The CSU offers a variety of paid and unpaid leave options for Stanislaus State employees. Generally, full-time or part-time Faculty, Staff and Administrators (MPP) may be granted full or partial leaves of absence with and without pay, depending on the circumstances and duration of the leave request. Eligibility guidelines are subject to appropriate Collective Bargaining Agreements, specific policies, applicable legal agreements, and current state and federal legislation. To learn more, explore the tabs below.
* Each Benefit is Subject to Approval
Types of Leave Programs
The CSU Family Medical Leave (FML) provides eligible employees up to twelve (12) weeks leave or 480 hours for intermittent leave to care for self or eligible family members. The CSU FML incorporates both the Federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and California Family Rights Act (CFRA) leave entitlements.
The CSU FML 12-week entitlement is calculated on a forward rolling basis, within a 12-month period, from the date the employee's FML leave begins. CSU FML tracks concurrently with most leave programs except the California Pregnancy Disability Leave and runs concurrently with all other disability benefits (i.e., leave credits, donated leave credits, NDI, IDL). CSU FML may be paid or unpaid leave depending on other available leave credits.
CSU FML is available to eligible employees who become seriously ill; need to care for a newborn or a child placed in the home through adoption or foster care; or need to be away from work to care for a seriously ill family member. Eligible family members under CSU FML include a child, parent, spouse or a registered domestic partner.
Employees requesting CSU FML for self or for an eligible family member are required to exhaust existing sick leave, vacation, personal holiday and CTO prior to being placed on unpaid FML. (Treatment of vacation for represented employees may differ. Please refer to the appropriate collective bargaining agreement.)
While on paid CSU FML, benefit premiums, including health, dental, vision, group life and long-term disability continue to be paid by the CSU without a lapse in coverage. During periods of unpaid CSU FML, only health, dental and vision premiums will continue to be paid by the CSU.
PDF Resources
Nonindustrial Disability Insurance (NDI) is a 26-week maximum benefit period that begins when sick leave credits are exhausted. It is optional to use vacation credits; however, if vacation is used, it must be fully exhausted.
The NDI program defines "disability" as: "mental or physical illness and mental or physical injury, including any illness or injury resulting from pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition". An employee is deemed disabled on any day in which, because of a physical, mental or medical condition, he/she is unable to perform his/her regular or customary work. An attending physician must verify the disability.
Benefit payment depends on the bargaining unit:
Bargaining Unit | Amount per week |
---|---|
Physicians (Unit 1) | $250 |
CSUEU (Units 2, 5, 7, 9) | $250 |
Faculty (Unit 3) | $125 |
APC (Unit 4) | $250 |
Teamsters Local 2010 (Unit 6) | $250 |
SUPA (Unit 8) | $125 |
Unrepresented (C99 & MPP) | $250 |
The Maternity/Parental/Adoption Leave, more commonly referred to as "Parental Leave", is a paid leave associated with the birth of an employee's own child or the placement of a child with the employee in connection with adoption and includes foster care for certain employee categories. The type of absence is not charged against the employee's leave credits, and the amount of paid days received is based on the employee bargaining unit. Paid Maternity/Paternity/Adoption/Parental leave may run concurrently with any other related leaves for which the employee is eligible.
- This leave runs concurrently with FML and/or pregnancy leave under the Education Code.
To request parental leave (Faculty):
- Complete the Application for paid Parental Leave (PDF) form and obtain approvals
- Forward completed form to the Leaves Specialist in Human Resources (MSR 320)
To request a parental/adoption leave (Staff):
- Complete the Parental/Adoption Leave (PDF) form and obtain supervisor approval
- Forward completed form to the Leaves Specialist in Human Resources (MSR 320)
To request a maternity leave:
- Provide your supervisor your anticipated leave dates in writing
- Provide doctor's note to the Leaves Specialist in Human Resources (MSR 320) indicating your last day worked
- Schedule appointment to meet with Leaves Specialist
- Meet with the Leaves Specialist to complete your estimated leave plans
Below is an example of typical maternity leave:
Sick Leave | NDI | CSU Paid Maternity | Vacation | Non-Paid Leave |
5 Weeks | 3 Weeks | 6 Weeks | 4 Weeks | Varies |
Below is an example of typical benefits for maternity leave:
- Sick Leave
- May be used according to collective bargaining agreements.
- Nonindustrial Disability Insurance (NDI)
- Provides paid benefits for eligible female employee up to 6 weeks for normal pregnancy/delivery and up to 26 weeks for complications of pregnancy/delivery or other extended disabilities.
- This benefit begins when sick leave credits are exhausted. Employee may elect to use other leave credits in addition to sick leave prior to applying for NDI benefit; if other leave is used must exhaust prior to NDI benefit
- This program runs concurrently with other programs.
- CSU Paid Maternity/Paternity/Adoption Leave
- Provides paid leave for eligible employees. This paid leave is not charged against employee's leave credits. It applies to the birth of an employee's own child or the placement of a child with the employee in connection with adoption or foster care.
