UW COVID-19 Leave Extended through May 15

UW COVID-19 Leave Extended through May 15 UW COVID-19 leave, for team members who qualify, has been extended through May 15. The UW COVID-19 leave and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) leave are different programs that are running at the same time with the UW leave available through May 15, 2020 and the federal programs continuing until December 31, 2020. Below is general information, as well as information on the required leave request form. If you have specific questions regarding your situation, please reach out to Paula (paula.gates@wisc.edu) or Ann (ann.bradshaw@wisc.edu).   Where can I find information about my emergency leave options due to COVID-19?

•  UW COVID-19 Leave-effective March 17 through May 15, 2020: https://kb.wisc.edu/ohr/policies/page.php?id=98958
• Federal FFCRA (Families First Coronavirus Response Act): https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/posters/FFCRA_Poster_WH1422_Non-Federal.pdf with additional detailed information here: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-employee-paid-leave

  FFCRA includes the following 2 leave buckets

• • EPSLA (Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act)-effective April 1 through December 31, 2020
  • EFMLEA (Emergency Family & Medical Leave Expansion)-effective April 1 through December 31, 2020

  NOTE: UW COVID-19 leave and leave under FFCRA run concurrently from April 1 through May 15. Starting on May 16, EPSLA and EFMLEA run concurrently through December 31, 2020.   What does this mean for team members?

• Team members requesting to use COVID-19 leave (which is available through May 15, 2020) or the 2 leave options under the FFCRA (which is available through December 31, 2020) will be asked to complete the “Request for Leave under Federal Emergency and/or UW–Madison COVID-19 Leave Programs” form  (https://hr.wisc.edu/docs/covid19/emergency-leave-request-form.pdf).
• Please email the form to Ann (ann.bradshaw@wisc.edu) for review and approval.

  What about COVID-19 Leave that I’ve already submitted?

• Since the FFCRA went into effect on April 1, 2020 and runs concurrently with COVID-19 leave, we are asking all team members who have recorded UW COVID-19 leave on or after April 1, 2020 to complete and submit the Request for Emergency Leave Form (https://hr.wisc.edu/docs/covid19/emergency-leave-request-form.pdf) to Amm (ann.bradshaw@wisc.edu) to document the qualifying reason(s) for your leave.

(NOTE: If you reported COVID-19 Leave between April 1st and April 15th for medical reasons, we are not requiring submission of any written, medical documentation. Medical documentation will be required for requests for medical reasons, going forward.)   Where can I find the Request for Emergency Leave Form?

• Request for Emergency Leave Form: (https://hr.wisc.edu/docs/covid19/emergency-leave-request-form.pdf
• Instructions to complete the form: https://hr.wisc.edu/docs/covid19/instructions-for-requesting-emergency-leave.pdf

  Where do I submit my form?

• Please email completed forms to ann.bradshaw@wisc.edu.
• If your leave request includes a request for intermittent leave or a reduced work schedule, please include your supervisor on the email and Paula or I will follow up with your supervisor for their approval. You do not need to obtain your supervisor signature on the form.

  What happens after I submit my form?

• Once you have submitted your completed “Request for Leave under Federal Emergency and/or UW–Madison COVID-19 Leave Programs” form, Ann will review the form (as your Divisional Disability Representative-DDR).
• Team members will be contacted If any information is missing or unclear.
• Once the review process has been completed, team members will be notified via email of their leave request status. Forms will be processed as quickly as possible, in the order in which they are received.

  How do I enter COVID-19 Leave in HRS?

• COVID-19 time/leave entry process from April 1 through May 15 in MyUW Timesheet remains the same.

  Where can I find information about my Emergency Leave options?  Updated information, including “Frequently Asked Questions” will be provided by the UW–Madison Office of Human Resources and will be posted here: https://hr.wisc.edu/covid19/emergency-leave/.   What is changing after May 15, 2020? Current guidance regarding the UW–Madison COVID-19 Pandemic Employee Work Location and Leave Policy indicates that it only remains in effect through May 15, 2020. Any COVID-19 leave requests after May 15, 2020 will be following the guidelines and requirements within the FFCRA. The FFCRA has specific qualifying reasons for either Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPLSA) leave or Emergency Family & Medical Leave Act (EFMLEA) leave that must be followed. These leave options also have specific leave time and pay limits. Please refer to the Instructions for Requesting Emergency Leave for more details: https://hr.wisc.edu/docs/covid19/instructions-for-requesting-emergency-leave.pdf NOTE: The time entry process for recording FFCRA leave after May 15, 2020 has not yet been finalized. Information about this process will be distributed to all team members once this process has been determined.   What If I have questions or need assistance completing the form? Please contact Ann (ann.bradshaw@wisc.edu) or Paula (paula.gates@wisc.edu) with your questions.