Coronavirus Information

COVID-19 Related Leave and Pay Programs

• Employees who are seriously ill or must care for a family member with a serious medical condition may qualify for Family Medical Leave (FML) job protection (unpaid). More information is available on the Family Medical Leave webpage.
• Employees who contract COVID-19 in the workplace may be eligible for exclusion pay. Please contact Human Resources if you believe that you may qualify for exclusion pay.
• Staff who are able to work virtually in spite of a COVID-19 diagnosis should consult with their supervisor. Faculty who are able to work virtually in spite of a COVID-19 diagnosis should inform their department head/chair.

 

COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave 2022 (Senate Bill 114)

Employees who are unable to work due to COVID-19-related reasons may request up to 80 hours (10 days) of Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSL) pursuant to California Senate Bill (SB) 114 (Chapter 4), signed by the Governor on February 9, 2022.  All employees are eligible for SPSL except for work study student employees. SPSL hours are pro-rated for part-time employees according to their full-time equivalency or the time base of their appointment.

 

SB 114 and SB 114 with Enhancements

SB 114 provides for SPSL retroactively to January 1, 2022, through September 30, 2022. SB 114 establishes a daily maximum for SPSL pay at $511.00.

For unrepresented employees, the CSU extended the deadline for SPSL to December 31, 2022, and eliminated the SPSL pay maximums prescribed in SB 114. Represented employees have been offered these same enhancements through their unions. As of April 7, 2022, these enhancements are available to all represented employees except for those represented by APC or the Teamsters.

SPSL is administered to represented employees in other bargaining units pursuant to SB 114 unless and until agreements are reached with the remaining unions, at which time the resulting MOU will govern the administration of SPSL.

Rehired annuitants are only eligible for provisions specifically outlined in SB 114, not the enhancements offered by CSU. Unused SPSL has no value if an employee separates from CSU employment.

 

Requesting SPSL

Faculty, TA, GA, and ISA Employees Requesting SPSL, Submit this Form (AdobeSign).

Employees who have been noticed by the campus of potential exposure of COVID-19 on campus and are required to quarantine remain eligible for Exclusion Pay if they are unable to telework. Employees exposed outside of the worksite who are required to quarantine and unable to telework must use SPSL. In cases where an employee received Exclusion Pay in order to remain in pay status but is not otherwise eligible for Exclusion Pay, SPSL will be applied (except for employees in Units 1, 3, and 8) and the employee will be notified.

 

Qualifying Reasons for Leave

Up to 40 hours (5 days) of SPSL can be used for the following reasons when employees are unable to work on site or telework:

a) Employee is subject to quarantine or isolation related to COVID-19, as defined by the State Department of Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or a local health officer who has jurisdiction over the workplace;* or

b) Employee is advised by a health care provider to isolate or quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19; or

c) Employee is attending an appointment for themselves or a family member to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or a vaccine booster (See limit on use of hours below.); or

d) Employee is experiencing symptoms, or caring for a family member experiencing symptoms, related to a COVID-19 vaccine or vaccine booster that prevents the employee from being able to work (See limit on use of hours below.); or

e) Employee is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis; or

f) Employee is caring for a family member who is subject to a quarantine or isolation order or guideline or who has been advised to isolate or quarantine by a health care provider due to concerns related to COVID-19; or

g) Employee is caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed or otherwise unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19 on the premises.

*If an employee is subject to more than one of the above “jurisdictions”, the employee is permitted to use SPSL for the minimum quarantine or isolation period under the order or guidance that provides for the longest such minimum period.

Up to 40 hours (5 days) of additional SPSL can be used only for the following reason when employees are unable to work on site or telework:

h) Employee, or a family member that is under their care, tests positive for COVID-19.

 

Vaccine or Vaccine Booster Time Limits

For each vaccination or vaccine booster, the total COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave is limited to 3 days (24 hours). If the employee or their family member continues to experience symptoms related to the vaccine or vaccine booster beyond 3 days (24 hours) limit, the employee must provide verification from a health care provider upon request. The 3 day or 24-hour limitation applies to each vaccine or vaccine booster and includes the time used to get the vaccine or vaccine booster.

