Caregiver Leave of Absence

An eligible employee who has to care for a child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, domestic partner, or designated person who has a "serious health condition" may request a caregiver LOA under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and/or California Family Rights Act (CFRA). Provided that the total medical and family leave period does not exceed 12 workweeks, as specified in the FMLA and CFRA policy, the employee will, upon return to work, be restored to his or her same position (when possible), or to an equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits, working conditions, and other terms and conditions of employment. 

To be eligible for a job-protected leave under FMLA and CFRA, an employee must meet all of the following:

• Have been employed by the University for at least 12 months,
• Have completed at least 1,250 hours of service (an average of about 24 hours per week) during the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the date on which the leave commences, and
• Work in a location with 50 employees or within 75 miles of such location.

Employees who do not qualify or no longer qualify for FMLA and CFRA under this policy may be eligible for a LOA under the University's Supplemental Medical or Supplemental Personal Leave policies. Please contact Human Resources at benefits@pepperdine.edu for more information.

1. Employees are required to complete Pepperdine's Leave of Absence Intake Form.
2. Next, have your relative's medical provider complete the Medical Certification Form confirming they are under the medical care of a doctor; outlining the need for your support during illness and/or recovery; and include the effective date of the leave, estimated duration of care, and the doctor's signature and date. Please remember that neither you nor your relative's healthcare provider is required to disclose the specific diagnosis. Please return the completed Medical Certification Form before your leave begins to benefits@pepperdine.edu or should be faxed or mailed to:

HR Benefits Administrator
Human Resources
Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA 90263
Phone: 310-506-4397
Fax: 310-506-4839
benefits@pepperdine.edu

If the provider does not accept the third-party forms, you may submit a doctor’s note confirming that your relative is under the medical care of a doctor; outlining the need for the individual’s support during illness and/or recovery; and include the effective date of the leave, estimated duration, and the doctor’s signature and date.

If you are not a California resident, please contact Human Resources at benefits@pepperdine.edu for more information on your state’s leave policy.

California employees may be eligible to receive eight weeks of paid benefits under Paid Family Leave (PFL). PFL is a partial wage replacement benefit and provides up to 70-90% of your gross weekly salary while you are on an approved FMLA/CFRA leave for caregiving. 

Employees eligible for leave under CFRA are provided 12 workweeks of “caregiver leave” of which the first 8 weeks are partially paid by PFL.

coordination of benefits

Staff have the option to use accrued and available sick and vacation time to cover:

• The 10-30% of their gross weekly salary that is not covered by PFL, and/or
• The last 4 weeks of leave that PFL benefits do not cover.
• You also have the option to take the leave unpaid.

If staff would like Human Resources to supplement their PFL pay with their accruals, they must provide HR with their written approval to use accruals. Without approval, employees will not receive payment from Pepperdine for the duration of their leave.

Eligible faculty will receive salary continuation less any amount of PFL received during the leave.

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apply for pfl through Unum

California employees participating in "CA VDI" may apply for PFL through Unum, Pepperdine's managed partner.

When completing the claim form, please follow the steps below:

• Visit Unum’s website or download the My Unum app on your smart device.
• Register for an online account by creating a username and password.
• Click on Start a new claim or leave.
• Select Needs to care for a sick or injured family member.
• Provide the necessary details for your claim and select your desired payment method (check or direct deposit).
• Before you submit your claim, you may authorize Unum to send any required certification for your PFL payment benefits directly to the individual's healthcare provider for completion. Remember to let the individual's medical provider know to expect communication from Unum regarding your caregiver claim. Please note, if you do not provide authorization, you are responsible for working with the provider to submit a completed medical certification to Unum by the claim-filing deadline.

If you are unable to file a claim online, you may also file by calling Unum at 888-673-9940. Representatives are available to assist you 5 AM to 5 PM (Pacific), Monday through Friday.

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apply for pfl through the CA edd

California employees who opted out of VDI may apply for PFL on the Employment Development Department's (EDD) website, https://edd.ca.gov/. When completing the form, please follow the steps below:

• Click on Claims
• Under the Paid Family Leave heading, select How to file a PFL Claim in SDI Online
• Follow each step below:
  • Gather your information/documentation
  • Register for an online account by creating a username and password, or log in to your existing account
  • File a claim: When filling out the PFL form, please answer "no" to the question "Has or will your employer continue to pay you during your disability leave?"
• Upload any required documentation that notates the Proof of Relationship, as applicable.

If you are mailing a paper form to the EDD, you may request a paper application from benefits@pepperdine.edu.

While your claim is under review, the EDD will provide you with a Notice of Computation report which lists the daily pay rate for PFL payments. It is important that the Notice of Computation report is submitted to HR as soon as it is available to ensure timely coordination of your Pepperdine pay.

Please be aware that if you do not return to work after your CFRA (caregiver) leave, you will be required to repay the University the full cost of benefits extended to you during the CFRA portion of your leave. You should only apply for this leave if you are planning to return to work at the end of the leave period.

No repayment will be required if you are unable to return due to the continuation, recurrence, or onset of a serious health condition for yourself or eligible family members as certified by a medical provider, other circumstances beyond your control, or if you return to work for a minimum of 30 calendar days following the leave. If you believe that this type of circumstance applies to you, please contact Human Resources at benefits@pepperdine.edu for more information.