Academic Researcher Leave


Leave information for represented Academic Researchers (RA Contract)

Professional Researcher Series | Project Scientist Series | Specialist Series

Getting Started

Please review the important leave information on this page and then select the appropriate leave type to review the relevant policies and pay options. Instructions on how to initiate a leave request is located below.

Leave Type

Childbearing

Pregnancy Disability Leave [Article 12.B.13]
Employees are entitled to up to four (4) months of unpaid Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) for a disability related to pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, as certified by a healthcare provider. For a normal birth the disability period is typically from about two (2) workweeks before until about six (6) workweeks after the birth (eight (8) weeks for cesarean birth). If medically necessary, PDL may be taken on a reduced work schedule or on an intermittent basis. 

Childbearing leaves are normally without pay, however employees may elect to use any of the following options to continue being paid during this leave:

  1. Sick leave and/or vacation.
  2. Disability Pay.
    An outline of how to apply for benefits from Lincoln Financial (UC’s disability insurer) and what to expect during the disability period can be found at Your Guide to UC Disability Benefits.

Depending on the length of the leave, employees may elect options #1 and #2 to continue being paid.

Catastrophic Leave Donation Program
Employees, who do not have sufficient sick leave and vacation accruals to cover their leave, may wish to consider participating in the campus’ Catastrophic Leave Donation Program. This voluntary program allows employees to donate accrued vacation hours to another employee who has exhausted their accruals. The donated leave supports the continuation of the recipient’s normal salary for a longer period of time than would otherwise be possible. For program information, refer to the Catastrophic Leave Donation Program Guidelines for Academic Employees.

Parental Bonding Leave [Article 12.B.14]
These leaves may be up to twelve (12) workweeks, may be full or part-time, and must be concluded within twelve (12) months of the child’s birth. To be eligible for parental bonding leave, employees must meet the eligibility requirements for FMLA and/or CFRA. 

Parental bonding leave is normally without pay, however employees may elect to use any of the following options to continue being paid during this leave:

  1. Sick and/or vacation.
  2. Pay for Family Care and Bonding [PFCB].
    Employees, who are eligible for FMLA and/or CFRA, may receive 100 percent of eligible earnings* for up to eight (8) workweeks per calendar year of paid leave. This may be used for:
  • parental leave
  • family medical leave
  • military caregiver leave
  • qualifying exigency leave

*Eligible earnings include an appointee’s base salary payable through the University. Base salary includes on-scale, off-scale, and above-scale. Eligible earnings do not include pay that is received in addition to the appointee’s regular appointment such as “by agreement” payments, administrative stipends, summer session teaching, and any other cash compensation (e.g., Negotiated Salary Program) received that exceeds 100% of the base salary.

PFCB can only be applied if family medical leave is taken in a block, and the block is a minimum of one (1) workweek.

Depending on the length of the leave, employees may elect #1 and #2 to continue being paid.

The total period of pregnancy disability leave and parental bonding leave combined may not exceed one (1) year. 

Family Medical

Family Medical Leaves of Absence [Article 12]
Employees may take leave to care for a family member who has a serious health condition such as an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves either inpatient care or continuing treatment by a health care provider and that warrants the participation of the employee to provide supervision or care (which may include psychological care or comfort) during the period of treatment or incapacity.  

Family member is defined as:

  • FMLA – child, parent, spouse, or domestic partner.
  • CFRA – in addition to the family members listed under FMLA, an employee may take CFRA for designated person, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling.
    • A “designated person” is any individual related by blood or whose association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship. The employee may identify the designated person at the time of the leave request, and employees are limited to one designated person per calendar year for family and medical leave purposes.

Family medical leave is normally without pay; however, employees may elect to use any of the following to continue being paid during this leave:

  1. Sick leave and/or vacation.
  2. Pay for Family Care and Bonding [PFCB].
    Employees, who are eligible for FMLA and/or CFRA, may receive 100 percent of eligible earnings* for up to eight (8) workweeks per calendar year of paid leave. This may be used for:
  • parental leave
  • family medical leave
  • military caregiver leave
  • qualifying exigency leave

*Eligible earnings include an appointee’s base salary payable through the University. Base salary includes on-scale, off-scale, and above-scale. Eligible earnings do not include pay that is received in addition to the appointee’s regular appointment such as “by agreement” payments, administrative stipends, summer session teaching, and any other cash compensation (e.g., Negotiated Salary Program) received that exceeds 100% of the base salary.

PFCB can only be applied if family medical leave is taken in a block, and the block is a minimum of one (1) workweek.

Depending on the length of the leave, employees may elect options #1 and #2 to continue being paid.

Catastrophic Leave Donation Program
Employees, who do not have sufficient sick leave and vacation accruals to cover their leave, may wish to consider participating in the campus’ Catastrophic Leave Donation Program. This voluntary program allows employees to donate accrued vacation hours to another employee who has exhausted their accruals. The donated leave supports the continuation of the recipient’s normal salary for a longer period of time than would otherwise be possible. For program information, refer to the Catastrophic Leave Donation Program Guidelines for Academic Employees.

