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Expansion of Paid Sick Leave

As part of the University of California's ongoing commitment to supporting employee well-being and work-life balance for staff and academic personnel, we are excited to announce a significant expansion of paid sick leave, effective January 1, 2025. This expansion will offer greater security and peace of mind for UC’s valued employees, whether full-time or part-time. For more details, refer to Personnel Policy for Staff Members (PPSM) 2.210 Absence from Work.

How is UC Expanding Paid Sick Leave:

Applicability

What is Changing?

 

 

Expanded Eligibility

  • Part-Time
  • Limited
  • Casual Restricted 
  • (student employees)   

All eligible employees to accrue paid sick leave at 0.046154 hours per hour worked.  

  • Per Diem

Eligible for 8 hours of paid sick leave per year, with a maximum carryover of 16 hours (not accrued).

Note: Full-time staff employees who accrued sick leave prior to January 1, 2025, will generally not see a change to the amount of sick leave they accrue.

Protected Sick Leave

  • All Staff Employees

Can designate up to 6 calendar days of their existing paid sick leave as “protected.”

Per diem employees can designate all paid sick leave as “protected.”

Broader Qualifying Reasons

  • All Staff Employees

Sick leave may now be used for preventive care, domestic violence-related situations, and other qualifying reasons

Extended Reinstatement Period

  • All Staff Employees

Unused paid sick leave can be reinstated if an employee returns to UC employment within 12 months of separation, provided it was not converted to retirement service credit.

UC also plans to expand paid sick leave options for represented staff employees and represented academic appointees, subject to applicable collective bargaining agreements.

 

What is “Protected” Paid Sick Leave?

"Protected" Paid Sick Leave, as defined in the University of California's Personnel Policies for Staff Members (PPSM), allows employees to designate up to 6 (six) calendar days of their accrued paid sick leave per year as "protected" when used for specific qualifying reasons. This designation ensures additional safeguards for employees, explicitly protecting them from retaliation or discrimination.

How is “Protected” Paid Sick Leave Different from Regular Sick Leave?
Regular sick leave is accrued leave that employees can use for general health-related reasons and follows standard reporting and approval processes. In contrast, protected paid sick leave is a specific designation of regular sick leave that provides explicit protections when used for qualifying reasons. By designating sick leave as "protected," employees gain additional safeguards under PPSM while still accessing their regular sick leave benefits for all other eligible uses.

Qualifying Reasons for Designating Paid Sick Leave as “Protected”

Employees may designate paid sick leave as “protected” for the following reasons:

  • The diagnosis, care, or treatment of an existing physical or mental health condition of the employee or the employee’s family member;
  • Preventive care for an employee or an employee’s family member; or
  • Those reasons specified in policy for an employee who is a victim or whose family member is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other qualifying acts of violence.

How to Report and Use Regular Sick Leave vs. “Protected” Paid Sick Leave

When reporting regular sick leave that is not designated as “protected,” employees must continue to follow existing campus procedures. Additionally, any department-specific protocols for reporting sick leave must still be adhered to.

To ensure your paid sick leave qualifies as "protected," please follow these steps:

  1. Confirm you have protected paid sick leave available to use.
  2. Provide notice to your supervisor. If the leave is foreseeable (e.g., a scheduled appointment), notify your supervisor in advance, including the expected dates and duration. For unforeseen absences, notify your supervisor as soon as practical.
  3. Use the leave for one of the qualifying reasons outlined in policy.

When reporting protected paid sick leave, specify that it is for a qualifying protected reason, preferably in writing to avoid confusion. Be sure to follow your department’s reporting procedures. If there are concerns about the appropriate use of paid sick leave, management must coordinate and consult with HR before requesting verification.

How to Record Regular Sick Leave vs. Protected Paid Sick Leave on Your Timesheet

When submitting a timesheet, use the existing process to record regular paid sick leave by selecting “Sick” from the TRS Hour Type dropdown menu. For “protected” paid sick leave, specify this in the Timesheet Comments section (e.g., “1/15/2025: Protected Paid Sick Leave”) to ensure proper reconciliation of accruals. No additional details are required beyond indicating the designation.

Managers must review timesheets for accuracy during the approval process. If the protected paid sick leave designation is unclear or missing, the timesheet will be returned to the employee for correction.

HR and Payroll are developing a new TRS pay code for protected paid sick leave. Updates will be shared once the new code is available.

Retaliation Protection

The University prohibits any form of retaliation or discrimination against an employee for using or attempting to use paid sick leave designated as protected and for any other reason prohibited by policy.

Reporting Retaliation or Discrimination

Employees who believe they have been subjected to retaliation or discrimination can file a complaint through the following offices or resources:

Complaints will be referred to the appropriate office or officer for investigation.

Resources & Policies:

Who to Contact with Questions:

The administration of sick pay at UC reflects a collaborative effort between Human Resources (HR) and the Academic Personnel Office (APO). HR oversees staff-related matters, including the expansion of eligibility for paid sick leave, while APO manages academic appointments and ensures compliance with policies specific to academic appointees. This shared approach ensures equitable support tailored to the distinct needs of staff and academic personnel.

If you have questions about sick pay, please refer to the contact information below:

If you are…

Responsible Office

Contact Information:

Policy-covered staff, including student employees

 
Human Resources
Benefits Unit
 
 
Phone: Contact your division’s designated Benefits Analyst 

Academic Appointee

 

Academic Personnel Office

 

 

Email: academicpersonnel@ucmerced.edu

Phone: