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Catastrophic leave sharing program

Objective

One objective of Human Resources is to develop systemwide policies and local programs that foster a positive workplace environment. The Catastrophic Leave Sharing Program enhances team spirit by giving employees the opportunity to voluntarily donate accrued vacation leave in support of colleagues who have exhausted their paid leave balances due to their own serious illness/injury or in caring for a seriously ill/injured family member. Such donations ensure salary continuation during needed leave.

This leave sharing program is available for all eligible staff and academic personnel across fund sources, divisions and departments. Individual catastrophic leave accounts are not credited with vacation leave balances that exceed the amount needed to ensure continuation of the employee's regular salary during the employee's approved catastrophic leave. For simplicity and audit purposes, accrued vacation credits shall be transferred hour for hour, regardless of differing pay scales. All donations are voluntary and confidential.

Definitions

Catastrophic illness or injury is defined as a serious illness or injury that is expected to incapacitate the employee or the employee's family member and which creates a financial hardship to the employee due to exhausted leave credits, i.e., sick leave, vacation and compensatory time off (CTO).

Eligible employee includes staff and academic personnel who accrue vacation leave, are eligble to use sick leave in accordance with applicable policy or collective bargaining agreement, and who have passed the waiting period to use vacation if a waiting period is required by the applicable policy or collective bargaining agreement

Eligible Family Member includes employee's spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent or grandchild; in laws and step-relatives in these relationships; any other person residing in the employee's household for whom there is a personal obligation.

Eligible leave credits for donation is limited to vacation credits. Sick leave and CTO credits may not be donated.

Procedures

  1. Employee submits written request to the department chairperson or department head. If employee, due to incapacitation, is unable to make the request, a representative may submit the request on the employee's behalf.

    The employee must provide appropriate medical verification of the illness/injury to the department in order to receive donated leave credits.

    An eligible employee will have donated time credited to her/his account as an hour-for-hour basis as needed. The total amount of donated leave may not exceed an amount sufficient to ensure the continuance of regular compensation. An employee who receives donated time shall first use any leave credits she/he accrues prior to using donated time gained through this program.

  2. Department chairperson or department head reviews the request and, prior to the final decision, consults with Labor Relations.

  3. Employee and Labor Relations discusses the information provided by the employee and provides information about the program; including sample letters (Exhibits, A, B, & C)

     A.  Each donation must be a minimum of 8 hours.
     B.  Each donation must be in whole increments. 
     C.  Once credited and processed by UC Davis Health System Payroll, donations are irrevocable. 
     D.  Hours collected will be held in the department and credited to the leave account on an as needed basis. 

  4. Department chairperson/department head or designee forwards a completed health system Leave of Absence form and a copy of the information provided by the employee to the Labor Relations office.

  5. Department chairperson/department head or designee collects donated leave and verifies the donors' vacation leave balances with health system payroll. The donation forms and the summary memo (Exhibit C) are forwarded to the health system payroll office for processing.

  6. The department maintains records regarding employee donations, usage rates and related accounting information. It is the department's responsibility to notify donors of subsequent adjustments to their vacation leave balances.

Further Information

The Catastrophic Leaving-Sharing Program is not subject to the grievance policy or contract article applicable to the employee.

Questions about this program should be forwarded to the health system Labor Relations office at (916) 734-3362. Any questions about Benefits and/or Disability Insurance should be forwarded to the UC Davis Health System Benefits office at (916) 734-8099.

References

Accounting Manual (Chapter P-196-13.5)

UCOP Delegation DA 2085, dated 6-12-97