EVPFA Message on New Laws About Paid Leave Options Resulting From COVID-19 Response
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 3, 2020) — University of Kentucky Executive Vice President Eric N. Monday shared information with main campus employees about paid leave options as the result of the response to COVID-19. The message is below.
Dear Colleagues,
As we continue to examine ways to support our employees during our COVID-19 response, some additional leave options are available beginning April 1.
Under new federal laws, two options may be available if you are unable to work or telework:
Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act – This act provides up to 12 weeks of leave, if you are unable to work or telework because you are caring for a child under 18 whose school or child care provider has closed due to COVID-19.
Under this expansion of Family Medical Leave, the first two weeks of leave are unpaid. However, you can use accrued paid leave balances (vacation or sick leave) or apply for Emergency Paid Sick Leave during this time.
After the first two weeks, you would receive two-thirds of your normal salary and could continue to use accrued leaves to make up the remaining one-third of your salary.
You must have worked at UK for at least 30 days to qualify for this leave. Full-time and part-time employees qualify.
You can fill out the Family and Medical Leave request form, or contact Campus Leave Administration.
Campus employees can call (859) 323-4259 or (859) 323-0256 for more information.
Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act – This act provides up to two weeks of paid leave. You can receive your full rate of pay for two weeks if you are:
- Under a government quarantine or isolation order
- Advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine
- Seeking a medical diagnosis after experiencing symptoms of COVID-19
- Caring for someone who is under a government quarantine or isolation order, or who is advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine
- Caring for a child under 18 whose school or child care provider is closed due to COVID-19
There is no length-of-service requirement to qualify for this leave. Full-time and part-time employees qualify.
You can fill out a request for Emergency Paid Sick Leave here.
The federal laws allow for exemptions for health care workers and first responders, whose work we all rely on in our current global health pandemic. Accordingly, these leaves are not applicable to UK Police or UK HealthCare employees.
If you have questions about any of these new leave options, please contact our HR Employee Relations team at (859) 257-8758.
For more information, visit the UK Human Resources website.
Eric N. Monday
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.