UCLA

Article 23
Eligibility

1. Postdoctoral Scholars are eligible for paid sick leave of up to twelve days per twelve-month appointment period.
2. Postdoctoral Scholars with appointments of less than twelve months are eligible for sick leave in proportion to the appointment period; for example, a Postdoctoral Scholar with a six-month appointment is eligible for up to six days of sick leave.
3. A Postdoctoral Scholar who is reemployed after a separation from employment of less than fifteen (15) calendar days shall have all sick leave from prior service reinstated. If the separation from employment lasted more than fifteen (15) calendar days but less than six (6) months, not more than ten (10) work days of sick leave shall be reinstated. If the separation lasted for six (6) months (180 days) or more, sick leave shall not be reinstated. A Postdoctoral Scholar who is reemployed from layoff status shall have all sick leave reinstated.

Use of Sick Leave

1. Unused sick leave will be carried forward to subsequent eligible appointments at the University of California.
2. Sick leave shall be used in keeping with normally approved purposes, including personal illness; medical appointments; childbearing; disability; and medical appointments of, illness of, or bereavement for a postdoctoral scholar’s child, parent, spouse, domestic partner, sibling, grandparent or grandchild.
3. Use of sick leave is recorded in one-day increments by the postdoctoral scholar’s department. Approved absences of less than one full day do not require the use of sick leave.

Article 34
General Provisions

1. A Postdoctoral Scholar unable to perform the normal duties of her/his job due to a work incurred illness or injury compensable under the California Workers’ Compensation Act may be granted leave for the duration of a verified disability but not to exceed twelve (12) months or the end date of the appointment, whichever comes earlier.
2. Work-Incurred Injury or Illness Leave runs concurrently with Family Medical Leave.
3. An approved leave of absence for work-incurred illnesses or injuries shall not be considered a break in service.
4. Postdoctoral Scholars who are unable to work due to a work-incurred injury or illness compensable under the California Workers’ Compensation Act are eligible to use sick leave and personal time off as provided below. When sick leave is exhausted and when Postdoctoral Scholars are still unable to work because of such illness or injury, Postdoctoral Scholar may be placed on a leave without pay as provided below.
5. A Postdoctoral Scholar shall notify her/his supervisor of the need for leave for a work incurred injury or illness, or any extension of such leave, as soon as practicable after the need for such leave or extension is known. This notification shall include written medical certification of the need for such leave or extension, and the anticipated return to work date.
6. Leave for a work-incurred injury does not continue beyond the Postdoctoral Scholar’s established appointment period.

For more information on Workers Compensation, please visit the website of UCLA Insurance & Risk Management.

Article 17
General Conditions

1. Eligibility for pay status during time off is determined by the funding agency. Unless the extramural funding agency agreements contain provisions to the contrary, “Postdoctoral Scholars – Fellow” and “Postdoctoral Scholars – Paid Direct” are eligible to take time off in accordance with these provisions.
2. Postdoctoral Scholars with a 100%, 12-month appointment are eligible to use up to twenty four (24) work days of personal time off with pay at any time within each 12-month appointment period.
3. Personal time off not used within the 12-month period is not carried over into a subsequent appointment year. Personal time off not used when the Postdoctoral Scholar’s appointment concludes, including when a Postdoctoral Scholar leaves the appointment prior to the established appointment end date, remains with the University.
4. Use of personal time off is recorded in one-day increments by the postdoctoral scholar’s department. Approved absences of less than a day do not require the use of personal time off.

Requesting And Using Time Off

1. Use of time off requires the advance approval of the University.a. A Postdoctoral Scholar shall submit requests for personal time off to their supervisor in accordance with the provisions below. When making such requests, Postdoctoral Scholars should attempt to request time off to minimize the effect on their research and progress.b. The University may deny requests for personal time off based on operational needs, in accordance with the provisions below.c. The University shall not unreasonably deny a Postdoctoral Scholar’s request for personal time off.
2. Postdoctoral Scholars are expected to communicate with the supervisor to request personal time off as soon as the need for the time off becomes known. The request must include the information needed by the supervisor to assess the operational impact of the leave.
3. If the supervisor requires that the Postdoctoral Scholar’s request be made in writing, or if the Postdoctoral Scholar submits the request in writing, the supervisor’s response will be made in writing. The supervisor should respond to the request for personal time off as soon as practicable.

As personal time off and sick leave is not accrued in EDB, departments must track time internally.

To track individual Postdoctoral Scholar personal time off and sick leave, you may use the following optional monthly time off report:

Postdoctoral Scholar Monthly Time Sheet

When a Postdoctoral Scholar switches into a another staff or academic title code, sick leave carries forward into her/his new position. As sick leave for a Postdoctoral Scholar is not accrued in the PPS system, the departmental administrator would need to manually input the Postdoctoral Schola’s sick leave accrual by the time the person will begin their new position.

When a person transfers into a Postdoctoral Scholar title from a staff title, the department administrator would leave the sick time in the PPS system.

