APP 7-11: Leaves of Absence — Paid Medical Leave/Paid Sick Leave

1. Eligible full-time faculty members (as defined in APM – 110-4-(15)), shall be granted paid medical leave for periods of personal illness, injury, or disability as follows. (See APM – 710-11, or APM – 670-20-c-(1) and (2) if participating in the Health Sciences Compensation Plan (HSCP).)

2. Eligible faculty members (as defined in APM – 110-4-(15)), including those who are participants in the Health Sciences Compensation Plan (HSCP), and “by agreement” appointees in university extension pursuant to APM – 600 – Appendix 9,  who also have an appointment of at least thirty (30) calendar days in a calendar year shall receive a bank of six (6) days of paid sick leave per calendar year. The bank will be credited and available for use on the next working day following the first month or quadri-weekly pay cycle. A new bank of six (6) days of paid sick leave is subsequently available on January 1 of each following year. The bank of unused paid sick leave days expires on each December 31 or the last date of appointment if the appointment ends before December 31.  Part-time faculty will receive the same number of days and will be paid at the percentage of appointment they have at the time the leave is taken.
   
   NOTE: The bank of six (6) days of paid sick leave is afforded to eligible faculty members who do not accrue paid sick leave and is in addition to the paid medical leave as described in the table above.
   
3. The paid sick leave bank is distinct and separate from paid medical leave and accrued paid sick leave.
4. Eligible non-student academic appointees who have a paid appointment and a full-time equivalent percentage shall accrue paid sick leave.  For a list of eligible titles or series, refer to APM 710-14.
   1. Rate of Accrued paid sick leave:
      1. For eligible fiscal-year appointees – rate of one (1) working day per month for full-time service, including leaves with pay; appointees at less than full-time accrue paid sick leave at a proportionate rate to their appointment.
      2. For eligible academic year appointees – rate of one (1) working day per month for full-time service, including leaves with pay; appointees at less than full-time accrue paid sick leave at a proportionate rate to their appointment.
      3. An academic appointee who is on leave without pay for a work-incurred injury, illness, or disability and is receiving temporary disability payments accrues paid sick leave on the same basis as if regularly employed, but such accrued paid sick leave is credited to the academic appointee only upon return to work.

For academic appointees holding an appointment with a specified ending date, paid sick leave or paid medical leave shall not be approved beyond the ending date of the appointment. In the event the appointment is renewed or extended or a subsequent appointment is made, further leave may be granted.

1. Paid sick leave may be used for a number of purposes, not all of which are protected.  An eligible academic appointee may use protected paid sick leave for:
   1. Diagnosis, care, or treatment of an existing physical or mental health condition of the employee or the employee’s family member;
   2. Preventive care for the employee or the employee’s family member; and
   3. 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.

1. Submit a Leave of Absence form (UCI-AP-76).
   1. Protected paid sick leave and greater than seven (7) calendar days:  documentation is not required when an employee requests to use protected paid sick leave consistent with policy, but there may be times when it is appropriate to request documentation. Forward the AP-76 to Academic Personnel via the dean.
   2. Paid sick leave and greater than seven (7) calendar days:  if the academic appointee requests to use paid sick leave that is not protected submit a medical certification form from the employee’s health care provider to the department.  The department should fill out the FML “Notice of Eligibility and Rights Responsibilities” Form and forward to Academic Personnel via the dean. These forms are also used if the leave is for an extended period of time without salary.
2. Approval Authority:
   1. Seven days or less without compensation: Department Chair.
   2. Greater than seven (7) calendar days and less than thirty (30) days with or without pay:  Dean.
   3. Greater than thirty (30) calendar days without pay: Dean.
   4. Greater than thirty (30) calendar days with pay: Vice Provost.

1. For a separation up to 12 months, all unused paid sick leave is reinstated.
2. If a separation is more than 12 months, paid sick leave is not reinstated.
3. An appointee who is reemployed in the same calendar year in which they previously received a paid sick leave bank shall have unused days from their previous paid sick leave bank reinstated.
4. Consistent with current policy:
   1. No paid sick leave is reinstated if the paid sick leave balance was previously converted to UCRP service credit upon retirement.
   2. Policy-covered academic appointees: Following a layoff, an appointee will have all accrued sick leave reinstated if reemployed within one year.