Unit 7
Leaves Under the Collective Agreement
You, your coworkers, and your former coworkers have fought for decades for better access to paid leaves. Please do take advantage of the privileges you have won for you, your coworkers, and future generations of workers at U of T.
Available leaves are described below. You can find more info in the CUPE 3902 (formerly 3907) Unit 7 Collective Agreement and the ratified Memorandum of Understanding 2025-2028. In general, to take a leave, first contact your departmental administrator to start the process.
Note: Academic year is September 1 to August 31
More questions?
Check out the Unit 7 Collective Agreement and/or send a message the Vice President (Unit 1 and Unit 7) at vp1@cupe3902.org.
Health Benefits
If you are a member of Unit 7 and are employed for at least one term, you are eligible for coverage under the CUPE 3902 top-up benefit plan. The Plan Year runs from September 1 to August 31. Plans are non-contributory (100% UofT paid). Plan status and dependent eligibility is based on Student Plan enrollment each year.
Unit 7 members do not need to do anything to enroll - your coverage will begin once GreenShield Canada (GSC) receives the information from UofT. This will be late October/early November each year.
Eligible employees enrolled under the Student Plan will be eligible for coverage under the CUPE 3902 Unit 7 Health Care Plan A – Top-up + HCSA:
You can access the most up-to-date Benefit Booklet online through your GreenShield Canada account.
The individual HCSA is worth $300/year. The Family HCSA has a value of $600/year.
Eligible employees who have opted out of the UTGSU plan will participate in the CUPE 3902 Unit 7 Health Care Plan B – HCSA-only Plan.
You will only be eligible for coverage under the $300 “HCSA-only Plan” regardless of whether you have eligible spouse/partner or dependent children.
The Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) is like a bank account that you can use to pay for eligible health and dental expenses not fully covered by your group benefits plan or your provincial health plan. It covers a wide range of health and dental expenses including co-payments and/or deductibles. This form, created by GreenShield Canada, shows eligible expenses under your Health Care Spending Account.
Note: CUPE 3902 Unit 1 and Unit 7 share the same Top-Up plan. If you are a member of both Unit 7 and Unit 1, you will only receive access to one Top-Up plan.
Health Benefits - Important Dates And Deadlines
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Blackout Dates:
Fall term - September 1 to November 29
Winter term - January 1 to March 15A blackout period is the duration of time when access to Plan A and Plan B is temporarily unavailable while the University confirms the eligibility of members.
If you require access to medical/dental services, or need a prescription during this time, you can make the payment and submit the claim to GreenShield after the blackout period.
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All claims must be received by Green Shield no later than 60 days after the end of the benefit year, thus by October 30.
NOTE: August 30 is the last day you can submit claims through the GreenShield online portal. After August 30, you must submit a paper claim form, which you can find on their website.
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In order for your dependent/s to be included in the Top-Up Plan, they must first be enrolled in your Student Plan. They will then be automatically enrolled in your CUPE Top-Up Plan if you are eligible.
To add your dependents, you must opt them in annually, at the beginning of the term you are first registered in.
Fall: September 1 to 30
Winter: January 1 to 31Visit Student Care to opt-in online during those periods.
Note: If you have the HCSA-only Plan, contact GreenShield directly at 1-888-711-1119 to add your dependent/s.
Health Benefits - Important Forms and Websites
Top-Up Plan Benefits Booklet – You can find the most up-to-date benefits booklet by logging into your GreenShield Canada account. Your benefits booklet provides you with important information about your benefits plan.
Top-Up Plan FAQ – have questions about your Top-Up Plan? Check here first for answers!
HCSA Allowable Expenses – this form, created by GreenShield Canada, lists items/services that may (or may not) be charged to a HCSA, and under what circumstances certain expenses will be covered. Members are able to claim their Student Plan health and dental premiums through their HSCA account. See the Top-Up Plan FAQ to learn how to do this.
Employee Hardship and
Equity Fund
Go to the Member Portal to apply. If no form is visible in your Member Portal, please contact the Equity Officer at eo@cupe3902.org
ROLLING: SEPTEMBER 1 to AUGUST 31
The Unit 7 Employee Hardship and Equity Fund (EHEF) Subcommittee anonymously reviews applications for members who are experiencing financial hardship due to unforeseen circumstances, or who identify as transgender, a survivor of domestic or sexual abuse, racialized, or an international student and have incurred documented, related expenses. Your Secretary Treasurer, Vice-President, President (or designate), and four Unit 7 members sit on this committee.
