Last year, in a milestone for UC, the Council of Chancellors unanimously approved a recommendation for a new program providing pay for UC employees who take leave from work for family care and bonding. As Interim Vice President of Systemwide Human Resources Cheryl Lloyd said at the time, “offering paid family leave adds the University of California to the list of other top employers that recognize how important it is to have family friendly policies and practices to recruit and retain the best.”
Under the proposed Pay for Family Care and Bonding program, effective July 1, 2021, employees who take approved leave to care for a seriously ill family member or bond with a new child will be eligible to receive up to 70% of their wages for up to eight weeks.
Details of the new program are going through UC’s official review process to ensure that management, staff, faculty and other academic appointees have the opportunity to provide feedback. This program is subject to collective bargaining for represented employees.
Systemwide groups that include the Systemwide Advisory Council on the Status of Women (SACSW), the Council of University of California Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) and the Staff Advisors to the Regents have been advocating for this additional support for families for many years. The recommendation was developed by a cross-functional workgroup comprised of members representing Human Resources, Academic Personnel, UC Legal, staff representatives and leadership.
Details about the Pay for Family Care and Bonding program will be shared as soon as they are available, along with educational and training resources.