Benefits Plan

This page outlines what benefits members of CUPE 3903 qualify for as governed by our collective bargaining agreement.

The Basics

Our core health benefits plan is provided and administered through Sun Life Insurance (Policy Number: 014098). Some of the core policies covered by this plan are:

  • Vision Care: $400 every two years (Glasses, Contacts + Eye Exam)
  • Dental Care: $3000 every year (Oral exams, certain dental procedures)
  • Prescription Drugs: 100% coverage of prescribed medication
  • Paramedical Services (counselling, naturopaths, podiatrists, physiotherapists, registered massage therapists and chiropractors): $2000 for any one expense; for a total of $3000 every year.

For more detail please check out the Sun Life Policy Package.

Who is covered?

All CUPE 3903 members and their dependents (spouses, common-law and same-sex partner, and children; parents are ineligible) are covered under this plan from the first day of your contract until five months after the end of your contract. If you are a Unit 1 member and have a double-TA assignment in one term, followed by an 8-month gap in TA or GA contracts, you are eligible for those additional 3 months of coverage.  Any contract gaps of longer than 4 months require you to re-enroll..

How do I get started?

Returning members of CUPE 3903, who have previously enrolled and do not have a contract gap of more than 4 months, are already enrolled in our health benefits plan. New members of CUPE 3903 starting their first contract must manually enroll for health benefits coverage.

Enrolment Process: An Overview

There is an electronic form which you can access to enroll into the Sunlife benefits plan. If you have not already signed up for passport York you will first need to set this up to obtain your username and password to access this online enrolment form.

Once you have your passport York information you can go into the askpb portal to enroll into benefits.  The process is:

  1. Go to https://askus.yorku.ca/portal.
  2. Sign in with your Employee Passport York credentials.
  3. Click on “Pension & Benefits Forms”.
  4. Click on “CUPE 3903 Benefits Enrollment/Change”.
  5. Fill out your information, and make sure to include supporting documentation for any dependents.

An alternative for enrolling into benefits is to complete the Benefit Enrolment form (PDF, Word). 

  • You can submit the form to the Pension & Benefits office even if you do not have your employee number yet. This number is located on your pay-stub, at the top, and it is 9 digits starting with the number “1″).
  • Please be sure to provide the dependent information if applicable.  The form and dependent information, if applicable, needs to be printed, signed and then scanned to askpb@yorku.ca.  

If you have any questions please email askpb@yorku.ca.

  • It typically takes 1 to 2 weeks for enrolment in the Sun Life plan system
  • You will receive a drug card approximately four to six weeks after you submit your form. You will receive the drug card in the mailbox in your teaching/work hiring unit or at your home address. You can start making claims as soon as you confirm eligibility; you do not have to wait for the card. You just need the plan number (014098) and your benefits ID (employee ID)
  • Be sure to check with Sun Life insurance two weeks after submitting the enrolment form to see if you are registered in their system.

Do I pay upfront?

Some practitioners will cover your expense upfront (ex: York Lanes Dental Services), while others will require you to cover your expense and file for reimbursement from Sun Life Insurance. This process will vary by practitioner.

How do I get reimbursed?

After enrolment, you can make claims by submitting forms and receipts by mail, or online at sunlife.ca. To submit online, you will need to register with Sun Life. You will need your policy number (014098) and your employee number.

Once registered, you may log onto the secure Sun Life website to review your coverage, file new claims, verify the status of current claims, and get information about past claims. Compensation and claims are processed within 48 hours and are directly deposited to your bank account.

You can also mail your claims by completing the required form with the necessary paperwork, and mailing it to the address attached to the form.

What do I do if I exhaust my coverage? Incur other expenses?

If you exhaust your coverage you can apply to the Extended Health Benefits Fund. Depending on the number of applications, you may receive partial reimbursement for additional expenses–usually between 25% and 50%. Some additional health expenses may be covered by the Extended Health Benefits Fund too. Note that the Extended Health Benefits Fund does not cover expenses incurred by or related to care for dependents.

What if my contract ends?

Your benefits continue for five months following the end of your contract. As such, you should hold on to your drug  card and continue to use it until your coverage expires or you get a new contract.

Notes for international students

What is the difference between this plan and UHIP? The latter is for International students only. It is designed to pay the cost of the hospital and medical services which members and their family members may need to maintain their health while in Canada. The plan provides coverage comparable to that of OHIP for Ontario residents. The CUPE 3903 Health Benefits plan are in addition to, and separate from, UHIP; if you have a contract and are a member of CUPE 3903, then you are eligible for these benefits.
Information about UHIP is available on the York International website
Note that you need to go to York International to pick up your UHIP Card.

Numbers you might need

Employee Number: This is also your benefits ID number. It starts with “1” and appears on the upper corner of your pay stub.
Policy/Plan/Contract Number: 014098
Sun Life’s number: 1-877-SUN-LIFE (1-877-786-5433) or online (www.sunlife.ca)

Other questions?

When you have questions, the first person to contact is a Pension & Benefits Administrator at the York Pension and Benefits Office. You can reach them at:

Phone: 416-736-2100 ext. 27572
Email: askpb@yorku.ca

If they are not able to address your problem, then contact CUPE 3903 staff: 416-736-5154