Employee Hardship and Equity Fund (EHEF)
Eligibility period: Secured at least 1 hour of Unit 7 work between September 1 and August 31 of the year in which the application is made.
Deadline: August 31
Purpose: To support members who have incurred unforeseen expenses, or who identify as a member of an equity-deserving group who have incurred expenses as a result.
NOTE: This fund is reimbursement-based, and not eligible for pre-approval of anticipated expenses.
Unit 7 Members who have performed at least one (1) hour of Unit 7 work within a given academic year shall be eligible to apply to the Unit 7 EHEF associated with the relevant fund year. Eligible applicants shall receive a maximum of $2,000 in disbursements per fund year. Each application should include an explanation of the connection between your expenses and one or more of the criteria below.
Unit 7 Members who can apply for the EHEF are:
Members who are experiencing financial hardship because they have incurred unforeseen expenses, OR
Members who identify as survivors of sexual and/or domestic violence, trans and/or nonbinary, racialized, or are experiencing immigration-related legal troubles that interfere with their ability to perform their Unit 7 work. Members in this group should explain how their expenses are related to their identity.
If you have constructive feedback regarding the fund, please contact your First Vice-President at vp1@cupe3902.org and/or the Equity Officer at eo@cupe3902.org. Please note that in accordance with the Local’s Equity Statement, abusive language in communications will not be tolerated.
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Each year of the Employee Hardship and Equity Fund (September 1 to August 31), anyone who meets the following criteria is eligible to apply:
Secured at least 1 hour of Unit 7 work by the time the application is made
Have incurred unexpected, documented expenses causing financial hardship, OR
Have incurred documented expenses related to being Transgender, a Survivor of domestic and/or sexual abuse, a Racialized member, or an international worker who has experienced unexpected immigration/legal issues that prevent them from doing Unit 7 work.
Application deadlines: Applications are due during the fund year in which expenses are incurred.
Please write to your Equity Officer at eo@cupe3902.org if you have any questions.
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The fund deliberately does not define all eligible expenses. Members are invited to submit claims for any paid, documented expenses they consider eligible that were incurred between September 1 and August 31.
Examples of eligible expenses include:
Legal fees
Damaged or lost laptops
Related counselling fees in excess of what is covered by GreenShield (proof coverage has been exceeded or is not covered by GreenShield is required)
Medical procedures not covered by GreenShield, and related transportation costs
Safety costs, including lock changes, haircuts, new phone numbers, secure transportation, etc.
Emergency relocation to secure safe housing, including moving fees, first and last month’s rent, hotel stays, etc.
Receipts must be submitted for all claimed expenses clearly showing the dates and amounts incurred within the period specified by the applicant.
If medical claims are being submitted, please provide screenshots showing that you have first submitted your claim through GreenShield, and that your claim has been exhausted and/or denied on your base and top-up plans. Be sure to include the date in your screenshot. You should also provide proof if GreenShield does not cover your particular expense category.
You will need to provide proof of exhaustion of GreenShield with each new fund application even if you have submitted this document in a previous application. Lack of proper documentation may result in your application being denied as the Equity Funds Subcommittee will not be able to fully assess your application.
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Each applicant has a yearly cap of $2,000 for the EHEF.
The fund year spans from September 1 to August 31.
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EHEF review meetings are scheduled to take place monthly. For your application to be considered at these meetings, it must be received at a reasonable time before the Subcommittee meeting.
We aim to communicate application results to eligible applicants within two weeks of approval. Funds are normally disbursed within two months of the application results.
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Applications will be reviewed and eligibility decisions made by the Unit 7 EHEF Subcommittee in accordance with the Unit 7 CAIC Report.
Voting members are the Secretary-Treasurer, the President (or designate), the Vice-President of Unit 7, and up to four members of Unit 7, to be appointed by the Executive Committee after a call for applications.
The Equity Officer chairs meetings of the EHEF Committee, presenting an anonymized version of each application to the committee for review. Only the Equity Officer and Secretary Treasurer have access to Equity Fund applications in full.
