Pregnancy Leave
If an employee reports that she is pregnant, please direct her to contact the Leaves Office to receive important information regarding pregnancy leave. FMLA and Disability packets will be provided to the employee and the employee’s options for leave will be discussed.
If you are pregnant, you are eligible for Pregnancy Disabilty Leave (PDL). You are entitled to up to four months of disability leave related to pregnancy or childbirth. PDL is unpaid, however, you may be able to use your accrued sick, vacation, or disability benefits.
Note: You may be entitled to additional leave for parental bonding if you meet the eligibility requirements.
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Leave for Your Own Health Condition
Employees who are away from work for more than three days, or their supervisors, should contact leaves@ucmerced.edu to receive guidance on their leave options. If eligible for FMLA, employees who need a leave for their own serious health condition have 12 weeks of job-protected leave through FMLA and/or CFRA.
This might be available in a block period or intermittently depending on what is needed. All medical leaves require a medical certification to qualify the dates the employee needs to be out for their serious health condition that renders them unable to perform the essential functions of their job.
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Furlough
While on furlough, you must take action in order to continue or cancel your University benefits. Your benefits deductions are normally taken out of your paychecks, but while you are on a furlough, your benefits can only continue if you arrange in advance to pay your benefits via personal check through the Campus Cashier or electronically via IntelForms. All employees going on a furlough must complete a Benefits Continuation Election Form prior to the beginning of the furlough. Furloughing employees will receive the form and instructions in advance of the furlough.
See the Furlough section of UC Net for more information about furlough leaves.
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Parental Bonding Leave
An employee whose partner is expecting a baby or an employee who is adopting a child may be eligible for FMLA leave for bonding and newborn care purposes within 12 months of the birth or placement of the child.
Parental bonding leave can also be used to bond with an adopted child or foster child or to take care of responsibilities related to the birth, adoption, or placement of your new child. Please contact the Leaves Office to receive important information about options for taking leave.
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Leave to Care for a Family Member
If you need time off to care for a loved one, you may be eligible for job protected leave. "Family member" is defined as a spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, sibling, or designated person who has a serious health condition.
This leave can be used as block or intermittently based on the recommendation of the family members doctor in the medical certification paperwork provided from the leaves department. However, PFCB can only be used in block leaves of 5 days or more.
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Professional Development and Personal Leave
All employees going on a Professional Development or Personal leave of absence without pay must complete the following forms and return them to the Leaves Office:
- Leave of Absence Request Form, signed by your supervisor
- Benefits Continuation Election Form
Your Leaves Office will provide the forms to you upon your request for leave.
See Your Benefits While on Leave for specific information about your options for continuing benefits while on leave. Contact the Leaves Office for more information about taking one of these leaves
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Reproductive Loss Leave
As of Jan. 1, 2024, UC’s leave options expanded to provide eligible employees with up to five days of protected leave following a reproductive loss. This change aligns with new California legislation.
An employee may take up to five days of Reproductive Loss Leave following a reproductive loss by the employee, by the employee’s current spouse or domestic partner, or by another individual if the employee would have been a parent of a child had the reproductive loss not occurred. “Reproductive loss” means a failed adoption, failed surrogacy, miscarriage, stillbirth, or an unsuccessful assisted reproduction.
If you need to request this type of leave, please reach out to leaves@ucmerced.edu and our analysts will provide you with guidance.
Visit UCnet for FAQs and more information on this leave option.
Back to Leave of Absence
