Sick Leave and other Paid Medical Leave

The following information was provided to the union officers by USF HR in 2018

Sick Hours

Adjuncts who have an active assignment accrue 3.75 sick hours per month, up to a max of 72 hours. Sick hour leave balances carry over each calendar year.

Provided the Adjunct is working and has an active assignment, Adjuncts may use accrued sick hours for the following reasons:

• Diagnosis, care, or treatment of an existing health condition of the employee or an employee’s family member (self, child, parent, in loco parentis, spouse, registered domestic partner, or designated person, grandparent, grandchild, and sibling, legal guardians & wards)

• Preventive care for employee or employee’s family member

• Leave for employee who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

Adjuncts use their sick hours, most commonly, when they take a Leave. For example, if an Adjunct Professor was to take a Medical Leave, they would receive appx 60% of weekly wages from Disability Payments, and the other 40% from their sick hours.

An Adjunct should inform their supervisor and department head if they need to use sick leave. If the Adjunct needs to apply for a Leave, the Leave of Absence Manager should also be contacted. For non-Leaves, the Adjunct professor will submit a paper timesheet that documents their sick hours to leaves@usfca.edu so the reported hours can be deducted from the Adjunct’s available sick leave balance. The paper timesheet is available to download from Payroll’s E-Timesheets web page.

Sick hours are NOT paid out upon termination.

Disability Leave and Benefits

Provided the Adjunct has an active teaching assignment, they are eligible to apply for Medical Disability Benefits (including Pregnancy Disability) that provide partial income protection at 60% of weekly earnings, with a maximum of $1,216 per week. TRISTAR is our vendor who approves and pays the Disability Benefits. Medical certification is required.

There is a 7-day waiting period before benefits begin to pay. Sick Hours may be used in conjunction with Disability Benefits. If Adjunct is receiving Disability Benefits, but has no sick hours, they will go on Unpaid Leave, and will need to reimburse USF for their health insurance premium contribution.

Paid Family Leave (PFL) and Benefits

Provided the Adjunct has an active teaching assignment, they are eligible to apply for PFL to care for an eligible family member (spouse, registered domestic partner, child, parent, parent-in-law, sibling, grandparent or grandchildren). PFL provides partial income protection at 60% of weekly earnings, with a maximum of $1,216 per week. PFL pays for a total of 6 weeks. TRISTAR is our vendor who approves and pays the PFL claims. Medical certification is required.

PFL benefits are also used for bonding with a new child through birth, adoption, or foster care placement. PFL must be taken within 12 months of birth or placement.

Sick Hours may be used in conjunction with PFL. If Adjunct is receiving Disability Benefits, but has no sick hours, they will go on Unpaid Leave, and will need to reimburse USF for their health insurance premium contribution.

The PTFA received this information from USF HR in December 2019:

USF's voluntary disability plan is state approved and provides the same benefits that the EDD short term disability plan for medical and Paid Family Leave claims does. USF voluntary disability plan for medical and paid family leave benefits are administered by Tri Star. Our web pages provides information regarding these benefits, SF PPLO and Pregnancy Disability Leave information. Please note the short term disability Information is for 2019 and we will be updating it with 2020 information soon to include the state mandated change to the PFL benefit which increases the number of weeks from 6 to 8 weeks effective July 1, 2020.

https://myusf.usfca.edu/human-resources/benefits/disability-insurance

https://myusf.usfca.edu/node/424393

https://myusf.usfca.edu/human-resources/benefits/time-away/pregnancy-disability-leave-cpdl

Family Medical Leave Act & California Family Rights Act

Provided the Adjunct has an active teaching assignment, and if they have worked 1250 hours in the past 12 months, they are eligible to apply for FMLA and CFRA. FMLA and CFRA offer job and benefit protection, for those that need to take Leave to care for a sick family member, bond with new child, or because of their own illness. FMLA/CFRA runs for 12 weeks, and can be taken intermittently. Medical certification is required.