On Monday March 16, University of California (UC) President Janet Napolitano issued an executive order that allows all employees to receive a one-time allotment of up to 128 hours of paid administrative leave.
Napalitano wrote in the order that on March 9, 2020, the UC authorized a grant of up to 14 days of paid administrative leave for employees unable to work for COVID-19-related reasons. In order to address the extraordinary demands placed on their employees in seeking and providing health care for COVID-19, and otherwise responding to this pandemic, that guidance shall be modified to require that all employees shall be eligible to receive a one-time allotment of up to 128 hours of paid administrative leave.
The changes are subject to certain conditions such as all hours must be used by December 31, 2020, or the allotment shall expire. The hours may be used at any time during the period of this executive order, including intermittently, either before or after the use of any accrued leave or other paid leave, at the request of the employee, in consultation with the supervisor, provided that such use shall not adversely affect the delivery of essential university services, including in particular, the clinical services delivered by UC Health.
The number of hours for employees who work less than full-time shall be prorated according to the percent of the appointment and exempt employees who do not accrue sick or vacation leave are eligible for one-time allotment of the paid administrative leave.
The paid administrative leave hours may only be used when an employee is unable to work due to the employee’s own COVID-19- related illness or that of a family member. It may also only be used when an employee is unable to work because the employee has been directed not to come to the worksite for COVID-19-related reasons and or the work site has implemented a COVID-19-related remote-work program or is under a shelter in place order and it is not operationally feasible for the employee to work remotely. The paid administrative leave hours may also only be used when an employee is unable to work because a COVID-19-related school or daycare closure requires the employee to be at home with a child or dependent, and it is not operationally feasible for the employee to work remotely or in conjunction with the childcare commitment.
All University policies contrary to the provisions of this executive order, except those adopted by the Regents, shall be suspended to the extent of the conflict, during the period of this order. The Vice President, Systemwide Human Resources, the Vice Provost and the Academic Personnel and Programs shall have the authority to issue further guidance about the parameters and use of this paid administrative leave, in consultation with the Executive Vice President of UC Health.
