Academic Student Employee and Graduate Student Researcher Childcare Reimbursement and Dependent Health Premium Benefit Programs

For UAW-Represented Student Employees- Childcare Reimbursement

University of California Academic Student Employees (ASE) and Graduate Student Researchers (GSR) represented by the United Auto Workers (UAW) are eligible for reimbursement of some childcare expenses through a program established in the ASE and GSR collective bargaining agreements between UC and the UAW. 

Completed UBEN-254 forms must be submitted once per semester for ASEs and GSRs to academicpersonnel@ucmerced.edu.

GSR and ASE reimbursement requests must be submitted no later than 30 days following the end of the applicable semester or summer session.

Semester Reimbursement Rates

  • Effective Fall 2026: up to $2,850 per semester
  • Effective October 1, 2027: up to $2,925 per semester
  • Effective October 1, 2028: up to $3,000 per semester
  • Effective October 1, 2029: up to $3,075 per semester

Summer Session Reimbursement Rates

  • Effective Summer 2026: up to $1,900 per summer session(s)
  • Summer Session 2027: up to $1,950 per summer session(s)
  • Summer Session 2028: up to $2,000 per summer session(s)
  • Summer Session 2029: up to $2,050 per summer session(s)

ASE and GSR please include (a) receipt(s) for all requested expenses with the following: child(ren)’s name(s), period of coverage (start and end dates) and the date and amount paid for the dates being reimbursed. Reimbursement will be processed and paid via payroll on the employee’s regularly scheduled pay period following the approved submission, but no later than sixty (60) calendar days

Eligibility

An eligible ASE or GSR is a registered student with at least a 25 percent appointment who has (a) qualified dependent(s). For the purposes of this program, qualified dependents are children in the custody of the ASE/GSR who are 12 years old or under as of July 1st for the following fiscal year which includes the current summer session and the new academic year.

Allowable receipts: Receipts from a childcare provider with a valid tax ID or Employee Identification Number (EIN) incurred during an eligible ASE or GSR appointment. Expenses incurred before the beginning of or after the end of an ASE or GSR appointment are not eligible for reimbursement. At a minimum, the receipt needs to include:

  • Provider’s name
  • Who the service is for
  • What the service is
  • Dates of service
  • Cost/fee

Childcare provider: The childcare provider must have a valid tax ID or Social Security number. If care is provided in a day-care center, the center must charge a fee. If the center cares for six or more dependents who are not residents, it must comply with all state and local licensing laws and applicable regulations. Effective April 1, 2019, childcare provided by any of the following individuals is not eligible for reimbursement: 1) the spouse of the graduate student employee; 2) a child of the graduate student employee under the age of 19; and 3) anyone that the graduate student employee claims as a dependent for tax purposes.

 

Dependent Health Premium Benefit Program (ASE/GSR)

The University of California’s Graduate Student Researchers (GSRs) and Academic Student Employees (ASEs) represented by the United Auto Workers (UAW) are eligible for a remission for their child dependents through a program established in the ASE/GSR collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between UC and the UAW.

Program Overview

GSRs and ASEs employed in a qualifying appointment(s) are eligible to receive a 100% premium remission for child dependents enrolled in UC SHIP, provided the GSR/ASE’s income exceeds the designated Medi-Cal eligibility threshold as specified in the collective bargaining agreement.   

If the GSR/ASE has a spouse, and their combined household income does not exceed twice the designated Medi-Cal eligibility threshold, the employee is eligible for the child dependent premium remission.

The GSR/ASE is responsible for determining and attesting to eligibility per the criteria below. 

The benefits described in this document follow the parties’ CBA. The CBA is the controlling documents, and this program overview is not meant to replace or contradict the language that is contained in the CBA or applicable University policy and is not a substitute for reviewing contract articles carefully. This program overview will be interpreted as consistent with the CBA and, in the event of a conflict, the language of the CBA or applicable policy will control. 

Eligibility

For this program, eligibility is as follows: 

  • The GSR/ASE is eligible to receive a health insurance premium remission under the CBA through a GSR/ASE appointment, or through a combination of GSR and ASE appointments.   
  • The GSR/ASE is a registered graduate student with GSR/ASE appointment(s) totaling 25% or more of full-time for a given term in a State-supported or Self-Supporting Program. 
  • The GSR/ASE’s income exceeds the designated Medi-Cal eligibility threshold.
    • If the GSR/ASE has a spouse, and their combined household income does not exceed twice the designated Medi-Cal eligibility threshold then the employee is eligible for the child dependent premium remission.
    • Information about Medi-Cal eligibility can be found here: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/Medi-Cal/Pages/qualify.aspx
  • The GSR/ASE enrolls eligible child dependents in UC SHIP.  Eligible child dependents are defined by UC SHIP plan regulations.

Procedures for Receiving Benefit 

The GSR/ASE must follow the procedures for remission/reimbursement as defined by their specific location, which may include submission of the ASE/GSR Child Dependent Health Premium Benefit Program Form.