You can enroll yourself and your family members in benefits plans at different times during your career and in retirement. Here's a quick rundown of your options.

If you are a new employee

If you are newly hired, you have a period of initial eligibility (PIE) during which you may enroll yourself and your eligible family members.

Your PIE starts on the first day of eligibility (for example, the day you begin work in a position that makes you eligible for benefits) and ends 31 days later. (Or the next business day if the last day of your PIE falls on a weekend or holiday and you need to enroll with paper forms.)

To enroll, sign in to your UCPath account.

If you have a newly eligible family member

Families change and grow due to marriage, birth, adoption and other events. If you have a newly eligible family member, you will have another PIE to enroll yourself and your eligible family member(s). You must request enrollment within 31 days from the date your family member is first eligible.

You may enroll family members online through your UCPath account. 

You may also enroll your family members online during Open Enrollment, which is usually held in November.

If you are a current employee and become eligible

If you become eligible for UC-sponsored benefits because of a change in employment status or because you have worked 1,000 hours in 12 consecutive months, you will have a 31-day period of initial eligibility (PIE) in which to enroll. Check with your department to see exactly when your PIE begins. You can enroll online via UCPath.

If you lose other group insurance

If you and/or an eligible family member involuntarily lose other insurance coverage, you may enroll in one of UC's plans. A new PIE starts the day you lose coverage.

To enroll, employees should contact the Benefits Office or the person in your department who handles benefits. Retirees should contact the Retirement Administration Service Center.

During Open Enrollment

Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to review your benefits and make changes. You can

  • Change to a new medical or dental plan
  • Enroll in a flexible spending account (FSA) for the following year (except UC Health Savings Plan members may not enroll in the Health FSA)
  • Enroll in other plans that are open
  • Enroll or disenroll family members

Open Enrollment usually occurs during November and plan changes take effect on Jan. 1 of the following year.