updated 11/12/2020 (UC EPAL extended through June 30, 2021)
updated 1/8/21 (FFCRA leaves removed; expired 12/31/20 - EPSL and EFML are no longer available)
updated 3/17/21 (Information on COVID-19 vaccine-related paid time off added)
updated 4/1/21 (Information on 2021 EPSL program added)
updated 7/12/21 (UC Expanded Paid Administrative Leave (EPAL) removed; expired 6/30/21)
updated 9/17/21 (time to use 2021 EPSL extended through June 30, 2022)
updated 10/7/21 (additional details on Extended EPSL + webpage updated to reflect in-person operations) 
updated 2/23/22 (new Extended EPSL22)
updated 6/6/22 (Eligibility for Retroactive use of Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL21 added)
updated 9/30/22 (time to use any remaining 2022 or 2021 EPSL extended through December 31, 2022)

On this page:

• Instructional Continuity
• COVID-19 Vaccine
• Extended Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL21) 
• New Extended Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL22) 
• Annunced 9/30/22: UC has extended the time to use any remaining 2022 EPSL or 2021 EPSL entitlement from September 30, 2022 to December 31, 2022. There is no increase in allotment of EPSL.
• Eligibility for Retroactive use of Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL21)
• Extended EPSL Summary Chart 
• Interaction with Paid Medical Leave

Instructional Continuity

The delivery of instruction is an essential university service. Faculty and graduate student instructors who are unable to continue delivering instruction, either temporarily or for an extended time, should immediately notify their department chair. Teaching Assistants who are unable to perform their assigned duties, either temporarily or for an extended time, should immediately notify their faculty supervisors. 

For leave taken for closure of school/child care (reason #5), appointees should provide notice of their need to take such leave as soon as practicable and, when possible, two weeks in advance so that the department can plan for the appointee’s absence.

COVID-19 Vaccine

• Hourly (non-exempt) academic employees may take up to four hours of paid time to obtain each dose of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) vaccine. Employees must provide advance notice to their supervisor.  If an appointee needs more time for this purpose, the appointee may request EPSL (Reason 3-d) for the additional time. 
• All academic employees can use their available EPSL allotment if they are unable to work due to side effects caused by the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) vaccine. 
• If an appointee has exhausted EPSL or opts not to use it, the appointee would be able to use accrued sick leave, vacation leave, and/or PTO

Extended Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL21)

UPDATED 9/30/22: UC has extended the time to use any remaining 2022 EPSL or 2021 EPSL entitlement from September 30, 2022 to December 31, 2022. There is no increase in allotment of EPSL.

The University’s 2021 EPSL expired on September 30, 2021, but eligible employees can use any remaining hours as Extended Emergency Paid Sick Leave (Extended EPSL) through September 30, 2022.

Extended Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) is available for all academic employees, hired on or before September 30, 2021, if they are unable to work or telework for a reason below. 

Eligibility for retroactive use of Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL21)

UC employees who did not exhaust their 2021 EPSL entitlement are eligible to retroactively use 2021 EPSL if they took an eligible leave between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, 2021, and one or more of the five qualifying reasons listed below applied to the leave.

If an employee took an eligible leave between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, 2021, for one or more of the qualifying reasons, the employee may request that the University allow them to retroactively use their 2021 EPSL entitlement for that leave as follows:

• Retroactive leave adjustments: If an employee used paid leave (e.g., vacation, sick, PTO) between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, 2021, for one or more of the qualifying reasons, the employee may request that the University allow them to retroactively use any 2021 EPSL entitlement for that leave and that the University credit their leave banks for the time previously debited.
• Retroactive payments: If an employee took leave between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, 2021, for one or more of the qualifying reasons but was not paid their regular rate of pay during that leave, the employee may request that the University provide them with a retroactive payment using any 2021 EPSL entitlement.

An employee may request to retroactively use their 2021 EPSL entitlement orally or in writing by completing the Request for Retroactive Use of 2021 EPSL form. The request form is available on the Requesting and Approving COVID-19-related Academic Employee Leaves webpage.

New Extended Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL22)

UPDATED 9/30/22: UC has extended the time to use any remaining 2022 EPSL or 2021 EPSL entitlement from September 30, 2022 to December 31, 2022. There is no increase in allotment of EPSL.

Effective February 19, 2022 through September 30, 2022, the University is providing up to 80 hours of 2022 Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL22) for full-time employees and the two-week equivalent for part-time employees.

All appointees are eligible for EPSL22, if they are unable to work or telework for a reason below. Appointees hired on or before September 30, 2021 who did not exhaust their EPSL21 entitlement are also eligible to use any remaining EPSL21 entitlement. 

Summary Chart

9/30/22: UC has extended the time to use any remaining 2022 EPSL or 2021 EPSL entitlement from September 30, 2022 to December 31, 2022. There is no increase in allotment of EPSL.

Qualifying reason for EPSL21 and EPSL22 – unable to work due to:

1. Quarantine or isolation order: appointee is subject to a federal, state, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19
2. Self-Quarantine: appointee has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19
3. Testing, Diagnosis, and/or Immunization:    Appointee (a) is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and is seeking a medical diagnosis from a health care provider (b) has been exposed to COVID-19 and is seeking or awaiting the results of a diagnostic test for, or a medical diagnosis of, COVID-19 (c) is awaiting results of a COVID-19 diagnostic test that was requested by the University (d) the appointee is attending an appointment for themselves or a family member to receive a vaccine or vaccine booster for protection against COVID-19; or (e) the appointee is experiencing symptoms, or caring for a family member experiencing symptoms, related to a COVID-19 vaccine or vaccine booster
4. Caring for an Individual: Caring for an individual who is either subject to a federal, state, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19 or who has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19
5. Closure of School/Child Care: Caring for child whose school/place of care is closed or child care provider unavailable because of COVID-19.

Interaction with Paid Medical Leave 

If an employee is unable to work due to their own COVID-19-related illness or that of a family member, and the absence extends beyond the leave provision, the employee may be eligible for additional paid medical leave in accordance with APM 710-11 (Faculty Medical Leave) or a collective bargaining agreement.

Divisions shall follow existing procedures for processing an extended medical leave for an academic employee, understanding that certification from health care providers may take longer than usual to obtain. Leaves may be approved and processed while medical certification is being obtained. Divisions should also consider that it may be difficult for employees to get appointments with health care providers to verify they are able to return to work.