Memorandum

COVID-19 Special Faculty and Staff Leave Provisions

The University of North Carolina System has established new guidelines for leave provisions related to COVID-19. The guidelines are below and each takes effect July 1, 2020.

Paid Administrative Leave Compensation Change for Permanent Employees
The UNC System will reduce the pay rate for employees approved to take paid administrative leave from two-thirds of their regular pay to one-third. The new pay rate will apply to all qualifying reasons for paid administrative leave except elder care. Regardless of the reason for using the leave, employees may continue to interchangeably use their accrued sick leave, annual leave, comp time and bonus leave to receive 100 percent of their pay.

Paid Administrative Leave Elder Care Exception

• Employees can request paid administrative leave to provide elder care due to the closing of an elder care facility for reasons related to COVID-19.
• Employees who are approved to take paid administrative leave for that reason will continue to receive two-thirds of their pay for the scheduled time they are unavailable to work. The compensation rules and eligibility requirements for elder care are equivalent to those applied to child care under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).
• Employees may request the use of paid administrative leave for elder care for up to 12 weeks, depending on their eligibility under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
• Once the leave is exhausted, employees may receive paid administrative leave at one-third of their pay for scheduled hours they cannot work due to elder care.

Special COVID-19 Voluntary Shared Leave Bank
The new guidelines give chancellors at UNC System schools the discretion to establish special COVID-19 shared leave programs that are similar to the state’s voluntary shared leave program. Chancellor Woodson has approved the establishment of a special COVID-19 voluntary leave program at NC State.

NC State is still developing the program specifics. The university will implement this program sometime in July and will provide more information soon.

Additional Information
If you have general questions regarding the new COVID-19-related leave provisions, please contact your college, division or unit HR representative or University Human Resources.

For more COVID-19 guidelines and resources, visit the HR website. For additional university-related COVID-19 updates, information and resources, go to NC State’s COVID-19 Response site.