Component 1: UBC Academic Workers
Member Financial Support
Through our bargaining with UBC, Component 1 has obtained funding to provide to members who are experiencing financial hardship, becoming new parents, or experiencing childcare expenses.
This money is for members!
We strongly encourage all members to apply for funding if you feel you meet the criteria. Final funding decisions are made by the Fund Administration Committee (FAC).
Please note that any payments from these funds in the amount of $500 or more are considered taxable income by Canada Revenue Agency. The union will issue a T4A form to recipients for tax purposes after each calendar year has ended.
For questions about the Funds, please email the current FAC Chair (cupe2278facchair@gmail.com)
Parental Leave Fund
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To be eligible for support from the Parental Leave Fund, a member must meet the three eligibility conditions below:
the member is a Component 1 member of CUPE 2278;
the member is, or will be at the time of receiving financial support, on leave without pay, due to the recent or upcoming birth or adoption of a child (including surrogacy), or miscarriage;
the member requires financial support due to the recent or upcoming addition of a child to their family, or due to their recent miscarriage. (This includes birth by the applicant or their partner, or via surrogacy or adoption.)
the member is not eligible to receive maternity/parental benefits under Employment Insurance (EI).
Members are only eligible for financial support from the Parental Leave Fund for as long as they continue to meet all of these eligibility requirements. If a member ceases to meet any of these requirements, for whatever reason, then their eligibility for the Fund ceases immediately.
Members who will be returning to work after 8 weeks, as per UBC’s Graduate Student Parental Accommodation Policy, will be eligible for 8 weeks of full-time GTA I pay. Members who are taking a full term away from work will be eligible for 16 weeks of full-time GTA I pay.
Parental leave is inclusive of official and unofficial leaves, including parental leave from your graduate program, and simply being unable to accept TA jobs for a term due to your new child.
Since we cannot predict how many applications the Fund will receive, there is no guarantee that an eligible member will receive support from the Fund. In cases of limited funds, applicants who have not previously received money from this Fund will be prioritized.
Health, Wellbeing, and Hardship Fund
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To be eligible for support from the Health, Wellbeing, and Hardship Fund a member must meet the eligibility conditions below:
The applicant is a Component 1 member of CUPE 2278.
The member considers themselves to be in emergent and significant financial hardship due to circumstances outside of their control
This does not exclude applicants dealing with chronic illnesses or disabilities, which may not be necessarily new to the applicant, but may cause disproportionate/inequitable hardship.
Members are only eligible for financial support from the Fund for as long as they continue to meet all of these eligibility requirements. If a member ceases to meet any of these requirements, for whatever reason, then their eligibility for the Fund ceases immediately.
There is a maximum that any individual is entitled to receive in each academic year. This maximum is equivalent to 0.25 of a full Teaching Assistantship at the GTA I rate. Members may request any amount less than the maximum per application, and multiple applications may be submitted in the same academic year. Applications must specify the requested amount of support.
Since the Union cannot predict how many applications the Fund will receive, there is no guarantee that an eligible member will receive support from the Fund. In cases of limited funds, applicants who have not previously received money from this Fund will be prioritized.
Please include an explanation of the total requested amount, and any documentation (with identifying information redacted) that is relevant to the financial hardship. Feel free to attach a separate document for your description/explanation if necessary. If the Committee finds that there is not enough information to determine the eligibility of your application, there may be delays in processing the application as they may request further information.
Childcare Fund
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To be eligible for support from the Childcare Fund a member must meet the eligibility conditions below:
The applicant is a Component 1 member of CUPE 2278;
The member has childcare costs for their dependent(s).
Members are only eligible for financial support from the Childcare Fund for as long as they continue to meet all of these eligibility requirements. If a member ceases to meet any of these requirements, for whatever reason, then their eligibility for the Fund ceases immediately.
Childcare expenses are amounts that you have paid for someone else to look after your child so that you can go to work/school/etc. This includes the cost of daycares and babysitters/childminders. Claims will not be paid for a spouse, partner, or a family member who normally provides care without charges.
Childcare receipts must be provided with the application for reimbursement, and members may apply once per academic term.
Please send in your application and receipts at the end of the term for which you are applying (i.e. in April, August, or December) so that all receipts for the term may be processed at once.
Members may apply for $2000 per academic term for a maximum of 3 times per year ($6000). Applications for a given term should include all childcare receipts from that term. For example, if you are applying for reimbursement for the Winter Term 1 (September-December), you should include receipts for all 4 months in your application. Academic terms are defined as Winter Term 1 (September-December), Winter Term 2 (January-April), and Summer Term (May-August).
Since the Union cannot predict how many applications the Fund will receive, there is no guarantee that an eligible member will receive support from the Fund. In cases of limited funds, applicants who have not previously received money from this Fund will be prioritized.
2025 Fund Administration Committee members:
Joshua Lerner (chair) cupe2278facchair@gmail.com
Jalisa Karim
John Merlo-Coyne
Vicky Kim (Equity Officer)
Frequently Asked Questions
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Where do these funds come from?
