The CSU Family Medical Leave (FML) provides employees with unpaid leave time for up to twelve (12) weeks to care for self or eligible family members. The CSU FML incorporates both the Federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and California Family Rights Act (CFRA) leave entitlements and run concurrently. CSU FML does not track concurrently with the California Pregnancy Disability Leave. All full-time and part-time employees employed for at least one academic year or 12 months (not necessarily continuously) preceding the request for FML are eligible. This includes employment at all CSU campuses as well as for the State. Student employees are eligible for CSU FML but must be employed at least one year and must have worked 1,250 hours in the 12 months preceding the leave.
CSU FML is extended to employees who either become seriously ill, or need to care for a newborn or a child placed in the home through adoption or foster care, or need to be away from work to care for an ill family member. Eligible family members under CSU FML include a child, parent, spouse or a registered domestic partner. To initiate or inquire about FML eligibility please complete the Application for Leave of Absence and submit it to Sandy Lang, Benefits & Workers Comp Specialist, Human Resources.
Employees who request CSU FML leave for themselves are required to exhaust existing sick and vacation leave credits, CTO and personal holiday prior to being placed on an unpaid FML leave. Employees who request FML leave to care for a family member must exhaust existing personal holiday, CTO and vacation credits. Existing sick leave credits may be used by mutual agreement as defined in the CSU leave policy and appropriate collective bargaining agreement.
While on paid CSU FML, benefit premiums, including health, dental, vision, group life and long term disability continue to be paid by the CSU without a lapse in coverage. During periods of unpaid CSU FML, only health, dental and vision premiums will continue to be paid by the CSU.
Qualifying reasons for FML:
- Employee’s own serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his/her job.
- Birth of child and to care for the newborn child.
- Placement of a a child through adoption or foster care with employee.
- Care for the employee’s spouse, registered domestic partner, or parent with a serious health condition.
- Qualifying Military Exigency Leave (MEL) arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, registered domestic partner, son, daughter, or parent is on active military duty in the National Guard or Reserve, or has been called to active duty in the National guard or Reserve in a “contingency” military operation.
- Service Member Care Leave (SMCL) for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness, if the employee is the spouse, registered domestic partner, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin of the service member.
For additional information, please refer to the Application for Leave of Absence, CSU Channel Islands Family Medical Leave (FML) Policy flyer, the U.S. Department of Labor Employee Rights and Responsibilities Under the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Certification of Health Care Provider form.
Kim Sones, Workers Compensation & HR Specialist
Human Resources
805-437-2623
Email address: kim.sones@csuci.edu