year you have the choice either to leave the money in the GRRSP or transfer it out.
The enrollment form is available online. For more information regarding the GRRSP, please visit the U of T Benefits site.
You must drop off or mail in your enrolment form to:
Central Benefits (GRRSP)
U of T Human Resources Dept
215 Huron Street – 8th floor
Toronto, M5S 1A2
Do NOT send the form to Manulife. There is no deadline for applications.
If you are already enrolled in the Unit 3 Group RRSP and wish to use the option to withdraw/transfer funds from the plan, you may do so once per year from September 1 to 30 of any given plan year.
Please contact Manulife directly to make the transfer by phone at 1-800-242-1704.
Health Care Spending Account (HCSA)
Eligibility
The Unit 3 HCSA allows Sessional Lecturers and hourly-paid sessionals with at least 34 hours of work to be reimbursed for eligible medical expenses.
Hourly employees receive $500 for their first 34 hours of work, and $350 for each additional 100 hours of work; to a maximum of $1,900 per plan year.
Sessional Lecturers receive $500 for their first 1/6 FCE and $350 for each additional 0.5 FCE of work; to the same maximum of $1,900 per plan year.
Enrollment
In order to begin using your HCSA, you must enroll by completing the GreenShield enrollment form. Enrollment must be completed during the plan year (September to August) in order to submit claims. Enrollment forms received after August 31 may not be honoured by the employer (UofT).
To opt-in or make changes, you will need to first fill out the HCSA enrollment/change form.
Then, log into https://uthrprod.service-now.com/esc*
Click on the "Get Help" icon on the main page
Under the drop-down menu labeled "Please select the functional area that you have a question about", select "Benefits"
Clicking Next will take you to a page where you can attach the HCSA enrollment form and write within the textbox "I am a Unit 3 member. I want to enroll into HCSA. See attached completed form."
Click on Submit
The employer is expected to process your enrollment form and get back to you and provide your GreenShield Canada ID number.
Following the processing of your HCSA enrollment form, you should expect to receive an email from GreenShield Canada to register for the GSC’s Plan Member Online Services.
Once you have access to online member services portal on GreenShield Canada, you will be able to submit your eligible claim to be covered by your HCSA.
*You may also mail or take the completed enrollment form in-person to (NOT to GreenShield):
UofT Benefits Administration Office
215 Huron St, 8th floor
Toronto, ON M5S 1A2
You should be able to access your HCSA 4 to 6 weeks after you have submitted your enrollment form to the Benefits Administration Office.
How to Submit a Claim
Navigate to GSC Everywhere and log in with your uToronto email address and password
In the top left menu, select “Coverage”
In this drop-down menu, select “Health Care Spending Account”
It will take you to a page titled “Health Care Spending Account claim”, which displays the amount you have used to date and the amount remaining
Under the drop-down menu labeled "Claim Type", select the type of claim you are submitting
Depending on the type of claim, it will ask you to fill out Provider details (who you paid in exchange for an item or service)
For some claim types, it will ask you to provide a copy of the invoice or receipt
Review and submit your claim
Expenses incurred in the plan year (September 1 to August 31) must be claimed no later than October 30 of the same year.
Expenses incurred after August 31 will not qualify for reimbursement.
FYIs
Any issues regarding the GSC Member Portal or how to submit a claim should be directed to GreenShield Canada or by calling 1-888-711-1119
Please contact the Employer directly if your HCSA is not activated, or does not have any allocation at benefits.help@utoronto.ca or call 416-978-2113
Eligible expenses are those that qualify as a medical expense tax credit under Canada’s Income Tax Act.
Reimbursement from your HCSA is not taxable under current Income Tax Act rules. However, once you receive reimbursement for an eligible expense under your HCSA, you cannot also claim this expense as a medical expense tax credit on your tax return.
If you are already enrolled in a University of Toronto benefit plan, you are entitled to continue in that plan. In this case, you are NOT also allowed to participate in the Health Care Spending Account plan. Please check with your Department to ensure that your enrollment in the benefit plan is being continued.
HCSA Allowable Expenses – created by Green Shield Canada, this document lists items/services that may (or may not) be charged to a HCSA, and under what circumstances certain expenses will be covered.
Blackout Period
Fall term: September 1 to November 15
Winter term: January 1 to March 15
A blackout period is the duration of time when access to the HCSA is temporarily unavailable while the University confirms the eligibility of members and sends the list to Green Shield.
If you require any service listed as an allowable expenses during the blackout period, you can pay and then submit the claim with receipts to GreenShield after the blackout period.
Leaves
Members in Unit 3 have access to an array of different leaves under the Collective Agreement:
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Up to 3 to 8 days per academic session for SLs and 1 to 3 days for hourly paid employees. If you need more time, you may utilize the short-term leave provisions and have a colleague “sub” for you while you recover.
