Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to announce that the California State University has granted use of temporary paid administrative leave up to 128 hours effective March 23 through December 31, 2020 for CSU (state) employees who are unable to work due to COVID-19.
Under the new provisions, all benefits-eligible employees, Unit 11 employees, and non-represented student assistants (hereinafter "employee") shall be eligible for this one-time allotment that can only be used due to COVID-19 related absences.
The following conditions apply:
- All hours must be used by close of business on December 31, 2020 at which time the remaining allotted hours will expire.
- In consultation with the supervisor to ensure use of leave does not disrupt the delivery of essential services, the hours may be used at any time during this designated period, including intermittently, either before or after the use of any accrued leave or other paid leave.
- The number of hours of paid administrative leave for employees who work less than full-time shall be prorated according to the percent of the appointment.
This paid administrative leave is only for employees who are unable to work, on campus or remotely, for the following purposes:
- When an employee is unable to work due to the employee’s own COVID-19 related illness or that of a family member for whom the employee would normally be able to use sick leave;
- When an employee is unable to work because the employee has been directed by their supervisor or healthcare provider not to come to the worksite for COVID-19-related reasons and/or it is not operationally feasible for the employee to work remotely; or
- When an employee is unable to work due to a COVID-19-related school or daycare closure, and the employee is required to be at home with a child or dependent, and it is not operationally feasible for the employee to work remotely or in conjunction with the dependent care commitment.
How to Request Temporary Paid Administrative Leave
Employees should work with their supervisor to review a schedule for use of the 128 hours of temporary paid administrative leave. A form to memorialize the agreement will be forthcoming.
Please direct any immediate questions to HR Director, Rebekah Temple at rtemple@csustan.edu or 209-667-3376.
As a reminder, temporary paid administrative leave is also available as follows:
Effective March 16, 2020, employees who are 65 years and older or medically compromised (i.e. high risk for serious illness due to health conditions) and telecommuting is not feasible, subject to verification by Human Resources.
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)
On March 18, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (HR 6201). The FFCRA, which contains a number of provisions aimed at helping both employers and employees, will become law on April 2, 2020. Once the U.S. Department of Labor publishes its rules for the administration of FFCRA, an update to this policy and available leave for employees will be issued by the CSU Chancellor’s Office.
The health and well-being of our employees is a top priority for the CSU and our campus leadership. We appreciate your concerted efforts to navigate this unprecedented situation and the extraordinary care and compassion we are collectively demonstrating for each other.
In these difficult times, please stay in close contact with the Office of Human Resources; we are here to take your questions and address your concerns. As a reminder, our Employee Assistance Program provider, Empathia, has counselors available 24/7 and they are expanding the use of telephonic and video EAP counseling sessions through a national network of counselors.