With calendar year 2020 coming to a close, it’s important that all employees understand COVID-related paid leave options going into 2021. The following information applies to employees outside of UI Healthcare.

The COVID-related paid leaves created by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) in March 2020 (Emergency FMLA and Emergency Paid Sick Leave) expire on December 31, 2020.  However, the Board of Regents’ emergency declaration issued March 18, 2020, currently remains in effect.  The Regents authorized the following emergency measures related to paid leave:

• An additional 80 hours (prorated for part-time employees) of paid sick leave for needs related to COVID-19, available to all employees including bi-weekly employees,
• Removal of the 40-hour annual cap on the use of Family Caregiving Leave for needs related to COVID-19, and
• Use of catastrophic leave donations for COVID-19 needs.

These Board of Regents emergency provisions remain in effect going into 2021, until such time as the Board of Regents ends the emergency declaration.  For employees who have not already exhausted the Board of Regents paid sick leave, those hours will be the first paid leave hours utilized to cover absences in 2021 related to COVID-19.  After the Board of Regents paid sick leave is exhausted, then the employee would utilize their existing paid leave accruals (sick leave and/or vacation).  After an employee exhausts their existing paid leave accruals, then eligible employees would be able to apply for catastrophic leave donations.

In addition, regular Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provisions still apply.  Eligible employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of protected leave per calendar year due to their own serious health condition or to care for a family member who has a serious health condition. An employee’s sick leave and vacation accruals may be used in conjunction with approved FMLA. Regular FMLA is not available for absences related to the care of minor dependents whose school or childcare provider is closed or engaged in virtual/hybrid learning due to COVID-19.

Further information about paid leave related to COVID-19, including scenarios to illustrate the use of paid leave for various types of employees, is available on the Faculty and Staff Disability Services website at https://hr.uiowa.edu/support/faculty-and-staff-disability-services/covid-19-leave-absence-information-and-resources.

Cheryl Reardon, chief HR officer and associate vice president
Kevin Kregel, interim executive vice president and provost