You have to arrange for your own substitution for any period up to one week at a time. If you have grading tasks when you return, you must be allowed reasonable and sufficient time to complete the work. For serious illness, surgery, or hospitalization, employees may be granted up to two (2) months of paid leave.
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Members who are pregnant are entitled to 10 weeks paid leave OR a 95% top up to EI payments (if eligible) for the duration of their contract to a max of 18 weeks.
Members who are new parents are entitled to 1 month paid leave.
In addition, a member who is the non-birth parent is entitled to one week of paid parental leave within 4 weeks of the birth of the child.
Parental leaves may begin during one appointment and continue in a consecutive one.
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Upon the death of an immediate family member, members are entitled to 5 consecutive contact days of bereavement leave without loss of pay. If you have to travel, this may be extended to five days.
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Jury duty leave at full pay.
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One week of paid compassionate leave,
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At a member’s request, additional leaves may be arranged with the assistance of the union.
Employee & Family Assistance Plan (EFAP)
Members of CUPE 3902, Unit 3 have access to the University of Toronto’s Employee & Family Assistance Plan (EFAP).
The EFAP offers free confidential short-term counselling to employees and their dependents for personal, family, and work-related problems. You and your dependents can receive counselling and referral services related to concerns in the following areas:
1. Counselling
Within a supportive, confidential and caring environment you can receive counselling for any challenge:
Family
Depression
Marital / Life transitions / change
Relationships
Grief / bereavement
Addictions
Stress
Anxiety
Other personal issues
2. Plan Smart Lifestyle and Specialty Counselling
3. Online Resources
E-learning courses
Child and eldercare resource locators
For more information please visit the University’s EFAP website.
Employee and Dependent Hardship Fund (EDHF)
The Employee and Dependent Hardship Fund (EDHF), (formerly Employee and Dependent Special Circumstances Fund), is intended to address urgent special circumstances resulting in financial hardship for Unit 3 employees and their dependents, as a result of medical and non-medical needs.
Administered wholly by CUPE 3902, the local has developed criteria and an application process for approval of claims and disbursement of funds. Furthermore, the Union will adjudicate and administer non-medical applications for assistance under the EDHF.
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This fund that Unit 3 members won in bargaining has the purpose of addressing urgent special circumstances resulting in financial hardship facing Unit 3 bargaining unit employees and their dependents.
The funding is administered by the Union under two categories. Each year, it is allocated $50,000 in total.
To be eligible, a member must have worked at least 34 hours since September 1 of the same academic year, or at least 0.17 FCE (for Sessional Lecturers) in the bargaining unit, and must have signed their membership card. The EDHF form is accessible to members through the Member Portal (under the Forms dropdown).
If you have any questions not addressed on this page, or queries about your specific application, contact your Secretary-Treasurer at st@cupe3902.org.
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The EDHF does not cover routine medical expenses (e.g., dental cleanings or eye exams), but will assist with urgent and unanticipated medical expenses.
Applicants must demonstrate that the expense has already been submitted to any other plan (self or spouse/dependent) to which the employee has access, including the employee’s Health Care Spending Account (HCSA), and that the amount being submitted was not covered. Exceptions to this can be made in circumstances where submitting to the HCSA beforehand is prohibitive, provided that the applicant attests that they will not later submit the expense to the HCSA if it is covered by the EDHF.
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The EDHF will also cover members with urgent non-medical needs (e.g., emergency child-care, urgent housing issues, homelessness following eviction, etc.).
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The EDHF EXCLUDES support of the following payments (not exhaustive):
Tuition, professional development and other educational expenses
The purchase of computer equipment, electronic devices, appliances, vehicles, and other similar items
The repair of computer equipment, electronic devices, appliances, vehicles, and other similar items
Routine health expenses (e.g., dental cleanings or eye exams)
Regular living expenses
Utility bill payments
Ongoing childcare
Contract expiry or costs related to seasonal or reduced employment
Vacation related expenses
Credit card payments or other forms of debt servicing
Pet related expenses, except for those related to service animals
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The EDHF disburses up to $2000 per member per fund year (September 1 to August 31 of the following year) to reimburse eligible expenses. Multiple applications can be made in one year as long as the $2000 cap has not yet been met.
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The EDHF review committee (consisting of the Secretary-Treasurer, the President, and the Second Vice President, and up to four member representatives) meets on an as-needed basis to determine whether to approve each claim based on the application criteria.
Approved amounts will be disbursed via a cheque, which can either be mailed to an address or picked up from the office (depending on officer/staff availability).
At the end each plan year (September 1 to August 31), monies not spent will be carried forward to the Fund for the following year.
To apply for the EDHF, please log in at the Member Portal, and choose the ‘Unit 3 EDHF Application’ under the ‘Forms’ tab. If you experience any issues during the application process, please see the Fund Application FAQ for answers to commonly asked questions.