The University of California improves the lives of people in California and around the world through world-class educational opportunities, groundbreaking research, top-rated health care and agricultural expertise. As the state’s third-largest employer, we are committed to supporting the dedicated faculty, staff and academic appointees who bring our mission to life.
Despite challenging times for California’s budget, 2024 has seen UC become an even better place to work — with increased pay for health care workers, expanded leave options and new UC-paid benefits.
Here’s what we’ve accomplished so far this year:
Jan. 1, 2024: UC leave options expand to include time off for reproductive loss
To ensure they have the flexibility they need when they need it, eligible employees may now take up to five days of leave following their own reproductive loss or a loss experienced by their partner.
Feb. 20, 2024: UC issues new anti-discrimination policy and establishes Systemwide Office of Civil Rights
UC President Michael V. Drake shared two important milestones in the UC community’s work to create a safer, more welcoming learning, working, and living environment for all: a new Presidential Policy on Anti-Discrimination and UC’s first Systemwide Office of Civil Rights.
April 1, 2024: UC introduces employer-paid identity theft protection for faculty, staff and retirees
To demonstrate UC’s commitment to our community’s well-being and security, we launched a University-paid Identity Theft Protection Program for all benefit-eligible faculty, staff, retirees, and dependent children up to age 18.
May 31, 2024: Expanded paid sick leave approved for UC employees
To further support work-life balance for staff and academic personnel, UC updated its leave policies to expand eligibility for paid sick leave. Starting Jan. 1, 2025, part-time employees will be able to access paid sick leave and employees will be able to use paid sick leave under expanded eligible circumstances.
June 1, 2024: UC increases minimum wage for designated health care employees
Reflecting our commitment to fair and competitive employee pay, UC increased the minimum hourly wage for health care workers to $23/hour effective June 1, 2024. We plan to increase this to $24/hour in June 2025 and $25/hour in June 2026 with additional increases thereafter. We have also proposed increasing the minimum wage for all AFSCME-represented employees to $25/hour by July 1, 2025.
The benefits of belonging
UC’s exceptional faculty, staff and academic appointees join our community in large part because of our shared belief in the power of education, research and public service to transform lives. Our people make UC great, and UC works hard to be a good employer by offering attractive compensation, excellent health and retirement benefits, work-life balance, job stability, professional growth, lifelong careers, and mobility among attractive California locations.
As a reminder, here are some of the outstanding benefits of being a member of the UC community:
- Rare choice of pension or 401k-style retirement plans with generous UC contributions
- Choice of quality HMO or PPO medical plans with premium rates scaled to match an employee’s salary, ensuring that all employees have access to health care
- Benefits for domestic partners
- Health and home benefits fully paid by UC, including:
- Tax savings and extra protection at UC group rates, including:
- Health and dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSA)
- Supplemental life and disability
- Pets, legal, auto and home
- Accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity and AD&D
To learn more about the benefits of working at UC, visit UCnet.