Reproductive Loss Leave


Information for academic employees who are interested in requesting a leave due to reproductive loss.

About UC’s Reproductive Loss Leave

UC is committed to supporting faculty and staff — and that includes enhancing benefits, programs and policies designed to help employees balance their work and personal lives. Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, UC’s leave options expanded to provide eligible employees with up to five days of protected leave following a reproductive loss.

An eligible employee may take up to five days of Reproductive Loss Leave following a reproductive loss by the employee, by the employee’s current spouse or domestic partner, or by another individual if the employee would have been a parent of a child had the reproductive loss not occurred. “Reproductive loss” means a failed adoption, failed surrogacy, miscarriage, stillbirth, or an unsuccessful assisted reproduction.

Information about the leave is available on UCnet.

Request a Confidential Leave

To request a confidential leave, academic employees may complete the Reproductive Loss Leave Request Form.

Your request will only be reviewed by the Academic Personnel Office Leave Team.

FAQs About Requesting and Using Reproductive Loss Leave

What do “failed adoption,” “failed surrogacy,” and “unsuccessful assisted reproduction” mean? 

“Failed adoption” means the dissolution or breach of an adoption agreement with the birth mother or legal guardian or an adoption that is not finalized because it is contested by another party. “Failed surrogacy” means the dissolution or breach of a surrogacy agreement or a failed embryo transfer to the surrogate. “Unsuccessful assisted reproduction” means an unsuccessful round of artificial insemination or of an assisted reproductive technology procedure, which includes embryo transfer and gamete and embryo donation. It does not include unsuccessful reproduction via sexual intercourse. 

Can I take Reproductive Loss Leave if my girlfriend experienced the reproductive loss? 

If a person other than you or your current spouse or domestic partner experienced the reproductive loss, you may be eligible for this leave if you would have been the child’s biological parent, adoptive parent, legal guardian, stepparent, if you would have had day-to-day responsibilities to provide care for the child, or if you would have provided financial support to the child. 

Do I have to use Reproductive Loss Leave within a certain amount of time? 

If you are taking leave under any state or federal leave entitlement prior to or immediately following the reproductive loss (such as leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, the California Family Rights Act, and/or California’s Pregnancy Disability Leave Law), then you must complete the Reproductive Loss Leave within three months of the end date of that leave. But if you aren’t taking a different leave prior to or immediately following the reproductive loss, then you must complete this leave within three months of the reproductive loss. 

What paid leave options are available to me during Reproductive Loss Leave? 

Reproductive Loss Leave is unpaid, but you may elect to use certain types of paid leave to remain on pay status during a Reproductive Loss Leave depending on the policy or collective bargaining agreement that applies to you. 

  • APM-covered academic appointees may elect to use accrued vacation leave, sick leave, and/or paid medical leave (if applicable) for pay during a Reproductive Loss Leave. For academic appointees who do not accrue sick leave, Chancellors may grant leave with pay for all or part of a Reproductive Loss Leave.
  • Represented academic appointees may elect to use the following options (if available and as applicable depending on the appointee’s collective bargaining agreement) for pay during a Reproductive Loss Leave: accrued vacation, sick leave, personal leave, personal time off, paid medical leave, short-term leave, and/or long-term leave.

For counseling and referral services, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available to help. Also, depending on the circumstances, you may have additional leave options available to you. APM-covered academic appointees should refer to the APM – 700 series; and represented employees should refer to the applicable collective bargaining agreement.

Last modified: Dec 17, 2024