If you are a Teaching Assistant (TA) or Undergraduate Tutor at Vic, you may be entitled to a defined benefit coverage plan that “tops up” your current GSU or UTSU plan; this plan is similar to benefits available to members of Unit 1.  For more information please contact the Fourth Vice-President.

he Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) is available for members of CUPE 3902 Unit 2 (Sessional Lecturers, Teaching Assistants, Writing Instructors, and Undergraduate Tutors employed by Victoria University in the University of Toronto).

The NEW minimum for HCSA entitlement is 50 hours per academic year. All members who work for at least 50 hours are eligible for the HCSA. You can enroll yourself in the HCSA by filling out this form and submitting it directly to directly to vic.hr@utoronto.ca.Enrolment in the HCSA is NOT automatic: please remember to enroll yourself. Eligibility for reimbursement begins on the date of employment, not the date of enrolment.

See your amount of coverage in the chart below:

• 50-239 hours or .5 FCE …………………$295.43

• 240-379 hours or 1.0 FCE ……….…… $295.43

• 380-519 hours or 1.5 FCE ……….….… $886.29

• 520-660 hours or 2.0 FCE ……….…… $1181.72

• 660 hours or more ……………..……….. $1447.13

Those members covered by a UofT Employee Benefit Plan (not your GSU or UTSU plan or Unit 1 or 3 plans) are not eligible for this coverage.

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. A list of eligible medical expense tax credits can be found on the Canada Revenue Agency website.

HCSA: Once you’ve enrolled, you can make claims. Download the form from the Green Shield portal and submit the form with your original receipts for medical expenses to Greenshield. If you have any problems, please contact Green Shield at 1-888-711-1119.

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.

HCSA Allowable Expenses – this form, created by Green Shield Canada, lists items/services that may (or may not) be charged to a HCSA, and under what circumstances certain expenses will be covered.

If you start a leave during an appointment, and you have a subsequent appointment in the following session, you can continue your leave (and therefore continue to get paid) during that subsequent appointment.

Contact the Family Care Office to begin the process. You will need to submit written notice of your intent to take the leave at least 2 weeks in advance.

Note: Extended Pregnancy and Parental/Adoption Leave Benefit

All bargaining unit employees are granted extended pregnancy/parental/adoption leaves.

If an employee who has taken pregnancy or parental/adoption leave reaches the end of their contract before their 4 month leave has expired, the employee will be entitled to a one-time only lump sum payment in the amount of their monthly pay for the remainder of that 4-month period, minus any required deductions.

For example, if an employee’s contract ends after 3 months of leave, they will receive a lump sum payment equivalent to 1 month’s pay. 

If you are a Sessional Lecturer at Vic, or a Writing Instructor who has worked at least 600 hours and for more than 4 years, you will be getting an additional 5% added to your regular salary as the University’s contribution towards an RRSP for you. This benefit was negotiated by your Union, CUPE 3902.

The 5% employer contribution will be paid directly to you as T4 income, but in order to keep this money, you will be required to establish an RRSP and deposit at least the equivalent of the University’s contribution and a matching contribution from your own salary. By March 31 of each year, you will have to bring proof that you have established the RRSP and made the required contributions, or Vic can ask for their money back. For more information, please contact the Union: 416.593.7057.

Members of Unit 2 have access to a number of different leave provisions through their Collective Agreement. Click on the title above to review the various types of leave you are entitled to. For more information, please click here.