SDSU Research Foundation – COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave Policy

Issued March 23, 2020

The purpose of this policy is to provide short-term, emergency guidance regarding compensation of employees whose ability to work has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This policy is designed to be comparable to the California State University coded memorandum HR 2020-03, while also operating within the financial constraints and applicable sponsor guidelines associated with federal, state and private externally funded programs.

In designing this policy, we have prioritized the physical health and safety of employees first, maintaining the capacity and readiness of the research and scholarly enterprise second, and leveraging financial resources in an appropriate way to maintain institutional and individual program capacity upon returning to more normalized operations.

In accordance with the March 19, 2020 order by the Governor of the State of California that all residents shall stay in their homes, all non-essential employees are required to comply with the Temporary Telework policy located on the SDSU Research Foundation website at https://www.foundation.sdsu.edu/important_notices_coronavirus.html.

Effective March 17, 2020 and until further notice, all SDSURF benefit eligible, part-time, hourly casual and student employees may be granted up to 128 hours of paid administrative leave, if based on their PI’s and/or manager’s assessment, they meet the criteria of any of the categories detailed below; and subject to availability and allowability of funding.

Paid administrative leave may be used for employees who are unable to work (including remotely) due to one of the following circumstances:

1. Their own COVID-19 related illness or for a qualifying family member’s COVID-19 related illness.
2. COVID-19 related school or daycare closure requires the employee to stay at home with a child or dependent.
3. They have been directed by their supervisor or healthcare provider not to come to work for COVID-19 related. (Please note: Per CSU directive, students who are unable to work, and have not resigned their position in order to relocate back home, must be paid at a minimum through April 5, 2020.)

All administrative leave hours are subject to the following conditions:

1. Must be used by December 31, 2020 or the end date of the individual employee assignment, whichever occurs first, after which any remaining balance will expire.
2. May be used either before or after the employee uses other available leave accruals at the request of the employee and with approval of the supervisor and PI/Program Director.
3. Will be prorated based on the full-time equivalency of the current appointment.
4. Are not payable upon termination of employment.

This policy is applicable to all programs regardless of funding source (Federal or non-Federal). All leave will be charged directly to the source of funds of the employee’s current work assignment. For externally funded programs, specific funding agency restrictions or lack of funding may be considered as justification for exceptions to this policy. To request an exception, please submit through the link below by March 27, 2020.

SDSU Research Foundation COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave (Request for Exception)

This policy will be re-evaluated regularly as the current COVID-19 pandemic evolves and may be subject to change at any time.

Tracking:

Policy Issued – March 23, 2020