Frequently Asked Questions - Manage Accruals

Manage Accruals

Manage Accrual transactions in UCPath allow transactors to enter hours and takes, and correct an employee’s accrual balances.

When submitting a Manage Accruals transaction in UCPath does a positive value increase or decrease the accruals banks?

It depends on the Manage Accrual Transaction type. Please review the Manage Accruals - Transaction Type Matrix for specifics.

Can I enter Catastrophic Sick leave?

The Benefits and Leave team handles all catastrophic leaves and can be reached at catleave@berkeley.edu

Review the Berkeley Catastrophic Leave policy for additional details regarding eligibility.

Can an employee exceed their Vacation Balance Maximum? And how is that done?

Yes, an employee can exceed the vacation balance maximum, but only for specific circumstances. Explore the Vacation Leave Maximum webpage for more information and be sure to refer to the employee’s specific staff or union policy.

Submitting the Request: The affected employee cannot submit this request themselves in UCPath. The employee should contact their HR Business Partner for the Primary Department that they work for to submit an ‘Exceed Vacation Request eForm’, found under the ‘Transactor Hub’ > ‘Accruals & Leaves Forms’ menu. Access to this form requires the submitting user to have the GT eForm role in UCPath.

Finding Employees Reaching Vacation Maximum: Managers are recommended to track direct reports who are reaching their vacation maximum and encourage them to take vacation. 

Academic Sick Leave Bank

FAQs relating to the managing of the Academic Sick Leave Bank for eligible academic employees in UCPath.

Due to a change in bank-eligible FTE, I need to adjust an employee’s Academic Sick Leave Bank balance. How do I do that?

To adjust Academic Sick Leave banks in UCPath, submit a Manage Accruals Transaction in UCPath with the following values:

  • Transaction Type: ‘Other’

  • Absence Element: ‘UCAE ACAD SB’.

  • FMLA/CFRA/PDLL Usage?:  ‘N’for no.

  • Hours: positive valuesincrease the Academic Sick Leave Bank balance; negative values decrease the Academic Sick Leave Bank balance.

Review the Job Aid: Manage Accruals – Academic Sick Leave Bank for more information on calculating new Academic Sick Leave Bank balances, including various scenario examples.

When an eligible academic employee has a change in FTE, how do I calculate what their new Academic Sick Leave Bank should be?

Follow the following steps:

  1. Calculate Days Remaining: Calculate how many days are left in the employee’s sick bank based on their original FTE and usage. 
    • Remaining Days = Current Balance ÷ 8 hrs ÷ previous FTE
  2. Calculate New Bank Hours: Based on the employee’s new FTE, calculate the total number of hours they should have in their bank for their remaining sick days. 
    • New Bank Hours = Remaining Days × 8 hrs × FTE
  3. Calculate Adjustment: Compare the New Bank Hours to their current bank hours. The difference if your adjustment.
    • Adjustment Amount = New Hours − Current Hours
  4. Submit Transaction: Submit a Manage Accruals ‘Other’ transaction:
    • Increase the bank with positive value (+) if their new hours are higher.
    • Decrease the bank with a negative value (−) if their new hours are lower.
    • The goal is for the bank to reflect their New Bank Hours.

Review the Job Aid: Manage Accruals – Academic Sick Leave Bank for more information on calculating new Academic Sick Leave Bank balances, including various scenario examples.

An academic employee is entitled to ‘six days’ of sick leave. How is this calculated?

UCPath tracks sick leave in hours, prorated by their eligible FTE. The employee’s sick bank can be calculated as: 6 Days × 8 Hrs × FTE.

Review the Job Aid: Manage Accruals – Academic Sick Leave Bank for more information on submitting sick takes for and adjustments to an employee’s Academic Sick Leave Bank.

The Academic bank is defined as six days, but the Admin - Review Absence Balance page displays academic banks in hours. How do I convert between days and hours?

To convert from Days to Hours and vice versa, use the following formulas: 

  • Days to Hours Converter: Days × 8 Hrs × FTE

    • Examples: 

      • 4 days × 8 hrs × 1.0 FTE = 32 hours

      • 6 days × 8 hrs × 0.75 FTE = 36 hours

  • Hours to Days Converter: Balance ÷ 8 Hrs ÷ FTE

    • Examples:

      • 24 hrs ÷ 8 hrs ÷ 0.5 FTE = 6 days

      • 24 hrs ÷ 8 hrs ÷ 0.75 FTE = 4 days

Review the Job Aid: Manage Accruals – Academic Sick Leave Bank for more information on submitting sick takes for and adjustments to an employee’s Academic Sick Leave Bank.

How should sick usage for an Academic Bank eligible employee be entered in Manage Accruals?

Academic sick usage can be entered in Manage Accruals the same way any other sick usage is entered: 

  • Transaction Type: Take

  • Earn Code: 

    • SKL (for monthly employees) 

    • S1L (for biweekly employees)

  • FMLA/CFRA/PDLL Usage?: 

    • N if the sick usage is unprotected

    • P if the sick usage is protected

Review the Job Aid: Manage Accruals – Academic Sick Leave Bank for more information on submitting sick takes for and adjustments to an employee’s Academic Sick Leave Bank.