 

Total Time Available under SPSL

Eligible employees may utilize up to 80 hours (10 days) under SPSL. A maximum of 40 hours (5 days) may be used for reasons a) through g) and an additional maximum of 40 hours (5 days) may be used for reason h).

 

Disability Accommodation and Medical Leave

If you have a disability or become disabled, and you need an accommodation in the workplace in order to complete the essential functions of your position, submit a Request for Accommodation and Medical Certification at the Cal Poly HR Disability Accommodation webpage.

If you become sick due to COVID-19 or develop any other serious medical condition requiring medical leave, please contact Human Resources.

COVID Vaccines and Testing

For the most current information about Cal Poly's COVID Vaccine Mandate and where to get vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, check here.

For up-to-date information about COVID-19 testing on campus, check here.

Once the CSU COVID-19 vaccine requirement goes into effect, we anticipate that employees who have a medical or religious exemption to being vaccinated will be required to submit to regular COVID-19 testing.

Voluntary Reduction in Time Base (VRTB)

The option to take a Voluntary Reduction in Time Base (VRTB) has been extended through AY 2021-22 and is available to full-time faculty per the CFA-CSU MOU dated June 1, 2021. The University, at the sole discretion of the appropriate administrator, may grant a request from a Tenure Track faculty or temporary faculty (lecturer, librarian, or counselor) with a 3-year appointment for a temporary reduction in time base for the 2021-2022 academic year. Full-time faculty may reduce a maximum of 8 WTUs each quarter and full-time counselors and librarians may request work hours reduced by up to 16 hours per week; salaries and CalPERS service credit accrual are adjusted accordingly. (A request for time base reduction must be for the entire term and may not be rescinded.) For more information, see CFA-CSU MOU dated June 1, 2021. To initiate a request for Voluntary Reduction in Time Base (VRTB), inform your college administrator and department head/chair of your interest. The college administrator will initiate the form and route it to you and the dean or appropriate administrator for approval. Please preview a sample form here.  According to the MOU, requests for VRTB were due August 1, 2021.

Please note:

• Whenever possible (e.g., except in the case of onset of illness), request leave and receive approval from appropriate administrator in advance, similar to when using planned sick leave or vacation.
• If you elect to take a Voluntary Reduction in Time Base, be sure that you understand the CalPERS implications.
• Be sure that you understand in advance how to record/input your leave, if necessary.

Leave for Employees with Children with Special Needs or a Serious Medical Condition

This year, the Chancellor’s Office has indicated that unpaid FMLA/CFRA leave may be taken by employees with children who have special needs or a serious medical condition and require additional assistance with remote learning. If employees have children with special needs or a serious medical condition and on campus instruction for the child is not an option or the condition requires the employee to oversee remote learning of the child during COVID-19, the employee may be able to use unpaid FMLA/CFRA leave (full or partial day). In such cases, the employee would need to provide documentation to Human Resources, signed by a doctor, testifying to the child’s medical needs because of a developmental disability or other FMLA/CFRA-qualifying serious health condition. Unpaid FMLA/CFRA leave may be paid through use of sick leave, vacation or CTO.  

Care of a Sick or Disabled Family Member

In addition, employees unable to work because they must care for a sick or disabled family member, related or not related to COVID, may be able to use unpaid FMLA/CFRA leave (full or partial day). Employees must provide medical certification to Human Resources, signed by a doctor, testifying to the family member’s medical needs because of a disability or other FMLA/CFRA-qualifying serious health condition. Unpaid FMLA/CFRA leave may be paid through use of sick leave, vacation or CTO.

Employees who have Exhausted FMLA

Employees who have already taken FMLA-related FFCRA leave may still be eligible for unpaid leave, related to the circumstances stated above, under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA). Unpaid CFRA leave may be paid through the use of sick leave, vacation or CTO.

University Directed Quarantine or Isolation

Employees who work on campus and are directed by the university to stay off campus and isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure or illness will remain in paid status and will be advised by Human Resources regarding appropriate use of leave credits as applicable. (Cal OSHA General Industry Safety Orders, Section 3205 (c) (10) provides that employees shall, at the discretion of the employer, be provided either telework or placed on sick leave. Telework shall be offered if operationally feasible and available. If sick leave is not available, the employee shall be placed on leave and will receive exclusion pay.)