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If you have worked at least 1 hour since September 1 of the fund year, and once the database has been updated with payroll information, the application form will be available online.
To find the application, click the Member Portal link to the left of this column.
A complete application for the fund must include:
Political membership — you must have signed a membership card or filled out a Membership Application Form.
If you do not have a CUPE No. (found on the left-hand side of the Portal home page), then you have yet to gain political membership.
To do so, select the ‘Forms’ tab and fill out the Membership Application Form.
Note: processing membership applications can take up to four days.
The EHEF Application Form
Supporting documentation — this documentation must include a statement outlining the need for which funding is being requested and its connection to the fund category, and any other supporting documentation you may have (receipts, proof that you have submitted your claim to GreenShield, letters of support, etc.). Claims submitted without proper documentation will be denied.
You will receive an automatic confirmation email for each application you submit.
If you do not receive a confirmation email, you did not successfully submit the application.
If you experience any issues during the application process, please see the Fund Application FAQ for answers to commonly asked questions.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. The fund year is September 1 to August 31. The fund cap resets every year.
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CUPE 3902, Unit 7 members’ protections under the Collective Agreement (CA) for Survivors:
one month’s paid leave for survivors (p. 58)
four month’s paid “Surgery, Hospitalization, and Serious Illness” leave which can be used for mental-health purposes (p. 57)
Sexual violence and harassment protections (pp. 9-11)
Letter of Understanding on Sexual Violence (p. 85)
CUPE 3902, Unit 7 members’ access to relevant healthcare:
Mental health care (counselling/MSW/social worker, incl. psychotherapy): $5000/year under top-up plan + $500 under base plan (total: $5500)
Basic dental: $1350/year
Glasses/contact lenses/laser eye surgery: $300/year
Single HCSA: $500/year – Family HCSA: $800/year Drug max: $15000/year
Health plan combined maximum: $15000/year
FEBRUARY 1 to 28 & JULY 1 to 31
International Health Plan Assistance Fund (IHPAF)
Eligibility period: have/will have performed at least 30 hours of Unit 7 work between September 1 and August 31 of the year in which the application is made.
Purpose: cover UHIP enrolment fees for members who, because of their international status and are no longer in the funded cohort, must pay out-of-pocket for UHIP for themselves, their spouse, or dependent child(ren). Members who receive major external awards that fully replace funding packages are not eligible.
The International Health Plan Assistance Fund (IHPAF) is for members who, because of their international status, must pay out-of-pocket UHIP enrolment fees for themselves, their spouse, and/or their dependent child(ren).
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The Unit 7 IHPAF is disbursed in two rounds. Anyone who meets the following criteria is eligible to apply:
(a) Either you have performed at least 30 hours of Unit 7 work between September 1 and the application deadline, if you are applying in Round 1 OR you have secured at least 30 hours of Unit 7 work between September 1 to August 31, if you are applying in Round 2.
(b) You are an international member who paid UHIP fees out of pocket for yourself, your spouse, and/or your dependent child(ren) in the academic year.
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UHIP fees for eligible members’ spouses and/or their dependent child(ren) are always eligible. UHIP fees for members themselves are only eligible if paid out of pocket, that is, not covered by a funding package. All students in the funded cohort have their UHIP fees covered by the funding package, except those who pay domestic tuition while enrolled in the UHIP.
Members who receive major external awards that fully replace their funding package (e.g. SSHRC, Vanier, etc.) will not be eligible.
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The fund reimburses eligible UHIP fees in full.
In 2023-24, a full year of UHIP coverage costs $756 per person.
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Applications for the first round will open February 1 to 28. Disbursements will follow in May, unless otherwise notified.
There will be a second round of applications from July 1 to 31. This is to allow members who were not eligible in February (because they haven’t reached the 30 hour work requirement) to apply. Disbursements will follow in October, unless otherwise notified.
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If you lost your receipt for the coverage of your spouse/dependent, you can get it reprinted at the UHIP office at 33 St. George Street or you can email the UHIP office to ask for a digital copy.
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When the application opens on February 1 and July 1, the form will be available online and accessible through the Member Portal (found by scrolling up to the top right of this page).
