Welcome to the information hub for Expanded Paid Sick Leave at People & Culture, UC Berkeley. This page serves as your comprehensive resource for understanding the policy, key dates, and updates, with links to relevant UCNet pages and campus-specific communications.
Policy Overview
Beginning January 1, 2025, UC is expanding access to paid sick leave enhancing security and peace of mind for UC’s valued employees. As part of this policy UC will:
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Expand eligibility for paid sick leave, including ensuring that part-time employees have access to paid sick leave
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Expand the reasons for which employees may use paid sick leave
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Provide paid sick leave that is “protected” so that the employee can be entitled to take the leave for a qualifying reason
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Extend the period during which paid sick leave may be reinstated if an employee is reemployed after a separation from employment
UC plans to expand paid leave options for sick leave purposes for represented staff employees and academic appointees, subject to applicable collective bargaining requirements.
| Employee Type | Current State | Policy Change Effective 1/1/2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Represented Staff (including students) | Eligible if working 50% or more of a monthly or quadriweekly pay cycle. | All non-represented staff accrue sick leave proportionate to their hours worked, regardless of appointment percentage. |
| Represented Staff | Eligibility subject to collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). | Sick leave is governed by the CBAs and there may be no changes. |
| Represented Academic Student Employees | Eligibility subject to collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). | Paid leave is governed by the CBAs and there may be no changes. |
| Academics (Accruing Titles) | Eligible if appointment is 50% or more. | Accrual begins for appointments greater than 0%, based on percentage worked or reported time. Example: 25% = ~2 hours/month. |
| Academics (Non-Accruing Titles) | Not eligible for sick leave. | Receive a bank of 6 days/year for paid sick leave; unused days expire on December 31 or end of appointment. |
| Per Diem (Non-Represented) | Not eligible for sick leave. | Receive 8 hours/year of paid sick leave, carryover allowed up to 16 hours, with a maximum usage of 16 hours/year. |
| Per Diem (Represented) | Eligibility determined by CBAs. | Paid leave is governed by the CBAs and there may be no changes. |
| All Employees | Paid sick leave not protected unless used in conjunction with other protections (e.g., FMLA). | Up to 6 days/year designated as “protected” sick leave for qualifying purposes (e.g., health care, domestic violence). |
| Rehired Retiree | Eligible if working 50% or more of a monthly or quadriweekly pay cycle. | Information is forthcoming |
| Recalled Academics | Not eligible | Not eligible |
Frequently Asked Questions
For a listing of systemwide FAQs refer to the Expansion of Paid Sick Leave webpage on UCNet
General Questions:
What are the key changes to the paid sick leave policy effective January 1, 2025?
The University of California has expanded its paid sick leave policy to:
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Staff: Most non-represented staff now accrue sick leave proportionally, regardless of appointment percentage.
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Academic Appointees:
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Academic appointees in accruing titles will accrue leave based on any appointment percentage above 0%.
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Appointees in non-accruing titles will receive a bank of six days of paid sick leave annually, provided their appointment is at least 30 calendar days.
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Per Diem Employees:
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Non-represented Per Diem employees will receive 8 hours of paid sick leave annually, with a maximum of 16 hours carried forward.
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Up to six days of sick leave annually can be designated as “protected” for specific qualifying reasons.
For represented employees, eligibility and provisions are determined through collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).
Who is eligible for sick leave accrual?
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Non-Represented Staff: All non-represented staff accrue sick leave based on hours worked, regardless of appointment percentage.
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Represented Staff: Eligibility is governed by CBAs.
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Academic Appointees in Accruing Titles: Academic appointees with appointments above 0% will accrue paid sick leave proportionally. For example:
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A 25% appointment accrues approximately 2 hours/month.
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Full-time appointees accrue 1 working day per month.
What is the sick leave bank for non-accruing academic titles?
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Academic appointees in non-accruing titles (e.g., faculty in non-health sciences roles, curators, “by agreement” appointees) receive six days of paid sick leave annually if their appointment is for at least 30 calendar days.
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Part-Time Non-Accruing Titles: Banked leave is provided as six days, prorated by the appointment percentage.
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Banked leave expires on December 31 or the end of the appointment, whichever comes first.
How does the policy affect Per Diem employees?
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Non-Represented Per Diem: Receive 8 hours/year of paid sick leave. A maximum balance of 16 hours can be carried forward, with up to 16 hours of usage allowed per year.
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Represented Per Diem: Sick leave policies are subject to CBAs. Consult your union representative for detail
What is “protected” sick leave, and how can it be used?
Protected sick leave allows staff and academic appointees to use paid sick leave for specific qualifying reasons, including:
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Diagnosis, care, or treatment of a physical or mental health condition for themselves or family members.
