More details: FFCRA leave processes and drop-in Zoom sessions

May 29, 2020

(Editor's note: the following email was sent by the BEARS Region to their campus clients on 5/28/20. Similar messages are being sent by other BRS regions.)

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing today as a follow-up to the campus email from People & Culture on 5/28/20 which introduced the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) processes, forms, and leave codes now available in CalTime. 

As you know, FFCRA includes two (2) leave types, Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) and Expanded Family Medical Leave (EFML). FFCRA Leaves are in addition to Expanded Paid Administrative Leave (EPAL or PAL), the 128 hour allocation prorated by appointment percentage, also known as CV-19 Admin Leave. For more information on how all the leaves apply, see the Summary of Leave Types on the People and Culture COVID-19 Resources page, under the Leaves drop down. 

For employees that have exhausted FFCRA and EPAL, contact your HR Business Partner for more guidance. Please know that your BEARS Region HR Partners are prepared and waiting to consult with managers/supervisors to help your employees in using all COVID-19 leaves.

More details around specific processes that employees and their supervisors need to take to request and enter EPSL or EFML leaves, are shown in this process map, and are indicated below along with added details on how BRS supports these efforts.

  1. Manager/Supervisor reviews any leaves that their direct reports have already taken since March 1 and ensure that any leaves are correctly classified within the COVID-19 leave types.

  2. As appropriate, the employee completes the UC Employee Request Form for EPSL or EFML and sends the completed request form to manager via email or hard copy.

  3. Manager/supervisor reviews the request form and works with the employee to fill in any missing information regarding the request for both past (since March 1) and future COVID-19 leave(s).

  4. Manager/supervisor determines whether a retroactive adjustment needs to be made and if needed creates a manual timesheet(s) for any retroactive pay codes that need to be changed.

    1. Review this process to help describe the retroactive pay adjustment steps in more detail.

  5. Manager/supervisor then submits the completed leave request form, and if retroactive pay code adjustments are needed, manual timesheet(s) and attaches them to a ServiceNow ticket

  6. Your BEARS HR Partner will review the ServiceNow request and documents, and assist with determination and any next steps.

  7. If the employee is requesting EPSL for Reason #5 or EFML, your BEARS HR Partner will send the request to the People & Culture Benefits & Leave Team, who will contact the employee regarding the EFML determination and any next steps.

    1. In general, it’s anticipated that we will see longer than usual processing times for the Benefits & Leaves team due to the increased volume.  If the employee/supervisor has not heard back prior to the current payroll deadlines, the CalTime Administrative Leave with Pay code should continue to be used in the interim.

Lastly, our colleagues in People & Culture will be offering the following COVID-19 Leaves Drop-in Sessions which are open office hour sessions available to anyone at Berkeley, as a means to come and ask questions on requesting these COVID-19 related leaves, troubleshooting, etc. No registration needed; just join the Zoom call(s):

  • June 3 from 11:30PM - 12:15PM 

  • June 5 from 10:00AM - 10:45AM

  • June 9 from 3:30PM - 4:15PM

  • June 12 from 11:00AM - 11:45AM

Join Zoom Meeting link:

https://berkeley.zoom.us/j/96630977662

Meeting ID: 966 3097 7662

Dial by your location:

-669 219 2599 US (San Jose)

-669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

-877 853 5247 US Toll-free

-888 788 0099 US Toll-free

Please be sure to contact me, your BEARS HR Partner, or any member of our regional HR Team if you have further questions we can assist with.

In partnership,

Lori Tannyhill, Regional Director

BEARS Region