Employee Leave Rights and Benefits During COVID-19

The District will provide SRJC employee leave rights and benefits to which District employees may be entitled under applicable federal, state, or local laws. District employees have multiple leave allocations that may be available due to COVID-19, including, but not limited to:

  • Education Code-granted sick leave
  • Labor Code-supplemental paid sick leave (Senate Bill 114, see below for more information)
  • Paid Sick Leave pursuant to the Healthy Workplace, Healthy Families Act of 2014 (Applicable to Short-Term, Non-Continuing (STNC), Professional Expert, and Student Employees)
  • Accrued vacation leave
  • Personal Necessity Leave
  • Family Medical Leave Act/California Family Rights Act Leave
  • Extended Illness Leave
  • Compensatory time
  • Board-granted leave of absence
  • Workers’ Compensation (see below for more information)

All leaves paid or unpaid, for which classified professionals and faculty are eligible are listed in the appropriate bargaining agreements. Information by current agreement is available for employees pursuant to your job classification as follows:

In accordance with District Board Policy 2.2P, “Management Team Guidelines and Procedures,” educational administrators follow the leave provisions outlined in the AFA agreement and Classified Administrators, supervisors, and confidential employees follow the leave provisions outlined in the SEIU agreement.

For additional information or questions related to COVID-19 related leave of absences not related to workers’ compensation, please contact Linda Jay at ljay@santarosa.edu.

Additional information regarding employee benefits because of COVID-19 can be found in the following District policies:

Sonoma County Junior College District’s Policy (2.7) and Procedure (2.7P) Against Harassment and Discrimination. Sonoma County Junior College District’s Reasonable Accommodation for Employees Policy (4.20) and Procedure (4.20P)

Sonoma County Junior College District’s Leave of Absence Board Policy (4.8), see Section VIII.

 

Additional Questions Regarding COVID-Related Leaves

  • FAQ for COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (Senate Bill 114)

    California Senate Bill 114 (“SB 114”) and Assembly Bill 152, codified at Labor Code section 248.6, provides up to 80 hours COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (“SPSL”) to employees who are unable to work or telework (work remotely) for specified qualifying reasons related to COVID-19. This new leave entitlement is retroactive to January 1, 2022, and has been extended from September 30, 2022 to December 31, 2022.

    1. What are the qualifying reasons an employee may take COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (“COVID-19 SPSL”) under SB 114 and AB 152?

    The employee must be unable to work or telework due to one of the following qualifying reasons:

    • Vaccine-Related: The employee is attending a vaccine or booster appointment for themselves or a family member* or cannot work or telework because they have vaccine--related symptoms or are caring for a family member with vaccine-related symptoms. An employer may limit an employee to 24 hours or 3 days of leave for each vaccination or booster appointment and any consequent side effects, unless a health care provider verifies that more recovery time is needed.
    • Caring for Yourself: The employee is subject to quarantine or isolation period related to COVID- 19 as defined by an order or guidance of the California Department of Public Health, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or a local public health officer with jurisdiction over the workplace; has been advised by a healthcare provider to quarantine; or is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis.
    • Caring for a Family Member*: The employee is caring for a family member who is subject to a COVID-19 quarantine or isolation period or has been advised by a healthcare provider to quarantine due to COVID-19, or is caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed or unavailable due to COVID-19 on the premises.
    • The employee tests positive for COVID-19
    • The employee is caring for a family member* who tested positive for COVID-19.

    2.  How much will I be compensated during the COVID-19 SPSL?

    Employees will be paid their regular rate of compensation. 

    3.   How do employees utilize COVID-19 SPSL?

    Employees are entitled to use COVID-19 SPSL upon verbal or written request before use of other paid or unpaid leave, subject to limits and documentation specified in the Labor Code.

    4. What is the effective period of COVID-19 SPSL?  

    SB 114 is effective February 19, 2022, and retroactive to January 1, 2022 (contact Human Resources to request retroactive application of COVID-19 SPSL).  SB 114 expired on September 30, 2022, and AB 152 extended COVID-19 SPSL through December 31, 2022. Employees taking COVID-19 SPSL on December 31, 2022, will be permitted to take the full amount of leave to which they are entitled, notwithstanding the expiration of AB 152. 

    If you have any questions, please contact Linda Jay in Human Resources at (707) 527-4817 or ljay@santarosa.edu.

    5.  Who is eligible for COVID-19 SPSL?

    Employees who are unable to work or telework for one or more of the above-listed qualifying reasons (see FAQ #1).

    6.   How much COVID-19 SPSL is an employee eligible to take? 

    Full-time employees are eligible for COVID-19 SPSL for qualifying reasons (a)-(c), above is up to 40 hours, and COVID-19 SPSL-Positive Test for qualifying reasons (a)-(e), above provides an additional 40 hours, up to 80 hours of COVID-19 SPSL, subject to limits and documentation specified in the Labor Code. 

    Part-time employees are eligible for the number of hours they are normally scheduled to work over two weeks, if they have a “normal weekly schedule,” or as specified in the Labor Code for employees with variable schedules.

    Note: COVID-19 SPSL is in addition to Paid Sick Days provided to eligible Short-Term, Non-Continuing (STNC), Professional Expert, and Student Employees under the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act. 

    7. What are the qualifying reasons an employee may take COVID-19 PT-Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (“PT-COVID-19 SPSL” – Positive Test) under SB 114 and AB 152?

    The employee tests positive for COVID-19. The employee’s “family member” for whom the employee is providing care tests positive for COVID-19.

  • Workers Compensation for COVID-Related Illness

    If an employee is not a remote worker, has worked at a SRJC location or worksite, and believes they may have contracted COVID-19 at work, they may be eligible for workers’ compensation disability benefits related to their illness. For additional information regarding workers’ compensation leave benefits, please contact Robin McHale at ehsweb@santarosa.edu.