LEAVE INFORMATION
Student Employees may be eligible for a number of leave options under UC and other government programs. Once an employee has exhausted all leave use, they should report zero hour timesheets in TRS through the duration of their appointment or until work is again available.
Sick Leave for Eligible Employees (Effective 1/1/25):
To be eligible for sick leave benefits pursuant the University of California Staff Personnel Policy for Staff Members (PPSM):
Accrual Calculation: An eligible employee accrues sick leave based on hours on pay status. Sick leave is accrued at a factor of 0.046154 per hour (approximately eight hours of sick leave per month for an employee on full-time pay status). Eligible employees begin to accrue sick leave at the start of their appointments.
- The threshold for sick leave accrual has been removed, meaning all employees in eligible titles can now accrue paid sick leave, regardless of their appointment percentage.
- Unused sick leave will not be paid out upon separation.
- Students are allowed to use their sick leave only during a scheduled workday and must note the number of sick hours used on their timesheet (under Sick Leave). Sick Leave hours can move with students from job to job.
- Eligible employees may use sick leave in accordance with the PPSM policy.
For specifics on these benefits, visit the University of California Staff Personnel Policy for Staff Members at https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4010406/PPSM-2.210
COVID
2022 Emergency Paid Sick Leave - THIS PROGRAM ENDED ON 12/31/2022
- Students impacted by COVID 19 may be eligible to participate in the 2022 Emergency Paid Sick Leave program. Please contact the UC Merced Leaves Office for further information. Please do not report Emergency Paid Sick Leave on your timesheet unless directed to do so by an HR representative.
Families First Coronavirus Response - THIS PROGRAM HAS ENDED
- Student employees are eligible to apply for a leave of absence coverage under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
- Defining criteria for use of Emergency Paid Sick Leave and/or Expanded Family and Medical Leave can be found here.
- Student employees should complete the request form and submit it via the online FFCRA Request process.
- Once submitted, a UC Merced representative will contact the student and supervisor with next steps; including appropriate leave coding in TRS
UC Provided COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave (PAL) - THIS PROGRAM ENDED ON 6/30/2021
- Administrative paid leave for undergraduate student employees is provided to cover pre-scheduled or regularly scheduled hours which cannot be worked due to their own COVID-19 illness or the UC Merced directive related to COVID-19, effective March 1, 2020.
- Undergraduate student employees are eligible for up to 18 hours per week of authorized paid administrative leave, based on the actual time they would have been scheduled to work if operations had not been interrupted. Hours may be used intermittently and must be used before June 30, 2021.
- Per President Napolitano's Executive Order; part time employees will receive a pro-rated allotment. The maximum allotment for an undergraduate student employee is interpreted to be the maximum allowable FTE percentage for student employees (45%) of FTE of the full time equivalent allotment of 128 hours, equating to a maximum of 58 hours. 128 x 45% = 57.60, rounded to 58.
- Please note the above Interpretation is subject to change as additional clarification regarding the executive order is received.
- Per President Napolitano's Executive Order; part time employees will receive a pro-rated allotment. The maximum allotment for an undergraduate student employee is interpreted to be the maximum allowable FTE percentage for student employees (45%) of FTE of the full time equivalent allotment of 128 hours, equating to a maximum of 58 hours. 128 x 45% = 57.60, rounded to 58.
- Undergraduate student employees who perform service (on campus or remotely) are required to report actual time worked in the Time Reporting System (TRS).
- If utilizing paid administrative leave hours to cover pre-scheduled or regularly scheduled work time, use the designation "Paid Leave(COVID19)" in TRS.
- A "self-tracking" tool has been created to help student track leave use.
- If utilizing paid administrative leave hours to cover pre-scheduled or regularly scheduled work time, use the designation "Paid Leave(COVID19)" in TRS.
- Those unable to submit a timesheet by the deadline must contact their supervisor to avoid interruption to pay delivery.
- Supervisors should monitor timesheet submissions of their undergraduate student employees and submit timesheets for those who were scheduled to work, but could not due to their own report COVID-19 illness or the UC Merced directive.
