University of California, Berkeley

Benefits Packages

UC offers three benefits packages – Full, Mid-Level, and Core – to eligible faculty and staff employees. These benefits packages determine eligibility for Health and Welfare and Retirement plans as follows:

(Postdoc Benefits are managed by the Visiting Scholars and Postdoc Affairs (VSPA) office. Please visit the VSPA website for details.)

Health and Welfare Plans Benefits Packages
Plan Name Full Mid-Level Core
Medical • •  
Medical-Core • • •
Dental •    
Vision •    
Basic Life •    
Core Life   • •
Supplemental Life (Employee-Paid Life) • •  
Basic/Expanded Dependent Life • •  
Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) • • •
Short-Term Disability (University-Paid Disability) •    
Supplemental Disability (Employee-Paid Disability) •    
Legal Expense (ARAG) • • •
Automobile/Homeowner/Renter • •  
Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (Dep-Care) • • •
Health Flexible Spending Account (Health FSA) • • •
Tax Savings on Insurance Premiums (TIP) • • •
Retirement Plans Benefits Packages
Plan Name Full Mid-Level Core
University of California Retirement Plan (UCRP)1 •    
Defined Contribution Plan (DCP) - Regular (1990-April 2010)1; •    
Defined Contribution Plan (DCP) - Casual/Safe Harbor   • •

1 Between 1990 and April 2010, a surplus of funds meant employees were not required to contribute a portion of their earnings to UCRP; this was the so-called "contribution holiday." Instead, employees eligible for UCRP were required to contribute an equivalent amount to a defined contribution plan (DCP) individual account.

As of May 2010, the contribution holiday has ended and the funds that were going to DCP-Regular accounts have been redirected back to UCRP.

Resumption of UCRP contributions was/is subject to collective bargaining. Some employees covered by bargaining agreements may continue to contribute to DCP-Regular.