What should I know about the Academic Sick Leave Bank for eligible academic employees, including how it’s earned, used, and viewed in UCPath?

  • Eligibility: Academics in eligible non-accruing titles with an appointment of at least 30 calendar days.

  • Initial Bank: On January 1st of each year, or at the start of their appointment, eligible employees receive a bank of 6 days of paid sick leave.

    • This bank is prorated by their combined bank-eligible FTE and reflected in hours within UCPath.

  • Expiration: Unused sick leave expires on December 31st of the same year or at the appointment end, whichever comes first.

  • Reinstatement (within the same calendar year): If an employee leaves a bank-eligible academic position and then returns to another bank-eligible academic position within the same calendar year of their prior termination, their previous sick bank balance will be reinstated.

  • Usage: usage can be tracked either via the I-181 Time File or through a Manage Accruals Transaction.

    • Usage must be in whole day increments.

For more information, explore the Expanded Paid Sick Leave Policy webpage.

Viewing Academic Sick Leave Bank in UCPath: Transactors will be able to see the balance of employees’ Academic Sick Leave Banks on the ‘Admin – Review Absence Balance’ Page as a new row in the Current Balance table, labeled “Academic Sick Leave Bank.”

Protected Sick Leave

FAQ items relating to the managing of 'Protected' status for sick leave in UCPath.

What if an employee’s Protected Sick Usage balance is incorrect on the Admin - Review Absence Balance page? How do I adjust the balance?

If an employee’s Protected Sick Usage balance is incorrect, you will need to submit a Manage Accruals ‘Other’ transaction to adjust the balance. 

  • Transaction Type: Other

  • Absence Element: UCAE P Flag (Protected Sick Hours Used)

  • FMLA/CFRA/PDLL Usage?: P (for protected)

Note: Hours entered as:

  • A positive value would increase the Protected Sick hours Used balance, which decreases the amount of available protected sick for the employee.

  • A negative value would decrease the Protected Sick hours Used balance, which increases the amount of available protected sick for the employee.

Review the Job Aid: Manage Accruals – Protected Sick (P-Flag) for more information about how to submit this transaction accurately.

What if I need to change the ‘protected’ status for sick leave that an employee has already taken?

If an employee has already submitted sick and you need to adjust the ‘Protected’ status, you will need to submit a Manage Accruals ‘Other’ transaction. 

  • Transaction Type: Other

  • Absence Element: UCAE P Flag (Protected Sick Hours Used)

  • FMLA/CFRA/PDLL Usage?: P (for protected)

Note: Hours entered as:

  • A positive value would increase the Protected Sick hours Used balance, which decreases the amount of available protected sick for the employee.

  • A negative value would decrease the Protected Sick hours Used balance, which increases the amount of available protected sick for the employee.

Review the Job Aid: Manage Accruals – Protected Sick (P-Flag) for more information about how to submit this transaction accurately.

We previously reported protected sick usage for an employee, but now need to correct that from sick to some other earn code (REG, VAC/VCN, etc.). How do I do that?

When submitting a correction to protected sick usage via Manage Accruals:

  • Reverse the original protected sick usage with the appropriate Earn Code, Hours, and P-Flag.

    • Reminder: don’t forget to include the P-Flag if the original hours had the P-Flag.

  • Add corrected hours or takes with the appropriate Earn Code, and Hours.

Review the Job Aid: Manage Accruals – Protected Sick (P-Flag) for more information about how to submit this transaction accurately.

How do I designate sick usage as ‘protected’ via Manage Accruals?

When submitting sick usage via Manage Accruals, the ‘protected’ sick indicator should be entered in the ‘FMLA/CFRA/PDLL Usage?’ field as ‘P’. 

  • For Biweekly employees: 

    • Transaction Type: Take

    • Earn Code: S1L

    • FMLA/CFRA/PDLL Usage?: P

  • For Monthly employees: 

    • Transaction Type: Take

    • Earn Code: SKL

    • FMLA/CFRA/PDLL Usage?: P

Note: Hours entered as:

  • A positive value would decrease the Sick balance, and increase the Protected Sick Hours Used. 

  • A negative value would increase the Sick balance, and decrease the Protected Sick Hours Used. 

Review the Job Aid: Manage Accruals – Protected Sick (P-Flag) for more information about how to submit this transaction accurately.

What is ‘protected’ sick leave, and how do I view it in UCPath?

Beginning January 1st, 2025, all employees can designate up to 6 of their paid sick days as ‘protected,’ which is governed by anti-retaliation provisions.

  • The 'Protected' status is an additional classification for an employee's paid sick leave, limited to a maximum of six days annually, provided the employee has paid sick leave available to take.

  • UCPath calculates these six days in hours, prorated by FTE:

    • 6 days × 8 hours × FTE OR 48 hrs × FTE

  • It cannot be used for any other earn code (i.e., REG, vacation, etc.).

  • Any unused sick leave expires December 31st or at appointment's end; and employees receive a new 6-day allowance each January 1st.

For more information, review the Expanded Paid Sick Leave Policy.

Viewing Protective Sick Leave Usage in UCPath: Once an employee uses ‘Protected’ sick leave, a new row will appear in the Review Absence Balance ‘Current Balance’ table. Note: Protected Sick Hours Used will appear as a count of protected hours used, not a balance bank.