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Family Leave

​​Family Leave

Family Leave helps employees balance their work and family responsibilities by allowing them to take reasonable unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons. It also seeks to accommodate the legitimate interests of employers and promote equal employment opportunity for men and women.

The federal Family and Medical Leave Act and the California Family Rights Act give eligible employees certain rights.

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The files linked from this page are PDFs and require Adobe Reader – get a free download.

 

 

New child

You're entitled to a one year unpaid, job-protected leave of absence for birth or adoption. You may use leave credits to receive pay for some or all of the time off.

For birth, you can also use

 

 

Medical Leave

You're entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year. This applies when you care for

 

  • a parent, spouse, or child who is seriously ill
  • your own serious illness.

 

What happens to my health, dental, and vision benefits while I'm on family and medical leave?

The law requires the employer to continue making the normal contributions to your health, dental, and vision benefits while you're on family and medical leave.

 

Extended unpaid leave of absence

Departments may grant an unpaid leave of absence for up to one year for various reasons such as caring for a new child, family crises, or family activities. Such leave may be extended when unusual circumstances warrant it.  Check with your personnel office if contemplating using such leave.

 

Military caregiver leave

If you care for a family service member with a serious illness or injury received in the line of active duty, you're entitled to 26 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year.

  • The service member must be a current member of the Armed Forces, Guard, or Reserves, or on temporary disability retirement. Former members and those on permanent disability aren't covered.
  • You must be the service members parent, spouse, child, or next of kin. Parents-in-law are not eligible.
  • The 26 weeks is not in addition to the 12 weeks you'd receive to treat an illness. You get a total of 26 weeks.

 

More information on military caregiver leave - PDF | More information on military caregiver leave - Text Only (RTF)

 

Use the forms linked below to claim your leave rights.

 

Qualifying exigency leave

You're entitled to 12 weeks of leave when a family National Guard or State Reserve member is called to duty by the federal government. You can claim qualifying exigency leave for:

 

  • deployment on short notice - meaning less than seven days notice
  • military events, ceremonies, or programs related to active duty
  • childcare or school activities
  • financial or legal appointments
  • counseling
  • rest and recuperation
  • post-deployment activities such as arrival ceremonies and reintegration briefings
  • additional activities agreed upon by your employer

 

More information on qualifying exigency leave - PDF | More information on qualifying exigency leave - Text Only (RTF)

 

Use the forms linked below to claim your leave rights.

 

Family Leave Forms

 

Forms for military caregiver leave and qualifying exigency leave

  Updated: 7/2/2013
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