Wildfire Resources

Special Enrollment for Legal Services and Identity Theft Protection

Caltech is happy to announce that Legal Services and Identity Theft Protection plans offered through Legal Shield are now available for enrollment without requiring a qualified life event.

This special enrollment period available to benefit-based Faculty, Staff, and Postdoctoral Scholars impacted by the wildfires will be offered from January 23, 2025, through November 30, 2025. Coverage elected during this period will remain active through December 31, 2025. To continue this benefit beyond the current plan year, you will need to enroll again during the 2025 Open Enrollment period. You can enroll directly at:
shieldbenefits.com/cit.

Legal Shield offers unlimited legal consultation and advice on personal legal matters, for one flat monthly premium. For more information on the services covered, please refer to the LegalShield flyer here.

Enrollment Details

• To enroll in Legal Services during this special enrollment period, visit shieldbenefits.com/cit. After enrolling, you will receive a letter in the mail with your membership number within 5-7 business days.
  • If you need immediate assistance, please call LegalShield's Member Services department at (888) 807-0407, 24 hours after enrollment. They can provide your membership number and assist with accessing your LegalShield and/or IDShield accounts.
• Coverage will take effect the next business day after your payment is received.
• Automatic payment is available and strongly recommended to prevent any lapse in coverage. You can setup recurring monthly payments using a credit card, which will be billed automatically until the membership is cancelled.
• Please note that enrollments will be processed directly through Legal Shield and will not be recorded in MyBenefits.
• Premium payments for the plan will be made directly to Legal Shield and will not be deducted from payroll.

For additional questions and details, please visit shieldbenefits.com/cit or (888) 807-0407. For questions on the special enrollment or the Legal Services plan, please contact the Benefits Office at (626) 395-6443 or e-mail [email protected].

Resources For Living (RFL) is offering support and resources to individuals who have been affected by the Los Angeles wildfires. Provided by Aetna for the Caltech community, those in need of support can access RFL services whether or not they have it as part of their benefits. Individuals can contact RFL at 1-833-327-AETNA (1-833-327-2386). Services include:

• In-the-moment phone support to help callers cope with the emotional impact of the event
• Resource research and referral to guide callers to local services to meet their needs
• Brochures about dealing with a crisis:
  • Coping with Disaster
  • Helping Children Cope with Disaster
  • Facing the Unknown After a Disaster
  • Care.com Disaster Preparedness
• Guides that include support services in local areas:
  • Pacific Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst Wildfires Resource Guide. Click here for Spanish.
  • Los Angeles Area Wildfires Resources
  • Wildfire Resource Guide
  • After a Disaster Guide
  • Helpful Tips After the Fires
  • Recursos útiles Después de un Incendio

Institute Contacts:

• The Staff and Faculty Consultation Center (SFCC) is available for immediate confidential support. Staff, faculty, and postdoctoral scholars can access counseling resources through the SFCC by calling (626) 395-8360 or email [email protected].
• The Caltech Employees Federal Credit Union (CEFCU) is offering a Wildfire Relief program which is a special low rate short term loan and special assistance for existing CEFCU loans. The CEFCU can be contacted at (800) 592-3328 or [email protected].

Benefit Contacts:

• TIAA Retirement Savings: Employees covered by Caltech's retirement plans with TIAA may be eligible for a hardship withdrawal or loan from their retirement plans. Under the Secure 2.0 Act new options for withdrawals and loans are available for disaster relief in case of federally declared major disasters. Call TIAA at (800) 842-2252 for more information about options and eligibility.
• Anthem members needing Anthem services can contact our Anthem Concierge at (626) 626-395-6628 or [email protected]. Anthem's Customer Service Team is also available at (866) 820-0765 (M-F 8am-12am PT).
  • Help for Members Impacted by Wildfires in Southern California
• Kaiser members needing Kaiser services can contact Member Service at (800) 464-4000 (English) or (800) 788-0616 (Spanish) (M-F 8am-5pm PT).
  • Kaiser Southern California Wildfires Resources

• Care.com is available if you need backup childcare and is available 24/7 at (855) 781-1303 or Caltech.care.com.
• VSP members who have lost or broken their eyewear due to the wildfires can call VSP at (800) 877-7195 for assistance accessing no-cost eye care and replacement eyewear. Individuals without VSP coverage can contact their local American Red Cross chapter or shelter, or call (800) RED-CROSS (800-733.2767) to ask about support for replacement eyewear, which may include VSP Eyes of Hope gift certificates or an alternative solution.
  • VSP State of Emergency/Natural Disaster Vision Care Resources

• LegalShield members have access to law firms that can provide help with reviewing and applying for insurance claims, dealing with property damage, reviewing contract agreements for repairs, and more. Call LegalShield at (888) 807-0407 (M-F 5am-5pm PT).
• If you need a replacement 1095 tax form contact the Caltech Benefits Office or JPL AskHR directly.
• Visit hr.caltech.edu to learn more about Caltech's benefits and contacts.
• The Caltech Benefits Office is available at (626) 395-6443 or [email protected] (M-F 8am-5pm PT) if you need any assistance with your benefits or wildfire resources.
  • JPL current and former employees should contact AskHR at (818) 354-4447 or [email protected], available Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM PT (excluding RDO Fridays and holidays). For quicker assistance, please reach out to AskHR directly, as inquiries sent to the Caltech Benefits Office will be forwarded and may take longer to respond.

For more information, visit Caltech's Emergency Updates page at caltech.edu/emergency.