Own Medical

Leaves of Absence [Article 12]
Employees may take leave for their own serious health condition; such as an illness, injury (including on-the-job injuries), impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves either inpatient care or continuing treatment by a health care provider. 

Medical leaves are normally without pay, however employees may elect to use any of the following to continue being paid during this leave:

  1. Sick leave and/or vacation accruals.
  2. Disability Pay.
    An outline of how to apply for benefits from Lincoln Financial (UC’s disability insurer) and what to expect during the disability period can be found at Your Guide to UC Disability Benefits.

Depending on the length of the leave, employees may elect options #1 and #2 to continue being paid.

Catastrophic Leave Donation Program
Employees, who do not have sufficient sick leave and vacation accruals to cover their leave, may wish to consider participating in the campus’ Catastrophic Leave Donation Program. This voluntary program allows employees to donate accrued vacation hours to another employee who has exhausted their accruals. The donated leave supports the continuation of the recipient’s normal salary for a longer period of time than would otherwise be possible. For program information, refer to the Catastrophic Leave Donation Program Guidelines for Academic Employees.

Parental

Parental Bonding Leave [Article 12.B.14]
Parental leave may be up to twelve (12) workweeks, may be full or part-time, and must be concluded within twelve (12) months of the child’s birth, adoption, or placement. To be eligible for parental bonding leave, employees must meet the eligibility requirements for FMLA and/or CFRA. 

Parental bonding leave is normally without pay, however employees may elect to use any of the following to continue being paid during this leave:

  1. Sick and/or vacation.
  2. Pay for Family Care and Bonding [PFCB].
    Employees, who are eligible for FMLA and/or CFRA, may receive 100 percent of eligible earnings* for up to eight (8) workweeks per calendar year of paid leave. This may be used for:
  • parental leave
  • family medical leave
  • military caregiver leave
  • qualifying exigency leave 

*Eligible earnings include an appointee’s base salary payable through the University. Base salary includes on-scale, off-scale, and above-scale. Eligible earnings do not include pay that is received in addition to the appointee’s regular appointment such as “by agreement” payments, administrative stipends, summer session teaching, and any other cash compensation (e.g., Negotiated Salary Program) received that exceeds 100% of the base salary.

PFCB can only be applied if family medical leave is taken in a block, and the block is a minimum of one (1) workweek.

Depending on the length of the leave, employees may elect options #1 and #2 to continue being paid.

The total period of pregnancy disability leave and parental bonding leave combined may not exceed one (1) year.

Other

Other types of Leave [Article 12]
Employees are also entitled to: military leave, bereavement leave, jury duty leave, and other types of leave.  

For more information, please see the bargaining contract. If you have questions, please email apoleave@ucsc.edu.

Important Leave Information

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the California Family Rights Act (CFRA)

FMLA and CFRA provide for up to twelve (12) workweeks of unpaid leave in the calendar year (January – December) to care for yourself or a family member with a serious medical condition, baby bonding, and pregnancy disability.

To be eligible for leave under FMLA/CFRA, an employee must have worked for the University for at least twelve (12) months and have worked at least 1,250 hours in the twelve (12) months preceding the leave. FMLA/CFRA leave is unpaid unless otherwise noted below.

Health and Welfare Benefits

Paid leave:  

  • UC will continue to cover its share of premium costs for health and welfare benefits. 

Unpaid leave:

  • If it is covered under FMLA/CFRA, the employee will need to continue paying the employee share of the premium payments.
  • If it’s not covered under FMLA/CFRA, the employee will need to pay UC’s contribution in addition to the employee share of the premium payments.

When you are going to take a leave without pay, you must take action to ensure UC knows your intent to continue or cancel any benefits for which you are eligible. When your leave without pay information is confirmed, you will be automatically mailed a statement from the UCPath Center to your home address. This Benefits Billing statement contains the information, instructions and deadlines for continuing or canceling your benefits coverage during your leave.

  • If you will not be at home to receive your Benefits Billing statement, it is your responsibility to call the UCPath Center directly for assistance at 1-855-982-2329 (Mon – Fri 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or you may request help through the Ask UC Path Center feature.
  • If you have questions about how going on leave affects your health and welfare benefits, you may call the UCSC Benefits Office at 831-459-2013.
  • If you are canceling your health and welfare benefits as a result of this leave, please remember to reinstate the benefits the month you return to pay status (see dates above). 

How To Request a Leave

To start the leave request process, please email the following information to apoleave@ucsc.edu:

  • Type of leave (childbearing, family medical, own medical, parental)
  • Anticipated start and end date of your leave 
  • If you would like to set up a consultation with a Leave Analyst to go over leave options and answer any questions you may have.

You can expect to receive additional information and further instructions regarding your leave request within two business days of sending your email.

Once your request and appropriate documentation have been submitted and approved by the APO Leave Team, and prior to the start of your leave, you will receive an official approval letter outlining the details of your leave.

Last modified: Dec 18, 2024