Its Cold and Flu Season… Things to know about Sick Leave

by Annie Ngo, Contract & Evaluation Liaison

Full-Time Faculty accrue one (1) day of sick leave for every calendar month of contracted service; 10 days per year for standard contracts and 11 days per year for extended contracts. Faculty also earn sick leave for non-contractual (e.g., overload or intersession) assignments. The accrual rate is 1/3 of a day (2 hours) of sick leave for every Lecture Hour Equivalent (LHE) worked during these assignments. Unused sick leave accumulates year to year, providing a valuable resource if extended illness arises. To check your sick leave balance: Go into Workday, choose Time in the Menu and go to View “Time Off Balance”.

To use your sick leave, notify your dean regarding absences as soon as possible. Planned or scheduled absences should be communicated in advance. Sick leave can be used for personal illness, injury, or situations qualifying under district policies, ensuring your health and well-being are prioritized. In cases of personal necessity, faculty may use up to six (6) days of earned sick leave in any contract year (see F.10.0 page 63 for the list of cases). For absences exceeding five (5) days, a verification from a physician or similar professional is required.

Sick leave is deducted in half-day increments, with faculty recording any absences into Workday.

If you are unable to perform any contractual duties during a full work day, one (1) day of sick leave will be charged (8 hours per day).
If you complete part of your scheduled duties but not a full day, a half-day (4 hours) of sick leave will be charged.
Please note that for "in-person" classes, you cannot change the modality due to illness (i.e. move your class online or to Zoom). If you cannot be in class, you must take the absence.

Unused sick leave may be carried over to future years. If you transfer to another California public educational employer, your sick leave balance can be transferred to your new institution.

According to California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) policies, unused sick leave may be converted to service credit at retirement. Faculty should confirm their balance with the district and CalSTRS to ensure accurate reporting prior to retirement.

We hope this summary clarifies your sick leave benefits and how deductions work for full and partial absences. Should you have further questions, consult the contract or reach out to the FA leadership team.