[September 28, 2004]

Several changes have been made to the online application, Your Benefits Online, to improve security and service. These changes also affect UC For Yourself and bencom.fone.

Beginning today, users will be asked to expand their four-digit personal identification number (PIN) to a six-to-twelve alpha-numeric password. Users will also be required to create a security word that can be used later by a benefits office or the Customer Service Center to help identify the person before personal information is released. The security word should not be the same as the password.

To Make the Changes

1. Logon to Your Benefits Online with your username or Social Security number and your UC PIN. If you have forgotten your PIN and have a UC email address, select "Forgot Password?" You will be emailed a temporary password which you must retrieve and use within four hours. (This is a security precaution for your protection.)  Employees who have never established a PIN and who don't have an email address on file must call the Customer Service Center or their local Benefits Office  to get a temporary password.
2. Once you're logged on, you will see the Sign In Authorization. You will need to agree to the Terms of Use.
3. At the next prompt, create a 6-12 alpha-numeric password.
4. Enter a security word. 
5. Last, you can provide a personal email address. By entering a personal email address, retirees, former employees and employees without a UC email address will be able to receive confirmations of transactions via email. Also, a new Forgot Password application will send temporary passwords to both UC email addresses and personal email addresses on file, enabling those who forget their password to get a temporary password at any time.

When you have completed these steps, you will be logged on to Your Benefits Online. Anytime you're logged on to Your Benefits Online you can select "Security Preferences" under "Quick Links" to review and change your username, security word and personal email. You can also change your password.

The new Forgot Password application is accessible from the Forgot Password? Button on At Your Service and from the Your Benefits Online and UC For Yourself sign-in pages. With the new application, users enter their Social Security number or username, and a temporary password is sent to all email addresses on file. For security purposes, the temporary password expires after a limited time.

• The information presented in these news archive articles may no longer be current. Please note the date when the article was first published.