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HR Update; November 2, 2007

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Open Enrollment for 2008

Be Proactive If You Have Transition of Care Issues

If you are changing medical plans in 2008, there may be transition of care issues to consider. Many plans offer standard transition of care support for all new members to bridge the gap between your old plan and your new plan. For HMOs, these transition benefits are defined by the California Knox-Keene Act and regulated by the CA Department of Managed Health Care. The objective of providing transition of care is to allow members in the middle of care with a non-network/non-plan provider a period of time to facilitate transition to a network/plan provider. 

Examples of the types of conditions which might qualify for transition of care include: acute medical conditions; pregnancy; terminal illness; trauma; scheduled authorized surgery after 1/1/08; hospital confinement on 12/31/07. All decisions regarding transition of care will be made by the plan and require acceptance of contractual and payment terms by the non-contracted provider. Transition of care staff at the new plan will help identify network providers who can provide necessary care once the transition period ends.

There may be special transition benefits for you and your covered family members if your UC plan is being discontinued. This includes members in the following medical plans: PacifiCare members transferring to Health Net, PacifiCare Nevada and Select EPO members transferring to Blue Cross PPO and Definity members transferring to CIGNA. Detailed information on these specific transition benefits is posted on the UCOP Open enrollment website.

There are also special transition benefits if your Behavioral Health plan is being changed. This includes Health Net and WHA members. It also includes Blue Cross Plus or Definity members who may have been seeing UBH out of network providers. (The only plan in 2008 offering out of network Behavioral Health benefits is Blue Cross PPO.) The transition of care is designed to allow a member to complete treatment with their provider within a 6-month period or provide 6 months to transition care to a provider who is contracted with UBH.

If you have specific questions about transition of care or to request a Transition of Care form, contact the plan directly:

Health Net: 1-800-539-4072
CIGNA Choice Fund: 1-800-244-6224 (corrected number)
Blue Cross: 1-888-209-7975
United Behavioral Health: 1-888-440-8225

Leave for Staff with Spouses in the Military


Effective October 9, 2007, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill 392 which will require the University to provide ten (10) days of unpaid leave to an eligible employee when the employee’s spouse is on leave due to military deployment. Under this new law, an employee is eligible for up to 10 days of unpaid leave when:

A “period of military conflict” is defined under the law as either a declaration of war from the United States Congress or the calling up of reserve military units for active duty.  The legislation prohibits any employer from retaliating against an eligible qualified employee for requesting or taking the unpaid leave.

While the legislation refers only to “spouses”, the term is defined under California Family Code Section 297.5 as including registered domestic partners.  In accordance with University practice regarding family and medical leave, it is advisable that supervisors approve requests for this leave on behalf of both registered and unregistered domestic partners. 

For questions, please contact the Labor and Employee Relations Analyst assigned to your department.

CNA Bargaining Update: Know Before You Vote

In recent weeks, the California Nurses Association (CNA) has issued several communications that are not accurate in their representations of UC’s proposals and our efforts to reach an agreement with the union.  For clarity on the competitive wages and benefits UC is offering nurses and for information on UC’s many good faith efforts to reach an agreement with CNA, please visit www.UCNurses.com.

The Confusion: Notice of upcoming membership vote is unclear

The union has never informed UC what they are asking nurses to vote on.  It is critical that all nurses know what they are being asked to vote on.  It is possible that by voting against ratification now, you could be empowering CNA to call a strike at any time after the conclusion of factfinding without another vote. 

An economic strike in advance of the completion of the entire bargaining process, including mediation and factfinding, is presumptively illegal.  In 2005, CNA was barred from striking by court order.  PERB also issued a complaint because of CNA’s attempt to strike UC before bargaining was completed.

If UC nurses have any questions about what these votes mean, and which votes will and won’t be counted, they should seek immediate clarification from CNA before casting any votes.

The Facts: UC’s Efforts to Reach an Agreement

UC has held thirty-one bargaining sessions with CNA over the last six months, and has offered CNA numerous proposals, including concessions to CNA’s requests.  The archives section on www.UCNurses.com provides historical background on UC’s bargaining efforts.

On October 18, UC and CNA declared impasse and agreed to seek state-assisted mediation to help reach an agreement.  That was the same date that the CNA issued an alert calling for “strike votes.”

The first mediation sessions will be held on November 5 and 6, 2007.  As mediation is a confidential process, neither party will be able to communicate the details of mediation conversations to nurses nor the public while the mediation proceeds.  UC is committed to this process because we are committed to securing a good contract for our nurses.
Please visit www.UCNurses.com for more information about UC’s offer and make sure you know the facts before you vote.

UC Retirement Readiness Education Programs

Are your ducks all in a row?  Start to plan now-it’s never too early.

Please pass this on to your colleagues, circulate invitations, post the actual schedules, or otherwise re-broadcast these weekly reminders about our valuable (FREE) education programs for faculty and staff.  Bring your lunch; your questions; your spouse/partner. . .

Usually there can be at least one (or more) workshop(s) per week scheduled at various UCSF locations around town. For more details and listings for upcoming scheduled presentations, please refer to our Workshops and Presentations Schedules menus found at our local UCSF HR/Benefits website. 

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