A complete application for the IHPAF will include: (a) the IHPAF Application Form, and (b) supporting documentation—your ACORN Account Invoice showing you paid UHIP fees out of pocket in the current academic year. Please note that if you are claiming fees for your spouse/dependent child(ren), the receipt(s) must show their full name(s) and period of coverage.
You will receive an automatic confirmation email after submitting your application.
PLEASE NOTE: if you do not receive a confirmation email, you did not successfully submit your application.
If you do not have a membership card (i.e., you do not have a CUPE No., found on the left-hand side of the Portal home page), you will be directed to fill out a Membership Application Form (also found on the ‘Forms’ tab). When your membership application is processed, the IHPAF Application Form will be accessible through the portal.*
*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 Fund Application FAQ.
Round 1 : Applications will be accepted February 1 to 28
Round 2 : Applications will be accepted July 1 to 31
U of T Family Plan Assistance Fund (UFPAF)
Eligibility period: have/will have performed at least 30 hours of Unit 7 work between September 1 and August 31 of the year in which the application is made.
Purpose: cover U of T student or postdoc base plan enrolment fees for members who pay out-of-pocket for coverage for their spouse and/or dependent child(ren) on their U of T base plan.
The U of T Family Plan Assistance Fund (UFPAF) is for members who pay out-of-pocket enrolment fees to add their spouse and/or their dependent child(ren) to their U of T student or postdoc plan.
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The Unit 7 IHPAF is disbursed in two rounds. Anyone who meets the following criteria is eligible to apply:
(a) Either you have performed at least 30 hours of Unit 7 work between September 1 and the application deadline, if you are applying in Round 1, OR
you have secured at least 30 hours of Unit 7 work between September 1 and August 31, if you are applying in Round 2.(b) You paid fees to add your spouse and/or dependent child(ren) to your UofT base plan in the current academic year.
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Eligible expenses include the enrolment fees you paid to add your spouse and/or dependent child(ren) to your UofT base plan in the current academic year.
UofT base plans include: the GSU plan (graduate students), the PDF plan (postdoctoral fellows), the UTSU plan (undergraduate students), the APUS plan (part-time students), and the SCSU plan (undergraduate students, UTSC).
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The fund reimburses a percentage of the cost of adding your spouse and/or dependents to your UofT student or postdoc base plan.
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Applications for the first round will be open February 1 to 28. Disbursements will follow in May, unless otherwise notified.
There will be a second round of applications from July 1 to 31. This is to allow members who were not eligible in February (because they haven’t reached the 30 hour work requirement) to apply. Disbursements will follow in October, unless otherwise notified.
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If you lost your receipt for the coverage of your spouse/dependent, you can call Student Care at 416-978-4911 or email hello@utsu.ca to request a copy of your receipt.
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When the application opens on February 1, the form will be available online and accessible through the Member Portal (found by scrolling up to the top right of this page).
A complete application for the UFPAF will include:
(a) the UFPAF Application Form, and,
(b) supporting documentation—a receipt showing you paid to add your spouse and/or dependents to your UofT student or postdoc base plan in the current academic year (email confirmation showing the amount paid is sufficient). Please note that if you are claiming fees for your spouse/dependent child(ren), the receipt(s) must show their full name(s) and period of coverage.
You will receive an immediate confirmation email for each application you submit.
PLEASE NOTE: if you do not receive a confirmation email you did not successfully submit the application.
If you do not have a membership card (i.e., you do not have a CUPE No., found on the left-hand side of the Portal home page), you will be directed to fill out a Membership Application Form (also found on the ‘Forms’ tab). When your membership application is processed, the UFPAF Application Form will be accessible through the portal.*
*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 Fund Application FAQ.
Round 1 : Applications will be accepted February 1 to 28
Round 2 : Applications will be accepted July 1 to 31
SEPTEMBER 1 to 30
Childcare Financial Assistance Fund (CFAF)
Eligibility period: have/will have performed at least 30 hours of Unit 7 work between September 1 and August 31 in the year before application is made. (Applications are made the following September—that is, immediately after the eligibility period.)
Purpose: offset eligible childcare expenses and primary care expenses that are incurred between September 1 and August 31 in the year before application is made. Children must be within set age ranges to be considered eligible.
