University of California, Berkeley

Glossary

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Supplemental Disability

Employee-paid Income replacement plan for an employee who is unable to work due to pregnancy/childbirth, disabling injury, or illness.  To be eligible to receive benefits, the employee must be under a doctor's direct and continuous care.  If the disability is not work-related, benefits from this plan are coordinated with benefits from Short-Term Disability. After the waiting period is met, the plan, combined with all other sources of disability or retirement, pays 70% of the employee earnings up to $10,000 a month, for up to 12 months of temporary disability.  If the employee is still disabled after 12 months, the employee may be eligible for plan's provision that pays long-term disability benefits.

Note:  UC does not participate in the employee-paid California State Disability Insurance (SDI) plan because the UC offers its own plans to employees.

Spouse

A husband or wife as defined or recognized under state law for purpose of marriage (domestic partner – see applicable contract or policy).

Special Placement Consideration (SPC)

Policies and procedures to provide first consideration for positions to qualified employees who have been laid off, reviewed for medical separation, or medically separated. See Special Placement Consideration for details.

Snapshot

Because the work force numbers fluctuate, a snapshot of the work force is taken at one particular point in time, e.g., as of a particular day, and used as the basis for analysis. The snapshot used for utilization analysis of the work force is December 31 of each year.

Short-Term Disability

Income replacement for an employee who is unable to work due to a pregnancy/childbirth, disabling injury, or illness.  UC pays the premiums and coverage is automatic.  To be eligible to receive benefits, the employee must be under a doctor's direct and continuous care and the illness or injury must not be work related.  After the waiting period is met, the plan pays 55% of the eligible earnings, up to $800.00 a month maximum for up to 6 months.

Serious Health Condition

According to federal regulations, is an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves:

  • Inpatient care in a hospital, hospice or residential medical care facility, including any period of incapacity related to inpatient care, or any subsequent treatment in connection with inpatient care;
  • Any period of incapacity for three consecutive calendar days or longer that also involves treatment two or more times by a health care provider;
  • Any period of incapacity for three consecutive calendar days or longer that also involves treatment by a health care provider and a regimen of continuing treatment under his or her supervision;
  • Any period of incapacity due to pregnancy or prenatal care;
  • Any period of incapacity due to a chronic serious health condition which is under the supervision of a health care provider;
  • Any period of incapacity which is permanent or long term due to a condition which treatment may not be effective.

A serious health condition does not include minor illnesses, such as the common cold, flu, earaches, upset stomach, or routine dental problems, orthodontic treatments, or periodontal disease. Of course, complications, if they arise, could convert a minor illness into a serious health condition.  If you have a question about whether a particular illness or injury qualifies as a serious health condition, please contact your Department Personnel Manager, Employee Relations Consultant, or the Academic Personnel Office

The medical certification provision that an employee is “needed to care for” a family member encompasses both physical and psychological care. It includes situations where, for example, because of a serious health condition, the family member is unable to care for his or her own basic medical, hygienic, or nutritional needs or safety, or is unable to transport himself or herself to the doctor, etc.

The term also includes providing psychological comfort and reassurance, which would be beneficial to a child, spouse or parent with a serious health condition who is receiving inpatient or home care. The term also includes situations where the employee may be needed to fill in for others who are caring for the family member, or to make arrangements for changes in care, such as transfer to a nursing home.

Salary Structure

The hierarchy of salary grades and salary ranges established for an organization.

Salary Range

The range of pay established for a salary grade. This is used as a guide to set individual employee salaries for a job. The salary range generally has a minimum, a midpoint and a maximum.

Salary Grade

Designates a salary range to which a number of job titles are assigned. The grade's salary range is based upon wages paid in the market for comparable duties. Every non-represented job title will be assigned a specific salary grade.