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Paid Administrative Leave FAQ

For what period of time and reasons can an employee or student worker receive paid administrative leave?

Due to COVID-19, the UNC System has temporarily granted paid administrative leave for the period of March 16 to March 31, 2020 for the following reasons:

  • Childcare or eldercare needs due to COVID-19-related facility closings.
  • Sickness due to symptoms of a cold, flu or COVID-19.
  • Caring for a dependent with symptoms of a cold, flu or COVID-19.
  • Cannot work remotely because their position duties cannot be performed remotely and reasonable alternate work is not feasible or productive.
  • The employee is high risk for COVID-19 infection (added by UNC-System 3/19/20).
  • Public health officials have identified people as high-risk for contracting COVID-19 if they meet any of the following criteria:
    • Are over 65 years of age.
    • Have underlying health conditions, including heart disease, lung disease or diabetes.
    • Have weakened immune systems.

Who is eligible to receive paid administrative leave?

The following employees are eligible for paid administrative leave:

  • Permanent employees (Full-Time and Part-Time).
  • Temporary employees.
  • Student Worker/Work-Study
  • Graduate students
  • Postdocs.

Do we use the Google PAL form for students and temps as well? Or just leave earning?

The PAL form should be used for all employees who are eligible for paid administrative leave–temps, student workers, permanent, post doc, etc. Non-exempt and exempt.

Can the form only be initiated by the employee?

No, supervisors, leave coordinators or other designated department employees can also submit the form. The form will capture the email address of the person submitting the information, so you will know who entered the request for paid administrative leave.

For SHRA employees given the “too much” and “too little” time, wouldn’t it be easier to do weekly based on the weekly time calendar?

This will not be tied to any FLSA requirements, so the normal too much or too little will not apply. This Form will be for UNC System PAL reporting purposes.

What guidance can we give the supervisors when they receive this form? How are they going to approve the administrative leave?

Leave coordinators will need to receive written verification from a supervisor. The ideal timeline would be after the employee submits form, next step contact supervisor to confirm approval, leave coordinator signs off on spreadsheet to keep track of approval. This doesn’t have to be done daily or per instance but would recommend not going longer than a week without submitting approval to the supervisor.

How will student workers and temporary employees be paid?

Please refer to our process for paying temps and student workers.

Where is the funding coming from to pay for Paid Administrative Leave for receipt supported temps/student workers?

To date, funding is expected to come from the current sources of funds through which employees, temporary employees and student workers are paid, including receipt supported units, contracts and grants (if permissible by the contracting agency).