- Vacation and Other leave credits
- May be used according to collective bargaining agreements.
- Pregnancy Disability Leave- Government Code
- Entitles female employee up to 6 weeks of time off for normal pregnancy/delivery and up to 4 months for extended disability related to pregnancy and/or childbirth.
- This period of time may be paid or unpaid, depending upon other benefits available.
- This provision guarantees the female employee time off from work and a right to return to her same/comparable position.
- Pregnancy Disability Leave Certification of Health Care Provider Form (PDF)
- Pregnancy Disability Brochure (PDF)
- Pregnancy Leave - Education Code
- Provides permanent female employee up to 12 months of time off due to pregnancy/childbirth.
- This period of time may be paid or unpaid, depending upon other benefits available.
- This program runs concurrently with other leave programs.
- Certification for Health Care Provider for Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) (PDF)
The CSU Catastrophic Leave Donation Program allows employees to voluntarily donate sick and/or vacation leave credits to employees that are totally incapacitated due to a catastrophic illness or injury, and have exhausted all leave credits, including any sick, vacation, personal holiday or CTO credits. Family illnesses that are deemed catastrophic, requiring an employee to be absent to care for an immediate family member, are also eligible for the CSU Catastrophic Leave Donation Program.
- 3 to 6 month benefit period
- Benefit period begins when all leave credits are exhausted
- Benefit payment depends on number of leave credits donated
- May supplement NDI
Depending on the employee bargaining unit, an employee who accrues vacation or sick leave credits, may voluntarily donate a certain number of accrued hours to another employee deemed eligible for catastrophic leave. The amount of hours that can be donated during a fiscal year vary per employee bargaining unit.
Catastrophic leave donations are not transferable between campuses. An employee can donate to or receive credits from employees at his/her respective campus only.
The total amount of leave credits donated and used may not exceed an amount sufficient to ensure the continuance of the employee's regular monthly rate of compensation, for a period of three to six months. Donated leave credits may also be used to supplement Nonindustrial Disability Insurance (NDI) payments upon the application for these benefits(s) by an eligible employee. An employee cannot receive Catastrophic Leave in lieu of benefits through a disability program.
Required PDF Forms
The CSU provides employer-paid long term disability insurance (LTD) to eligible employees within specified employee bargaining unit. The Standard Life Insurance Company (The Standard) is the insurance carrier for this benefit.
The following units are subject to a 6-month waiting period:
- Physicians (Unit 1)
- Faculty (Unit 3)
- Academic Support (Unit 4)
- Management Personnel Plan (MPP)
A variety of unpaid leave programs are available to employees. A full-time or part-time permanent employee may be granted a full or partial Leave of Absence (LOA) without pay for up to one (1) year. .
Required Forms
The Industrial Disability Leave (IDL) Program is a wage continuation program, in lieu of Workers' Compensation Temporary Disability (TD) benefits for CSU employees who have suffered a work-related injury or illness. Employees deemed eligible for this benefit also must be members of the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) or the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS).
- Benefit for accepted Worker's Compensation Claims Only
- 1-year maximum benefit period within two years from first day of disability
- Full pay for 1st 22 work days
- 2/3rds pay for extended disability period beyond the 22 work days
- May supplement IDL to full pay with sick leave supplementation
CalPERS is a defined benefit plan, which provides a retirement benefit based on the employee’s applicable retirement formula, age at retirement, years of service credit, and compensation.
- If less than age 54, Disability Retirement provides a higher benefit
- Lifetime benefit available as provided by CalPERS
Learn more about retirement
Leave Programs FAQs
A permanent female employee may take up to one year of leave for pregnancy, childbirth or recovery. This leave may be paid or unpaid depending on the benefits available and is not predicated upon disability. (Ed Code 89519)
This will depend on several things such as how much sick leave you have accrued; whether you choose to apply for Non-Industrial Disability Insurance (NDI); how many days of paid maternity leave are available to you; and how much vacation you have accrued.
There are federal and state laws that protect a woman's right to take maternity and family leave. There are also provisions in the CSU Collective Bargaining Agreement and CSU Policies regarding maternity and family leave. Since the application of these laws, provisions & policies can be complex, it is best to make an appointment with Krista Vasquez to discuss your specific situation.
Yes, you should put your anticipated leave dates in writing to your supervisor and cc Human Resources. You should include your anticipated last day of work and return to work date. Of course, if your doctor should take you off work early for medical reasons, these dates may need to be adjusted.
When your doctor takes you off work, you must provide Human Resources (MSR 320) a written statement from him/her excusing you from work.
In most cases you must indicate your return to work date when you begin your leave. Generally, your leave may be extended beyond your original return to work date for medical necessity only.
A newborn is covered under his/her mother's health plan for the first 30 days. You must provide your child's name, birthday, birth certificate and social security number to Human Resource (MSR 320) within 30 days of birth in order to maintain continuous coverage.
You may make arrangements with your department or contact payroll to have your paycheck mailed to your home while you are on leave.
Updated: May 28, 2024