California Paid Family Leave (PFL)

  • Eligibility for California PFL benefits is based on participation in USF's California VDI plan or CA state's SDI plan.
  • Paid Family Leave (PFL) requires medical certification.
  • PFL benefits are payable for up to 8 weeks in a 12-month period and may be taken consecutively or intermittently.
  • PFL pays approximately 70% of current earnings up to a maximum of $1,681 per week in 2025.
  • The other approximately 30% will be paid with accrued sick hours for non-baby bonding claims.
  • There is no waiting period for PFL benefits. 
  • When taking PFL for the purpose of baby bonding, only vacation hours can be used to supplement benefit. PFL for the purpose of baby bonding must be taken in two-week increments; shorter increments will be allowed on two occasions.

Employees, upon certification, may use PFL benefits to:

  • Care for an eligible family member (Child, Grandchild, Grandparent, Parent, Parent-In-Law, Sibling, Spouse, or Registered Domestic Partner);
  • Bond with a new child of the employee or the employee’s spouse/RDP/GF LDA; or
  • Bond with a child in connection with adoption or foster care of the child of the employee or the employee’s spouse/RDP/GF LDA.
  • Assist with a family member’s military deployment to a foreign country. Deployment is defined as covered active duty, a call or notice of impending covered active duty, or rest and recuperation leave from covered active duty.

Non-California employees, please contact leaves@usfca.edu to determine if your state offers benefits.

 

Requesting Paid Family Leave

Tristar is the university's leave of absence administration partner.

  1. Notify your supervisor of your leave dates.
  2. Review Tristar's Leave Request Reporting Instructions.
  3. Contact Tristar at 1-844-702-2352 or http://usf.ess-absencetracker.com/.
  4. Email leaves@usfca.edu.

San Francisco Paid Parental Leave Ordinance

The San Francisco Paid Parental Leave Ordinance (PPLO) provides partial wage replacement to employees taking up to 8 weeks of leave to bond with a new child under the California Paid Family Leave (CA PFL). PPLO provides eligible employees with supplemental compensation equal to the difference between the employee’s California Paid Family Leave benefit and the employee’s normal gross weekly wages such that the employee receives 100% of their weekly salary, subject to a weekly maximum benefit amount.

To qualify for PPLO, an employee must, among other requirements, work in San Francisco at least 40% of the time and have commenced employment with the university at least 180 days prior to the start of the leave period. In addition, employees must agree in writing to reimburse the university if they voluntarily separate from employment within 90 days of the end of their leave period.