Q. As an expectant father, I was very dismayed to learn that UC employees are not eligible for California Paid Family Leave. Paid Family Leave provides up to six weeks of partial pay each year for employees to take time off from work to bond with a newborn baby, adopted or foster child and/or care for a seriously ill parent, child, spouse or registered domestic partner. Unlike, the federal family and medical leave act, the CA program pays employees approximately 55% of their pre-taxed weekly wage while out to care for a family member. As a UC employee, I learned that I was not eligible because we do not pay into the State Disability program. Can you explain why UC does not enable employees to pay into the State Disability Insurance system to take advantage of this tremendous benefit? Also, please explain why there is not a comparable program for UC employee caregivers? UC San Francisco

A. You are correct that California has a Paid Family Leave benefit for employees who participate in the California State Disability Insurance (CA SDI) Program. CA SDI is the employee-paid disability insurance program required for private employers. UC is a public employer and its employees do not participate in the CA SDI program; this is allowed by statute and a similar arrangement exists for California state employees. Instead, UC provides an employer-paid Short-term Disability Plan and an optional employee-paid Supplemental Disability Plan. Neither of these plans provides a paid leave benefit for family illness/baby bonding.

However, new employees to UC might be eligible for the CA SDI/Paid Family Leave during the first 18 months of UC employment if they have credit with CA SDI.

As an alternative, UC has generous sick leave policies that allow employees to use accrued sick leave (up to 30 days) to care for ill family members, although this does not include baby bonding. UC has looked into paid family leave and there are a number of issues, including the cost of such a program, which makes it infeasible at this time.

Academic Policy allows for approval of leave with pay for academic appointees who do not accrue sick leave. Collectively bargained policies may differ - check your labor contract for details.

Q. Before starting to work at UC Berkeley University Health Services in 1988, I was a medical resident at UCSF. I also worked at San Francisco General Hospital, which was associated with UCSF. When calculations are done for purposes of my vestment and retirement benefits, they always assume that my employment began in 1988. My question is: Should I inquire re: claiming the time I was paid by UCSF, during my residency, as counting towards retirement? J. O., UC Berkeley

A. Medical residency positions are not classified as UCRP positions. You may have contributed to the Defined Contribution Plan as part of the Safe Harbor program, and those contributions (and their earnings) are probably part of your DC Plan balance. Even though San Francisco General was associated with UCSF, you would not have been considered a UC employee during that time.

Q. I worked for 4 years in the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) and accumulated a small amount of service credit and retirement funds. Can those be rolled over into my UCSD account? P.K. UC San Diego

A. Your SUHSD service credit and retirement funds are most likely with the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), but you should check with SUHSD to be sure. If you are also a member of CalPERS, there is a reciprocity agreement between CalPERS and the UC Retirement Plan which may benefit you. UC's Reciprocity Factsheet, available on At Your Service under "Forms and Publications," explains the UCRP reciprocity benefits. You should check the CalPERS website for their information as well.