Academic Personnel Office

Paid Medical Leave (APM 710)
Academic appointees do not accrue sick leave credit with the exception of titles listed in APM 710-14 and APM 710-18. (example Professional Research series, Librarian series, Specialist series, etc.) For faculty members (as defined in APM - 110-15) who do not accrue sick leave, who are not members of the Health Sciences Compensation Plan, and who have a full-time appointment for at least a full academic year (three quarters) who are unable to work for reasons of personal illness, injury, or disability shall be granted consecutive or intermittent paid medical leave based on the provisions outlined under APM 710-11. 

For academic appointees eligible to accrue sick leave, absences of five (5) days require notification in order to determine eligibility for further leave.

Paid medical leave benefits for faculty who are members of the Health Sciences Compensation Plan (HSCP) are described in the relevant School Implementation Procedures and Department Guidelines. APM - 710-11, therefore, does not apply to these faculty members.

For academic appointees who do not accrue sick leave and who are not eligible for paid medical leave under APM - 710-11, Chancellors (or designee) may approve leave with or without pay pursuant to APM - 758 and APM - 759.

Requests for medical leave must be accompanied by a doctor’s certificate.  If the medical leave runs concurrently with Family Medical Leave (FML, see below) campus procedures must be followed.

Short-Term Disability (employer paid) and Supplemental Disability Plan (employee paid)
Academic appointees may also be eligible for employer-paid Short-Term Disability Plan benefits and, if enrolled, for University of California employee-paid Supplemental Disability Plan benefits.  Contact the Benefits Office for more information (benefits@ucr.edu). 

Workers’ Compensation
While receiving injury or illness compensation under the Workers’ Compensation Act, an absent academic appointee may use available paid medical leave to supplement temporary disability payments, provided the total of the medical leave pay and workers’ compensation benefit does not exceed the appointee’s University of California Retirement Plan (UCRP) covered compensation for the period.

Sabbatical Leave Credit
Sabbatical leave credit is not accrued during a leave of absence with pay for one quarter or semester or more, or for a leave of absence without pay (APM 740-11-h(3) and (4)).

Family Medical Leave (FML) (APM 715) 
In accordance with applicable State and Federal law, family and medical leave provides eligible employees with entitlements to leave for up to a total of 12 workweeks during a calendar year, continuance of health plan coverage as if on pay status, and reinstatement rights. Eligible academic appointees are entitled to take unpaid leave or to substitute accrued vacation or accrued sick leave (as set forth in APM - 715-20) for the following reasons:

1. the appointee’s own serious health condition;
2. to care for the appointee’s child, parent, spouse, or domestic partner (same-sex or opposite-sex) with a serious health condition;
3. to care for the appointee’s newborn child or a child newly placed with the appointee for adoption or foster care;
4. for the appointee's own disability related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition;
5. to bond with the appointee’s child after the child’s birth or with a child newly placed with the appointee for adoption or foster care;
6. to care for the appointee’s son, daughter, parent, spouse, or domestic partner (same sex or opposite sex), or next of kin who is a covered service member undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy for a serious injury or illness (“Military Caregiver Leave”);
7.   a qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the appointee’s son, daughter, parent, spouse, or domestic partner (same sex or opposite sex), or next of kin is a military member on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status (or has been notified of an impending call or order to covered active duty) (“Qualifying Exigency Leave”).

Eligibility

An academic appointee is entitled to up to 12 workweeks of family and medical leave during a calendar year, provided that:

1. the appointee has at least 12 cumulative months of University service (all prior University service, including service with UC-managed Department of Energy Laboratories, shall be used to calculate the 12-month service requirement); and
2. the appointee has worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12 months immediately preceding the commencement date of the leave.

Certification from the health care provider is required and must be provided by the employee within fifteen (15) business days when leave is requested for the appointee’s own serious health condition or to care for the serious health condition of the appointee’s child, parent, spouse, or domestic partner. 

Accrued sick leave may be substituted, at the appointee’s option, for unpaid family and medical leave granted for the appointee’s serious health condition or to care for the appointee’s child, parent, spouse, or domestic partner with a serious health condition. Accrued vacation leave may be substituted, at the appointee’s option, for unpaid family and medical leave granted for any covered reason.

For academic appointees who do not accrue sick leave, Chancellors (or designee) may approve leave with pay for up to 12 workweeks.

Family and medical leaves run concurrently with other approved leaves.

For compliance with Federal and State laws, any absence that could be related to a serious health condition by an employee or eligible family member must be filed and designated.  It is the responsibility of the department (or other specified unit) to (1) designate leave, unpaid or paid, as qualifying for family and medical leave if the leave meets the requirements set forth in APM 715-14 and (2) maintain all completed FML paperwork on file within the department.  See FML campus procedures.

Reasonable Accommodation for Academic Appointees with Disabilities (APM 711)
If a leave is not required, and accommodation would serve the situation, the University provides reasonable accommodation to otherwise qualified academic appointees who are disabled or become disabled and need assistance to perform the essential functions of their positions. Accommodation options will be considered in an interactive process with the appointee.  See APM 711 for the Interactive Process or consult with the campus Campus Disability Management Office (or equivalent).

For faculty who are members of Health Sciences Compensation Plan (HSCP), refer to Section VII of the HSCP: http://medschool.ucr.edu/pdf/UCR_HSCP_implementing_procedures_2015.pdf.

For leaves requested by represented academic appointees, refer to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)  for leave information: http://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/labor/bargaining-units/index.html.

Your department head can help you fill out appropriate forms.

• UPAY 573, Sabbatical and Leave of Absence Form
• Leave of Absence Request
• Certification of Healthcare Provider for Employee's Serious Health Condition
• Return to Work Certification
• Notice of Eligibility and Rights and Responsibility  - this form will be provided to the employee by the department (or other specified unit) once an FML qualifying event is identified.
• Stop the Clock for Serious Health Condition, Disability, Bereavement or Significant Event