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Preventive care for themselves or family members.
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Support if they or a family member are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or similar events.
Limitations:
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Up to six days annually can be designated as “protected.”
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Protected sick leave is governed by anti-retaliation provisions.
Employee Questions:
If I am a full-time (100%) employee accruing sick leave, does the expanded paid sick leave policy increase my sick leave entitlements?
No, the policy does not increase your sick leave accrual.
Is protected sick leave an additional amount of sick time?
No, protected sick leave is not additional time. However, you can designate up to six days per year from your existing sick leave balance as protected sick leave. Refer to the policy or FAQ "What is “protected” sick leave, and how can it be used?" (above) for more details.
Are there tools or resources to help me manage sick leave?
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CalTime: Tracks and reports sick leave for most staff and non-faculty roles.
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UCPath: Displays sick leave accruals, bank balances, and usage.
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Protected Sick Leave: Pulled from your regular sick leave balance and tracked separately in UCPath. It will appear as a distinct row to help you and your manager monitor usage, up to the six-day annual limit set by policy.
For more details or assistance, contact your department’s HR representative or visit theCalTime and UCPath portals.
For those not in CalTime or UCPath - Follow local procedures established by your department or school for reporting and tracking usage.
How do I report sick leave usage?
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For Employees Using CalTime:
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Non-exempt employees: Report usage in quarter-hour increments.
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Exempt employees: Report in full-day increments or based on work schedules.
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Data syncs automatically with UCPath.
- For Faculty or Others Without Timekeeping Systems: Follow local procedures established by your department or school for reporting and tracking usage.
Does my unused sick leave balance carry over?
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Accrued Sick Leave: Carries over with no maximum or expiration.
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Academic Sick Leave Bank: Unused days expire on December 31 or the end of the appointment, whichever comes first
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Per Diem Sick Leave: Carries over up to a maximum of 16 hours.
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Represented employees - Sick leave policies are subject to CBAs.
What happens if I move between accruing and non-accruing positions or change UC locations?
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Accruing to Non-Accruing: Accrued sick leave does not convert to a sick leave bank.
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Non-Accruing to Accruing: You start accruing paid sick leave in the new position, but unused sick leave from the bank does not transfer.
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Same Calendar Year Transfers: Sick leave eligibility (up to six days of protected sick leave) applies across locations and appointments without resetting.
For specific details, refer to the updatedPPSM-2.210 andAPM-710 effective January 2025
How do I designate sick leave as protected?
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Refer to the Policy:
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Review the policy, CBAs, and FAQ #5 for detailed guidelines on protected sick leave.
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Notify Your Supervisor:
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For Foreseeable Leave: Provide advance notice to your supervisor or department, including the expected duration and confirmation if the leave is protected.
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For Unforeseeable Leave: Notify your supervisor as soon as possible, specifying whether the leave is protected.
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Follow Department Procedures: Adhere to your department’s established procedures for designating and reporting protected sick leave.
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Check UCPath:
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Review your sick leave balance in UCPath to confirm your eligibility and ensure you have not exceeded the six-day annual limit for protected sick leave.
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UCPath will display any prior usage designated as protected sick leave for easy tracking. Accruals are updated every month for monthly paid employees or on a quadriweekly basis for biweekly paid employees
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Submit Your Time:
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For CalTime Users (effective January 7, 2025, retroactive to January 1):Use the new pay codes in CalTime to report protected sick leave:
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Protected Sick Leave: For all non-represented and represented employees (excluding BR/BX units).
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Postdoc Protected Sick Leave.
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Protected Short-Term Paid Time Off: For ASEs and GSRs.
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Note: CalTime will not track or display protected sick leave balances; these are available in UCPath.
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For Employees Outside CalTime:
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Follow local reporting and tracking procedures established by your department or school.
How do I know when UCPath calculates my sick leave accruals?
Sick leave accruals are processed based on the UCPath payroll cycle. You can find the specific dates for accrual calculations by referring to the UCPath payroll calendars:
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Biweekly Employees:Biweekly Payroll Calendar (2025)
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Monthly Employees: Monthly Payroll Calendar (2025)
Where can I go if I have additional questions?
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Start by reviewing theExpanded Paid Sick Leave Policy for detailed guidance on eligibility, usage, and changes.
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Visit the UCNet Expanded Sick Leave webpagefor FAQs and comprehensive policy information.
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Contact your department’s HR representative for role-specific questions.
Important Links and Resources
- Campus Overview and Q&A sessions (coming soon)
- Campus Communications Archive
- Video Overviews and Q&A Sessions Archive (coming soon)
- UCOP Training Materials (coming soon)