Reimbursement Funds
The Unit 3 Fund is a pool of $180,000 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 from September 1 to September 30, 2025. Select ‘Fund Applications’ under the ‘Forms’ tab, or see the Unit 3 Fund page for more details.
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 U of T pension plan.
All members of Unit 3 who are not on the U of T Pension Plan are entitled to membership in a Group RRSP. The contributions for Members who enrol 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 the applications to arrive.
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 between September 1 and September 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.
Effective upon ratification of the new Collective Agreement, 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. This information can be found on page 5 of the Memorandum of Agreement 2021-4, that amends and renews the expired Collective Agreement, 2017-21.
Enrollment
In order to begin using your HCSA, members of CUPE 3902 (Unit 3) must enroll by completing the Green Shield 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.
A Human Resources guide to completing the HCSA enrolment form is available online. Bring or send the completed enrollment form NOT to Green Shield, but to the U of T Benefits Administration Office, 215 Huron St, 8th floor, Toronto, ON M5S 1A2.
You should be able to access your HCSA 4-6 weeks after you have submitted your HCSA enrollment form to the Employer’s Benefits Administration Office. Your GSC Member Portal login information is UOT Personnel number-00.
Any issues regarding the GSC Member Portal or how to submit a claim should be directed to Green Shield Canada or by calling 1-888-711-1119.
Please contact the Employer directly if your Unit 3 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 the Income Tax Act, including prescription eyeglasses, dental expenses, medical devices and supplies, prescription drugs, and services of paramedical practitioners. Claim forms can be found online.
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
A blackout period is the duration of time when access to the HCSA is temporarily unavailable. This is the period when 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 make the payment and submit the claim with receipts to Green Shield after the blackout period.
Fall term: September 1 to November 15
Winter term: January 1 to March 15
Leaves
Sick Leave
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.
Parental Leaves
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.
Bereavement
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.
Jury Duty
Jury duty leave at full pay.
Compassionate Leave
One week of paid compassionate leave.
Other
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.
The Employee and Dependent Hardship Fund (EDHF), formerly the Employee and Dependent Special Circumstances Fund (EDSCF), is intended to address urgent special circumstances resulting in financial hardship for Unit 3 bargaining unit 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.