Benefits for Berkeley Employees

Enrolling in Benefits

You have 31 days from your date of hire to enroll in the Medical, Dental, Vision, Legal, Supplemental Disability, Supplemental Life, Health Care Reimbursement Account - HCRA, DepCare, and TIP plans. This is your Period of Initial Eligibility (PIE).

You may enroll in AD&D and the UC Retirement Savings Program at any time.

I. Enrolling in Your Health and Welfare benefits:

Step 1: Choose Your Plans

1. Visit the systemwide UC HR/Benefits website, At Your Service, located at http://atyourservice.ucop.edu, for more information. Choose “New Employees” under “Quick Links.”
2. Review the “Benefits of Belonging” New Hire Benefits Package.
3. Read Your Group Insurance Plans booklet.
4. Review the Medical Benefits Summary Spreadsheet.
5. Contact the plan directly if you have specific questions about coverage.
6. Talk to friends and colleagues for additional references.

Step 2: Gather Data

1. You will need your Primary Care Physician (PCP) name and enrollment number to enroll in HealthNet, Pacificare, WHA or Blue Cross PLUS (Kaiser and Blue Cross PPO do not require a PCP designation). These enrollment codes are available on the At Your Service website located at http://atyourservice.ucop.edu. Once there, choose “Health and Welfare Benefits,” then “Find A Doctor.”
2. If you are enrolling any family members, you will need their full names, birth dates, social security numbers and PCP numbers.

Step 3: Enroll in Health and Welfare Plans

1. Enrollment is done online in almost all cases. The web application is available at: http://atyourservice.ucop.edu, then click on the gold star (“Sign in to My Accounts”).  If you encounter difficulties, please see your Department Benefits Counselor (DBC) for help. Paper enrollment forms are rarely used.  However, if you are an intercampus transfer you need to enroll using paper forms.
2. You will need your UC password to sign in to your account.  Your initial password is your birth date, in an eight-digit format (mmddyyyy). You will be prompted to customize this password as part of the enrollment process.
3. Be sure to CONFIRM your enrollment choices, and print the confirmation statement. Keep a copy of the confirmation statement.
4. To designate your beneficiaries: After you’ve completed your enrollment, return to http://atyourservice.ucop.edu and click on the gold star (“Sign into my Accounts”). Login using your password, then choose “my Beneficiaries” and name your beneficiaries. You can change this information at any time.

Step 4: Verify Enrollment

1. Review the confirmation statement you will receive after enrolling on the web. If you have an official UC email address, you’ll receive this statement via email; otherwise, the statement will be mailed to the home address listed in the UC system.
2. Review your paycheck stub or monthly pay statement to ensure that correct contributions are being made.
3. You may also check your enrollments on the web by signing into your account on the At Your Service website.  Report any errors to your DBC immediately!

II. University of California Retirement Plan, (UCRP) - Actions That May be Needed:

If you have prior UCRP membership: Read the UCRP Buyback booklet for information about reinstating your prior service credit.
IMPORTANT NOTE: There is a 3-year deadline to elect buyback from date of re-entry to UCRP. The booklet is located on the web at: http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/forms_pubs/subject/buyback.html

If you have prior service in the Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) or the State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS): Refer to the appropriate factsheet: UCRP/CalPERS Reciprocity Factsheet or the UCRP/CalSTRS Concurrent Retirement Factsheet. The factsheets are located on the web at: http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/forms_pubs/subject/retirement.html

III. Enrolment in the UC Retirement Savings Program

The UC Retirement Savings Program includes the Defined Contribution Plan, the Tax-Deferred 403(b) Plan, and the 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. Account services and recordkeeping for these plans are provided by Fidelity Investments Tax-Exempt Services Company (FITSCo).

You may enroll in the UC Retirement Savings Program at any time.  To enroll, please contact a FITSCo Retirement Services Specialist at 1-866-682-7787 (Monday through Friday between 5:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., PT) or visit the FITSCo website at: https://netbenefits.fidelity.com.

IV. Resources

Remember to contact your Department Benefits Counselor with any questions. If you need additional assistance, please contact:

HR Benefits
2150 Shattuck Ave., Suite 750
MC# 3540                   
Telephone: 642-7053
Email: benefits@berkeley.edu
Website:  http://hrweb.berkeley.edu