Article 12
Subject to the provisions of Article 12, leaves of absence may be with or without pay, may be for medical purposes and/or non-medical reasons, and are subject to the approval of the University. Approved leaves do not continue beyond the predetermined end date of the Postdoctoral Scholar’s appointment.

1. Postdoctoral Scholars are eligible for family care/medical leave, pregnancy disability leave, personal leave of absence without pay, bereavement leave, jury duty, military leave, and military
   spouse/domestic partner leave as provided in Article 12. Leaves of absence for “Postdoctoral Scholars – Fellow” and “Postdoctoral Scholars – Paid Direct” are subject to the requirements of the Postdoctoral Scholar’s extramural funding.
2. An approved leave without pay is not considered a break in service.
3. Requests For Leave – Except as provided under Section B.3, Family Care/Medical Leave Notification, and Sections I.8. Military Caregiver Leave, Section J.1.j. Qualifying Exigency Leave, and Section K.1.c. Military Spouse/Domestic Partner Leave requests for leaves of absence and extensions, with or without pay, shall be submitted in writing to the University. Such requests shall be submitted sufficiently in advance of the requested leave date to provide the University time to assess the operational impact of granting the request. All requests for leaves of absence shall contain the requested beginning and end date of the leave, and any additional information as required.
4. Duration – The start date of the leave, the terms of the leave and the date of return from the leave are determined when the leave is granted. The University shall provide the Postdoctoral Scholar with written confirmation of such dates in accordance with the provisions of this Article

Article 8

1. Official holidays are those holidays as set forth annually in the University Calendar. Unless the University designates an alternate day, when a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed as the holiday; and when a holiday falls on Sunday, the following Monday is observed as the holiday.
2. Compensation For Holidays Worked: When operational needs require, the supervisor may schedule Postdoctoral Scholars to work on University holidays. In such instance(s), Postdoctoral Scholars shall receive an alternate day off for each holiday worked. The Postdoctoral Scholar may request specific dates to be used as alternate days off. The supervisor shall not unreasonably deny such requests.
3. Religious Observance: A Postdoctoral Scholar may observe special or religious holidays by using personal time off, as described in Article 17 or by working an alternate day, if the University determines that work schedules permit. The supervisor shall not unreasonably deny such requests.

“Postdoctoral Scholars – Employee” contribute to the University of California Defined Contribution Plan as Safe Harbor participants and are not eligible for the University of California Retirement Plan. “Postdoctoral Scholars – Fellow” and “Postdoctoral Scholars – Paid Direct” are not eligible for either plan.

Note: Postdoctoral scholars who were appointed under the grandfathered Postgraduate Researcher title and who qualify for career benefits will continue their membership in the UC Retirement System.

1. Postdoctoral Scholar-Fellows (title code 3253) and Paid Directs (title code 3254) are ineligible for the UC-sponsored retirement plans unless Postdoctoral Scholar-Employee appointments (title code 3252, 3255, and 3256) are held concurrently to supplement fellowship funding. Fellowship funding is considered an award rather than compensation, and thus cannot be used towards contributions to these plans.
2. Postdoctoral Scholars, as Safe Harbor participants, must contribute 7.5% of gross salary to the University of California Defined Contribution Plan (DCP), in lieu of Social Security taxes. If no investment choice is made, contributions to DCP are automatically invested in the UC Savings Fund. Non-resident aliens for tax purposes who are in the U.S. on an F-1 or J-1 visa are exempt from contributing to DCP.
3. Although Postdoctoral Scholars may not participate in the University of California Retirement Plan (UCRP), eligible Postdoctoral Scholars may enroll in the Voluntary UC Retirement Savings Program (401(A) DCP After-Tax Account, Tax-Deferred 403(b) Plan, 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan). For more information about these plans, visit the myUCretirement website or call Fidelity Retirement Services at (866) 682-7787.
4. Contributions to the 403(b), 457(b) and/or DC Plans stop with the last paycheck. If the balance in a plan is at least $2,000, the money can remain in the plan, continuing to take advantage of the benefits of UC’s Retirement Savings Program. If there is less than $2,000 in a plan, it can be paid directly to the Postdoctoral Scholar at the address of record, or rolled over to an IRA custodian in an account maintained for the Postdoctoral Scholar.

Standard Insurance Company provides basic life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage. Eligible employees are automatically covered by the plan, which is paid for by UC. The plan includes medical evacuation and repatriation of remains for international postdoctoral scholars.

1. Short-Term Disability Insurance – Short-Term disability insurance is automatically provided to eligible Postdoctoral Scholars. The current University-paid Short-Term Disability Plan will be 70% of the Postdoctoral Scholar’s pre-disability monthly earnings for purposes of calculating benefits during the term of the short term disability, subject to applicable offsets.
2. Voluntary Long-Term Disability Insurance– Eligible Postdoctoral Scholars may purchase Optional long-term disability insurance. This optional coverage augments the Short-Term Disability Insurance referenced above, and provides a disability benefit after the short-term benefit ends.