Health, Wellbeing, and Hardship Fund & Childcare Fund: the employer (UBC) pays into these funds an amount equivalent to 1% of the Component 1 payroll each year, as detailed in Article B 7.04 of our Collective Agreement and LOA B8. $125,000 of this amount goes into the Childcare Fund, and the remainder goes into the Health, Wellbeing, and Hardship Fund.
Parental Leave Fund: the employer (UBC) pays $25,000 per year into this fund, as detailed in Article B 6.05 of our Collective Agreement.
When were these funds created?
The Parental Leave Fund was established in 2007 as a result of bargaining for our 2005-2010 Collective Agreement.
The Health, Wellbeing, and Hardship Fund was established in 2013 as a result of the local’s 2012 strike.
The Childcare Fund was established in 2023 as a result of a C1 Membership Meeting motion to allocate some of the Health, Wellbeing, and Hardship Fund money to support childcare costs.
Who are the funds for?
Any eligible member of Component 1
Who makes decisions about fund applications?
The Component 1 Fund Administration Committee (C1 FAC) consists of the Component 1 Chair, the Equity Officer, and up to 3 members of Component 1, elected at a membership meeting. Fund applications are reviewed and voted on by the committee approximately every two weeks.
Is my application confidential?
You are responsible for redacting identifying information from your supporting documents, which will be seen by the committee. Only three people (the Chair of the committee, the Secretary Treasurer, and the Administrative Coordinator) can see the identifying information on your application form, solely for the purposes of confirming your eligibility as a member, and distributing the fund money. If any committee member recognizes an applicant based on the provided information, they abstain from voting.
Why did the committee ask for more info on my application?
The committee will ask for more information if they cannot determine if your application meets the eligibility criteria, or if they were not given a rationale for the specific amount of money requested. The more relevant information you can provide in the original application, the faster your application will be processed.
What can I do if my application was rejected?
Any member who submits a complete application for assistance from the Fund and is dissatisfied with the decision made about their application is entitled to appeal. This applies to members who are denied benefits under this Fund, and those who wish to dispute the level of benefit received. Appeals will be heard by the Component 1 Fund Administration Committee (C1 FAC). If a member wishes to make a further appeal of the decision of the C1 FAC, they may present an appeal to the Component 1 Leadership Committee. Members should email comp1chair@cupe2278.ca about appeals.
Will the Funds ever run out?
Since the Union cannot predict how many applications the Fund will receive, there is no guarantee that an eligible member will receive support from the Fund. In cases of limited funds, applicants who have not previously received money from this Fund will be prioritized.
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What counts as an eligible hardship?
Your financial hardship must be 1) emergent, 2) significant, and 3) due to circumstances outside of your control. This does not exclude applications related to chronic illnesses or disabilities, which may not be necessarily “emergent” but cause disproportionate/inequitable hardship to the applicant. What makes a hardship significant can be different for different members. Typically the committee is evaluating if the applications meet criteria 1) and 3), trusting that members apply for the Fund because they are facing significant financial hardship.
Examples: medical expenses not covered by insurance, unexpected housing situations (e.g. roommate leaving unexpectedly, losing housing), lost wages (e.g. GRA was cut off unexpectedly)
Because many of our members are struggling financially and are in precarious work situations, general ongoing financial strain is not automatically eligible for this Fund. Rather, it is for specific new and unexpected situations that are causing financial difficulties.
What do I need to include in my application?
An explanation of the total amount you are requesting, and any documentation that is relevant to the financial hardship. For example, if you are requesting the maximum amount (currently $3855.08 for Sept 2024-Aug 2025) you need to explain what expenses you have that add up to $3855.08 or higher. Receipts are helpful if you have them, or screenshots showing outstanding balances or debt, for example. You are not expected to provide details about your budget or spending unrelated to the specific financial hardship.
How often can I apply?
The maximum amount each member can receive per academic year (September to August) is currently $3855.08 (0.25 of a full-time GTA I appointment). If you previously received a smaller amount of money from the Fund during the same academic year, you may apply again in that year for any eligible expenses, up to the maximum.
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What counts as childcare?
Someone else looking after your child so that you can go to work/school/etc., e.g. daycare or babysitters/childminders
What do I need to include in my application?
Receipts for childcare expenses. If your receipts show that you received a childcare subsidy, please also indicate the amount paid by you.
When and how often can I apply?
You may apply once per academic term (Jan-Apr, May-Aug, and Sept-Dec). Send in your application at the end of each term so that receipts from the entire term can be reimbursed.
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What counts as parental leave?
Any official or unofficial unpaid leave that you are taking from work (e.g. TA, GRA, GAA), due to the recent or upcoming addition of a child to your family, or due to your recent miscarriage. (This includes birth by you or your partner, as well as surrogacy and adoption.)
If you are not taking an official leave from your academic program, but you are unable to TA for a term due to becoming a new parent, or having a miscarriage, this counts as an unofficial parental leave from TAing, and is eligible.
What do I need to include in my application?
Documentation of your reason for taking leave. This can be a doctor’s note, a letter from your program head, or even a birth certificate. Please note that you are not expected to provide a birth certificate, and you are always free to redact any identifying information about your child. If you do not have any clear documentation, a short explanation in your application email will suffice.