Time Off and Leaves – Policies and Policy Governance (2024)

The University of Southern California (“USC”) provides eligible employees paid leave to donate an organ to another person and to donate bone marrow to another person.
USC expects all employees, supervisors, Deans of Faculty, Department Chairs, and HR Partners to act in good faith when requesting and approving leaves of absence and time-off under this policy.

All staff employees are eligible for these unpaid leaves; excluded are those claiming student status (including teaching and research assistants).

USC values providing staff with time away from work to observe personal, religious, cultural, or related holidays and special events without the need to use their vacation time. The intention of this policy is to provide staff employees with a paid personal holiday for this purpose that may be used during times in which USC remains open.

An alternative workweek schedule is defined as one in which a non-exempt staff employee is scheduled to regularly work in excess of eight hours in any workday.

USC is committed to providing unpaid leave and reasonable accommodations for employees who are victims and/or survivors of crime or abuse, including, but not limited to the crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, to attend legal proceedings and obtain other needed relief.

An employee summoned to appear as a witness at an administrative or other legal proceeding involving the university will receive their regular pay for the time they are required to be absent from work.

All employees are eligible. Up-to-date certification from a qualified healthcare provider documenting the need for a medical leave is required.

Disaster leave provides employees with job protection and, when applicable, continued pay and benefits over a designated period of time in concert with a “declaration of emergency” issued by the President or President’s designee.

In the event of a discrepancy between this policy and a collective bargaining agreement, the terms of the collective bargaining agreement will govern.

An employee wishing to take time off to observe a religious holiday must notify his/her manager at least 30 days prior to the holiday.

California law requires that employees who work an average of at least 20 hours per week may take up to ten days of unpaid leave while their spouse is on leave from military deployment.

USC is committed to providing time-off for employees to participate in their children’s school activities in kindergarten through grade twelve (12), in licensed daycare facilities, and in activities conducted by a licensed childcare provider.

An employee must notify his/her manager as soon as s/he receives a jury summons.

All benefits-eligible staff employees are eligible. Excluded are resource employees, per diem employees, faculty, postdoctoral scholars and those claiming student status, including teaching and research assistants.

All full-time staff employees are eligible. Excluded are resource employees, per diem employees, faculty, and those claiming student status, including teaching and research assistants; employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement are also excluded.

All employees are eligible. Excluded are resource employees, per diem employees, postdoctoral scholars and those claiming student status, including teaching and research assistants.

All staff employees are eligible. Excluded are resource employees, per diem employees, faculty and those claiming student status (including teaching and research assistants).

Staff employees who have completed one year of benefits eligible service prior to the date of the requested personal leave are eligible.

USC is committed to providing time-off for employees to serve as Election Day Officials or to vote in Statewide or Federal elections, without being disciplined because of their absence. USC encourages all employees to accept their civic responsibilities and is pleased to provide time-off to assist its employees.

The Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) provides for job and benefits protection for an individual who has left his/her job to enter service in the uniformed services of the United States and received an honorable discharge upon leaving the service.

All employees who have been employed by the university at least 12 months by the start of the leave and have worked at least 1250 hours during the 12-month period immediately preceding commencement of the leave are eligible.