In recognition of how the pandemic continues to affect University of California employees, UC is providing up to 80 hours of 2022 emergency paid sick leave for full-time UC employees and the two-week equivalent for part-time employees.
This additional paid leave is available for immediate use from Feb. 19, through Sept. 30 of this year. Employees who took leave between Jan. 1, 2022, and Feb. 18, 2022, for one or more of the qualifying reasons, may request 2022 paid leave retroactively.
Qualifying reasons
- Reason 1 (quarantine or isolation order): The employee is unable to work or telework because the employee is subject to a quarantine period related to COVID-19 as defined by an order or guidance of the California Department of Public Health, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or a local public health officer with jurisdiction over the workplace.
- Reason 2 (isolate or self-quarantine): The employee is unable to work or telework because the employee has been advised by a health care provider to isolate or self-quarantine due to COVID-19.
- Reason 3 (testing, diagnosis and/or vaccination): The employee is unable to work or telework because of any of the following:
- The employee is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and is seeking a medical diagnosis.
- The employee 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.
- UC has requested that the employee obtain a diagnostic test for, or a medical diagnosis of, COVID-19, and the employee is seeking or awaiting those results.
- The employee is attending an appointment for themselves or a family member to receive a vaccine or vaccine booster for protection against COVID-19.
- The employee is experiencing symptoms, or caring for a family member experiencing symptoms, related to a COVID-19 vaccine or vaccine booster.
- Reason 4 (caring for a family member): The employee is unable to work or telework because they are caring for a family member who is either subject to a quarantine or isolation period related to COVID-19 (as defined by an order or guidance of the state health department, the CDC, or a local public health officer with jurisdiction over the workplace) or who has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19.
- Reason 5 (closure of school/child care): The employee is unable to work or telework because the employee is caring for their child whose school, place of care, or child care provider is closed or otherwise unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19.
- Reason 6 (positive test): The employee is unable to work or telework because the employee tests positive for COVID-19 or because the employee is caring for a family member who tests positive for COVID-19.
Do you have remaining EPSL from 2021? Here’s what you need to know
2022 Emergency Paid Sick Leave provides all employees with new leave, and it also provides eligible employees with additional time to use any remaining hours from their 2021 EPSL entitlement.
Here are some examples:
- If a full-time employee used 40 hours of their 80-hour 2021 EPSL entitlement, that employee may use 120 hours during the 2022 EPSL period (40 remaining 2021 EPSL hours + 80 new hours).
- If a full-time employee did not use any of their 80-hour 2021 EPSL entitlement, that employee may use 160 hours during the 2022 EPSL period (80 remaining 2021 EPSL hours + 80 new hours).
- If a full-time employee exhausted their 2021 EPSL entitlement or was never eligible for 2021 EPSL, that employee may use 80 hours of 2022 EPSL.
