Medical Leave (Own Illness)

Overview

If you need to take time off due to your own serious health condition, you may be eligible for job-protected leave. At UCSF, some or all of your job-protected leave may be paid.

 

 

Criteria for medical leave (own illness)

  • You need time off for a non-work-incurred injury, illness or other serious health condition.
  • A serious health condition is an illness, injury, or physical or mental condition that involves either inpatient care or continuing treatment by a health care provider.

Job protections and pay options

You may take up to 12 workweeks of job-protected leave during a calendar year. 

  • FMLA and CFRA are unpaid, however you may review the following options for pay with your leave specialist.
    • Use of accrued vacation and/or paid time off is guided by your policy or collective bargaining agreement.
    • Use of accrued sick and/or extended sick leave is guided by your policy or collective bargaining agreement.
    • Available disability benefits as either basic UC disability benefits or voluntary short term/long term disability with Lincoln Financial.
  • FMLA and CFRA may be taken intermittently, and are most often taken in increments of at least two weeks each.

Legal provisions

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that provides eligible employees with unpaid, job-protected leave for specific qualifying family and medical leave reasons. Eligible employees may take up to 12 workweeks of FMLA per calendar year.

In general, to be eligible for FMLA, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Must have 12 cumulative months of UC employment and
  • Must have worked at least 1,250 productive hours immediately preceding the 12 months before your FMLA leave starts. Productive hours do not include time away used for vacation/PTO, sick/extended sick time, and compensatory time off.

California Family Rights Act (CFRA) is a state law that provides eligible employees with unpaid, job-protected leave for specific, qualifying family and medical reasons. Eligible employees may take up to 12 workweeks of leave per calendar year. Please note, depending on the type of leave, CFRA may run concurrently with FMLA.

In general, to be eligible for CFRA, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Must have 12 cumulative months of UC employment and
  • Must have worked at least 1,250 productive hours immediately preceding the 12 months before your CFRA leave starts. Productive hours do not include time away used for vacation/PTO, sick/extended sick time, and compensatory time off.

Steps for taking a medical leave (own illness)

Step1

Review taking a leave of absence

Review Taking a Leave of Absence on UCnet to review your rights and available options.

Step2

Inform your manager

Inform your manager about your leave, including your anticipated dates out of the office, as far in advance as possible.

Details related to your medical condition do not need to be shared with your manager.

Step3

Submit request for leave

Submit your leave of absence request via HR Umbrella, using your personal email address. Once submitted, your leave specialist will partner with you to confirm your eligibility under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

You also will take the following actions:

  • Return completed Health Care Provider Certification in order to certify your leave. 
  • Determine the dates you will be on paid and unpaid status and your obligations while on unpaid status.
    • Review your options for pay with your leave specialist.
      • Use of accrued leave is guided by your policy or collective bargaining agreement, related to the type of leave you are taking.
    • If you are on unpaid status, personal payments will need to be submitted to continue your benefits coverage. You will receive a Benefits Billing Election Form from the Leave Management team.

Step4

Confirm your return-to-work date

As early as possible, contact your supervisor and the appropriate leaves contact to confirm your return-to-work date:

Ensure mandatory department compliance is completed. Talk with your immediate supervisor or manager. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are compliant with UC COVID-19 policy as well as any other required immunization and health screenings before returning to work.

All relevant UC COVID-19 policy information, FAQs, and forms are available under UC's COVID-19 vaccination policy.  If you will not return to work as expected, you must submit timely documentation to us outlining the additional leave period requested. Please provide the documentation before your expected return-to-work date. 

Step5

Return to work

Upon your return to work, you should:

  • Submit your benefit enrollment forms or enroll via UCPath to reinstate benefit coverage.
  • Review your benefit enrollments and benefits summary within 31 days after your return. Go to the UCPath portal or phone 855-982-7284. 
  • Review your first several earnings statements on UCPath. 
  • Contact Campus Life Services to reinstate any voluntary deductions, such as parking, pre-tax transit, gym, vanpool, etc.