The Childcare Financial Assistance Fund (CFAF) supports members who are parents and either incur (1) childcare expenses (expenses related to paying a childcare provider for care of their child(ren) while a parent is at work or school), or (2) primary care expenses (defined as expenses associated with having the member, or a household or family member, provide primary care for one or more of their (step-)children in the eligible age range).
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Anyone who meets the following criteria is eligible to apply:
(a) You secured at least 30 hours of Unit 7 work between September 1 and August 31.
(b) You have (step-)children in the eligible age range: from birth until the day they turn 16.
(c) You have eligible childcare expenses supported by receipts, and/or you have documentation showing that you, or one of your household or family members, provided primary care for one or more of your (step-)children in the eligible age range.
(d) Your childcare expenses are for childcare that took place between September 1 and August 31.
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Eligible age ranges for the fund year:
For childcare expenses, the eligible age range is from birth until the day they turn sixteen (16) years old.
For primary care expenses, the eligible age range is from birth until September 1 of the calendar year in which they turn four (4) years old.
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Eligible expenses include anything that would qualify as a childcare expense for tax purposes (see here for more information).
Some examples include: babysitters, nannies, daycare, preschool, summer camps, March break programs, after school programs, and sports/activities/lessons offered through local recreation centres or the equivalent. Examples of ineligible expenses include: tuition for private primary school, school lunches, medical expenses, toys, clothing, food, swimming lessons, tennis lessons, and scout fees.
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If you receive a daycare subsidy, you can still claim the unsubsidized amount through the CFAF. We ask that you disclose any subsidies to the Union along with your application.
Subsidies will be deducted from your total childcare expenses for the fund year.
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Yes. Please use a site like xe.com to convert the prices to CAD for the correct date/period (there are features on currency sites where you can convert an amount based on the date the receipt was issued or averaged over a period).
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If you, or your household or family member, provide primary care for one or more of your (step-)children in the eligible primary care age range, then you will receive some support from the CFAF for each month your (step-)children were in the primary care age range.
Each month that your (step-)children were in the primary care age range will be treated as an eligible expense.
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Each year disbursement amounts vary depending on the total number of applicants and their overall need; thus, we cannot advertise disbursement amounts in advance. After all applications have been received and processed, caps are set on the maximum amount a member can receive for:
(1) childcare expenses per child and,
(2) primary care expenses per child. -
Applications for this fund will be open September 1 to 30.
Disbursements will follow in December, unless otherwise notified.
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When the application opens on September 1, the form will be available online and accessible through the Union’s website. To find the application, login to the Member Portal (found by scrolling up to the top right of this page).
A complete application for the CFAF will include:
the CFAF Application Form and,
a document summarizing childcare eligible expenses (e.g. childcare, after-school programs, etc. and,
supporting documentation for:
childcare expenses, (to include the child’s birth certificate and receipts for all expenses claimed organized into a single PDF and ordered according to the date of the childcare expense [from September to August], and,
primary care expenses (to include the child’s birth certificate).
You will receive an immediate confirmation email for each application you submit.
PLEASE NOTE: if you do not receive a confirmation email you did not successfully submit the application.
If you do not have a membership card (i.e., you do not have a CUPE No., found on the left-hand side of the Portal home page), you will be directed to fill out a Membership Application Form (also found on the ‘Forms’ tab).
When your membership application is processed, the CFAF Application Form will be accessible through the portal.**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 Fund Application FAQ.
Applications will be accepted September 1 to 30.
FYI: Each year disbursement amounts vary depending on the total number of applicants and their overall need; thus, we cannot advertise disbursement amounts in advance. After all applications have been received and processed, caps are set on the maximum amount a member can receive (1) for childcare expenses per child and (2) for primary care expenses per child.
How to Access Application Forms
During application periods, forms will be accessible through the Member Portal.
If, during application periods, you are eligible but do not see application forms on the Member Portal (under ‘Forms’), then you likely need to fill out a Membership Application Form (also found under the ‘Forms’ tab). When your membership application is processed, then the application forms for funds you may be eligible for will be accessible through the portal.
PLEASE NOTE: processing of membership applications can take up to one hour.
If you do not know your Member ID number, which is required for fund and membership applications, you can find it in your CUPE 3902 newsletter footer at the bottom of the email, or by filling out this form in the Member Portal. For support, please contact website@cupe3902.org.