COVID-19 Leave Enhancements

 
To: Faculty and Other Academic Appointees
From: Ka Yee C. Lee, Provost
Subject: COVID-19 Leave Enhancements
Date: April 10, 2020
 
As you fulfill your vital pedagogical, research, and clinical roles this quarter, we want to ensure you have the support and flexibility to prioritize your and your family’s health and well-being. Today we are announcing temporary enhancements to leave of absence policies so that faculty and other academic appointees who are unable to work because of COVID-19 may take additional paid leave.
 
An overview of the temporary benefit enhancement is below, and the entire policy is available in the Handbook for Faculty and Other Academic Appointees. This enhancement is effective for the duration of Spring Quarter and may be extended beyond June 30, 2020 at the University’s sole discretion.
 
All leave requests must be reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis per standard leave procedures. In all instances, the leave enhancements do not constitute an accrued or vested benefit.
 
Faculty
  • Faculty are eligible for up to 6 weeks, based upon regularly scheduled hours, of paid time that can be used for reasons related to COVID-19, including the need to quarantine or care for a family member.
  • Personal illness due to COVID-19 is covered by our existing short-term disability leave.
  • If a faculty member uses all 6 weeks and needs additional time off, they may use their remaining paid short-term disability leave or any available vacation time as applicable. If the faculty member exhausts this time, the University will make available an additional 14 days of leave.
 
Benefits-Eligible Other Academic Appointees (OAAs)
  • Benefits-eligible OAAs are eligible for up to 6 weeks, based upon regularly scheduled hours, of paid time that can be used for reasons related to COVID-19, including personal illness due to COVID-19, the need to quarantine or care for a family member, and the inability to work remotely.
  • If an OAA uses all 6 weeks and needs additional time off, they may use their remaining paid short-term disability leave or any available vacation time as applicable. If the OAA exhausts this time, the University will make available an additional 14 days of leave.
  • Depending on the timing and duration of the leave, a course may be assigned to another instructor.  Instructors may request to be relieved of duties not related to the teaching of a course even if they continue to teach their assigned courses.
  • A similar temporary benefit for represented benefits-eligible OAAs is currently being negotiated with Union representatives. 
 
Benefits-Ineligible Other Academic Appointees (OAAs)
  • Salaried benefits-ineligible OAAs shall be given 40 hours of COVID-19-related sick leave that may be used to cover courses missed due to personal illness or the need to quarantine or care for a family member.
  • Depending on the timing and duration of the leave, a course may be assigned to another instructor.
  • A similar temporary benefit for represented benefits-ineligible OAAs is currently being negotiated with Union representatives.
 
We hope these additional measures provide you some reassurance as you continue your important work this quarter. Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to our academic enterprise.

 

Keywords: 
Announcements
Policy and Administration
COVID-19