Coronavirus Information

 

• Sample VRTB Request Form for Winter and Spring Quarters 2020-21 (12/1/2020)
• Coronavirus Tenure Extension and Student Evaluations Memo 
• CFA & CSU MOU on Impacts Related to COVID-19 on Operations 06/05/2020
• CFA & CSU MOU on Impacts Related to COVID-19 on Coach Evaluations 08/04/2020

Coronavirus Related Leaves of Absence

(Rev. 1/21/2021)

Cal Poly recognizes that many faculty and staff face enduring, complex challenges balancing work and personal responsibilities while the pandemic continues. Although the paid leave programs of 2020 are no longer available, please be aware of the options available below in the event that you:

• become sick or are required to quarantine or isolate
• have a medical condition/disability that puts you at increased risk of severe illness due to COVID-19
• need to care for a family member who becomes sick or disabled
• have a child or children with special needs or a serious medical condition
• have other COVID-19-related family care needs

Expiration of Paid Leave Programs

The CSU temporary leave and pay programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e. CPAL) and the federal leave programs under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) expired on 12/31/2020 as initially indicated. As of this date, no additional leave programs have been made available. If any coronavirus-related paid leave programs become available in the future, notification will be posted here.

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

Free COVID-19 testing on campus is available to all faculty, regardless of whether they are working on campus—check here for the schedule and availability. Faculty who teach or work on campus are strongly encouraged to test often.

Employees who have a medical condition/disability that puts them at increased risk of severe illness due to COVID-19 should contact Human Resources regarding requests for reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act including, but not limited to, telework or use of their own leave credits.

Faculty, staff, Department Heads and Chairs, and administrators are encouraged to be collaborative and make flexible telework arrangements when possible (e.g., permit asynchronous classes, performance of administrative duties at non-traditional hours, etc.). Faculty are considered essential employees so a flexible telework assignment is expected during this pandemic.

The option to take a Voluntary Reduction in Time Base (VRTB) is still available for spring quarter per the CFA-CSU MOU dated June 5, 2020. The University, at the sole discretion of the appropriate administrator, may grant a request from a Tenure-line faculty member, a Lecturer with a full-time three-year appointment, a full-time Counselor, or a full-time Librarian for a temporary reduction in time base for the 2020-2021 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 5, 2020. 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.

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

Recently, in response to the expiration of the leave programs above, 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.)

Please contact Human Resources (805-756-2236 or humanresources@calpoly.edu) or Academic Personnel (805-756-2844 or academicpersonnl@calpoly.edu) with questions or to discuss options that may be available to you.