COVID-19 Related Leave and Pay Programs

2021 COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave: Department of Labor notice on COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave More information to follow.

Cal Poly recognizes that many faculty and staff face enduring, complex challenges balancing work and personal responsibilities while the pandemic continues. Although the paid leave programs of 2020 are no longer available, please be aware of the options available below in the event that you:

• become sick or are required to quarantine or isolate
• have a medical condition/disability that puts you at increased risk of severe illness due to COVID-19
• need to care for a family member who becomes sick or disabled,
• have a child or children with special needs or a serious medical condition
• have other COVID-19-related family care needs

Expiration of Leave Programs

The CSU temporary leave and pay programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e. CPAL) and the federal leave programs under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) expired on 12/31/2020 as initially indicated. As of this date, no additional leave programs have been made available.

Employees who have a medical condition/disability that puts them at increased risk of severe illness due to COVID-19 should contact Human Resources regarding requests for reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act including, but not limited to, telework or use of their own leave credits.

Employees who have COVID-19 related family care needs are encouraged to work with their appropriate administrator to explore flexible work schedules, telework, use of their own leave credits as appropriate, and/or a voluntary timebase reduction.

Leave for Employees with Children with Special Needs or a Serious Medical Condition

Recently, in response to the expiration of the leave programs above, the Chancellor’s Office has indicated that unpaid FMLA/CFRA leave may be taken by employees with children who have special needs or a serious medical condition and require additional assistance with remote learning. If employees have children with special needs or a serious medical condition and on campus instruction for the child is not an option or the condition requires the employee to oversee remote learning of the child during COVID-19, the employee may be able to use unpaid FMLA/CFRA leave (full or partial day). In such cases, the employee would need to provide documentation to Human Resources, signed by a doctor, testifying to the child’s medical needs because of a developmental disability or other FMLA/CFRA-qualifying serious health condition. Unpaid FMLA/CFRA leave may be paid through use of sick leave, vacation or CTO.

Care of a Sick or Disabled Family Member

In addition, employees unable to work because they must care for a sick or disabled family member, related or not related to COVID, may be able to use unpaid FMLA/CFRA leave (full or partial day). Employees must provide medical certification to Human Resources, signed by a doctor, testifying to the family member’s medical needs because of a disability or other FMLA/CFRA-qualifying serious health condition. Unpaid FMLA/CFRA leave may be paid through use of sick leave, vacation or CTO.

Employees who have Exhausted FMLA

Employees who have already taken FMLA-related FFCRA leave may still be eligible for unpaid leave, related to the circumstances stated above, under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA). Unpaid CFRA leave may be paid through the use of sick leave, vacation or CTO.

University Directed Quarantine or Isolation

Employees who work on campus and are directed by the university to stay off campus and isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure or illness will remain in paid status and will be advised by Human Resources regarding appropriate use of leave credits as applicable. (Cal OSHA General Industry Safety Orders, Section 3205 (c) (10) provides that employees shall, at the discretion of the employer, be provided either telework or placed on sick leave. Telework shall be offered if operationally feasible and available. If sick leave is not available, the employee shall be placed on leave and will receive exclusion pay.)

• CSU Paid Administrative Leave - CPAL [Expired 12/31/2020]
  Ends 12/31/2020

  CPAL – March 23, 2020 through December 31, 2020

  CSU Chancellor White has granted up to 256 hours of paid administrative leave (CPAL) to eligible employees for whom telecommuting is not operationally feasible and are unable to work for qualifying COVID-19 related reasons. Employees should work with their manager/appropriate administrator to request CPAL. Managers/appropriate administrators, please contact Human Resources with questions.

• Families First Coronavirus Response Act - FFCRA [Expired 12/31/2020]
  Ends 12/31/2020

  FFCRA – Effective April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020

  In addition to the CSU temporary paid leave programs above, the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) provides eligible employees up to 80 hours of paid sick leave when an employee is unable to work (or telework) due to qualifying COVID-19 related health reasons. These hours may also be used to care for a child whose school or child care provider is closed or unavailable for COVID-19 related reasons.

  The FFCRA also provides up to twelve (12) weeks of expanded family and medical leave (FML), of which ten (10) weeks are paid, when an employee is unable to work (or telework) due to caring for a child whose school or child care provider is closed or unavailable for COVID-19 related reasons. The FFCRA provides up to 2/3 pay for these 10 weeks; however, Chancellor White has granted full-pay for FFCRA FML. CPAL will normally be exhausted prior to requesting FFCRA. Employees, please contact HR regarding FFCRA requests. FFCRA Employee Rights Flyer