2022 Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL)

February 25, 2022

 People & Culture (600px wide)

Dear Colleagues,

Effective February 19, 2022, through September 30, 2022, UC Berkeley is providing up to 80 hours of 2022 Emergency Paid Sick Leave (2022 EPSL) for our full-time employees and the two-week equivalent for our part-time employees. Employees will be allowed to use 2022 EPSL retroactively to January 1, 2022. In addition, 2022 EPSL also provides eligible employees until September 30, 2022, to use any remaining hours from their 2021 EPSL entitlement. 

Who’s Eligible for 2022 EPSL?

All UC Berkeley employees (including represented) are eligible for 2022 EPSL if there is work for the employee and one or more of the six qualifying reasons below prevents the employee from being able to perform that work. Employees hired on or before September 30, 2021, who did not exhaust their 2021 EPSL entitlement are also eligible to use any remaining 2021 EPSL entitlement during the 2022 EPSL period if one or more of the six qualifying reasons apply. All new employees are eligible to access 2022 EPSL leave right away as needed for any of the qualifying reasons.

Qualifying Reasons

  • Quarantine or Isolation Order: The employee is unable to work or telework because the employee is subject to a quarantine period related to COVID-19 as defined by an order or guidance of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), or a local public health officer with jurisdiction over the workplace.
  • Isolate or Self-Quarantine: The employee is unable to work or telework because the employee has been advised by a health care provider to isolate or self-quarantine due to COVID-19.
  • Testing, Diagnosis, and/or Vaccination: The employee is unable to work or telework because of any of the following:
    • The employee is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and is seeking a medical diagnosis.
    • The employee has been exposed to COVID-19 and is seeking or awaiting the results of a diagnostic test for, or a medical diagnosis of, COVID-19.
    • The University has requested that the employee obtain a diagnostic test for, or a medical diagnosis of, COVID-19, and the employee is seeking or awaiting those results.
    • The employee is attending an appointment for themselves or a family member to receive a vaccine or vaccine booster for protection against COVID-19.
    • The employee is experiencing symptoms, or caring for a family member experiencing symptoms, related to a COVID-19 vaccine or vaccine booster.
  • Caring for a Family Member: The employee is unable to work or telework because they are caring for a family member who is either subject to a quarantine or isolation period related to COVID-19 (as defined by an order or guidance of the CDPH, the CDC, or a local public health officer with jurisdiction over the workplace) or who has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19.
  • Closure of School/Child Care: The employee is unable to work or telework because the employee is caring for their child whose school, place of care, or child care provider is closed or otherwise unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19.
  • Positive Test: The employee is unable to work or telework because the employee tests positive for COVID-19 or because the employee is caring for a family member who tests positive for COVID-19.

If you still have remaining EPSL from 2021 here’s what you need to know: 2022 EPSL provides all our employees with new leave, and it also provides those eligible with additional time to use any remaining hours from their 2021 EPSL entitlement.

Here are some examples:

  • If you’re a full-time employee and you used 40 hours of your 80-hour 2021 EPSL entitlement, you may use 120 hours during the 2022 EPSL period (40 remaining 2021 EPSL hours + 80 new hours).
  • If you’re a full-time employee and you did not use any of your 80-hour 2021 EPSL entitlement, you may use 160 hours during the 2022 EPSL period (80 remaining 2021 EPSL hours + 80 new hours).
  • If you’re a full-time employee and you exhausted your 2021 EPSL entitlement or were never eligible for 2021 EPSL, you may use 80 hours of 2022 EPSL.

You can find the2022 Emergency Paid Sick Leave Notice and Request form online. If you’re not comfortable submitting the form directly to your supervisor you can instead submit it to your HR Business Partner, who will in turn relay that you are using EPSL for the specified dates without providing the reason. 

Thanks,

Eugene

Eugene Whitlock, Chief People & Culture Officer

This message was sent to all Staff and Academic Appointees. If you are a manager who supervises UC Berkeley employees without email access, please circulate this information to all.

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