updated 4/28/20
updated 1/8/21 (FFCRA leaves removed; expired 12/31/20 - EPSL and EFML are no longer available)
updated 4/1/21 (link to 2021 EPSL request form 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 (requesting retroactive EPSL21)

On this page:

• Requesting and Approving Extended EPSL (EPSL21, EPSL22, and retroactive ESPL21)
• Recording Extended EPSL in CruzPay and UCPath
• Contracts & Grants

Requesting and Approving Extended Emergency Paid Sick Leave (Extended EPSL)

An academic appointee should notify their direct supervisor of the need to take a leave related to COVID-19 and immediately contact their divisional academic personnel coordinator. The academic personnel coordinator will help determine the most appropriate leave type(s) and provide information and guidance to the employee and supervisor.

In reviewing and approving a request for a COVID-related leave, the supervisor should confirm that working remotely is not feasible, including any alternate work assignments.

The Extended Emergency Paid Sick Leave form is provided as a tool for requesting and tracking EPSL. If an appointee does not use a form but provides all of the documentation required that demonstrates their eligibility for the leave (in an email, for example), the University should maintain that documentation and grant the leave. 

The Request for Retroactive Use of 2021 EPSL form is provided as a tool for requesting and tracking retroactive EPSL21. If an appointee does not use a form but provides all of the documentation required that demonstrates their eligibility for the leave (in an email, for example), the University should maintain that documentation and grant the leave. 

Recording Extended EPSL 

For exempt, salaried academic employees who complete timesheets, Extended EPSL only needs to be reported for full-day absences; a day is defined as the regular time that an appointee would have worked on that day. 

For non-exempt, hourly academic employees, Extended EPSL should be reported on the timesheet in hourly increments that align with the employee’s normal schedule for that day. 

For academic employees who do not complete timesheets, divisions will keep a record of approved Extended EPSL. Tracking is required for University, federal, and state audit purposes. For UCPath locations, Job Aids for submitting Extended EPSL to UCPath for tracking are now available on UCPath Online HELP/FAQ. 

Contracts & Grants

By UC policy, these leaves are available to all employees, regardless of funding source. Like other types of paid leave—vacation, sick leave, etc.—this is now UC policy and thus payable from all extramural funding sources. All employees taking such leave, including extramurally-funded researchers, will continue to be paid on their existing funding source(s). 

For current information from extramural funders, refer to UCOP Research and Innovation Office's Research Policy Analysis and Coordination and the recent communication from VCR Brandt. Questions may be directed to the campus Office of Research.