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Catastrophic Leave

The CSU Catastrophic Leave Donation Program (CAT Leave) allows employees to voluntarily donate sick and/or vacation leave credits to employees that are totally incapacitated due to a catastrophic illness or injury, and have exhausted all leave credits, including any sick, vacation, personal holiday or CTO credits. Family illnesses that are deemed catastrophic, requiring an employee to be absent to care for an immediate family member, are also eligible for the program.

Employees seeking to apply for participation in the catastrophic leave donation program as recipients of donated hours will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the HR Leaves Analyst upon requesting a medical leave of absence. Review the information below under Employees Seeking to be a Recipient to learn more.

Employees seeking to donate leave credits to those currently authorized to receive donations, review the information below under Employees Seeking to Donate to learn more.

  • Eligibility

    Any employee that accrues sick leave and/or vacation credits is eligible to either receive catastrophic leave donations or make donations.  Employees in classifications that do not accrue sick and/or vacation are not eligible to participate in this program.

  • Employees Seeking to be a Recipient

    A catastrophic illness/injury is one which totally incapacitates the employee from work, the nature of the illness/injury must be catastrophic. Chronic conditions such as cancer, AIDS, and residual effects of a stroke may also be considered catastrophic even if the condition results in only intermittent absences.

    Conditions that are short-term in nature, such as colds, flu, or minor injuries, are generally not deemed catastrophic.

    This program also includes incapacitating conditions of immediate family members when the employee must take an extended period of time off work to care for the family member.

    Requests for participation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

    To participate in this program as a recipient:

    • The illness or injury must be totally incapacitating and expected to last more than fifteen (15) calendar days.
    • You must be on an approved Leave of Absence.
    • You must have exhausted all accrued leave credits (sick, vacation, compensatory time off, etc.) due to a catastrophic illness or injury that has incapacitated you from work.
    • If you are eligible, you must apply for Nonindustrial Disability Insurance (NDI), Industrial Disability Insurance (IDL) or Temporary Disability (TD) benefits. The donated hours will supplement these programs. CAT Leave may not be received in lieu of benefits through a disability program.

    To apply for participation in the Catastrophic Leave Donation Program, please contact the HR Leaves Analyst. You must be on an approved Leave of Absence prior to applying for this program.

    The total donated leave credits you receive may not exceed three calendar months from the first day of catastrophic leave. In exceptional cases, an additional three calendar month period may be approved.

  • Employees Seeking to Donate

    Any CSU employee who accrues vacation and/or sick leave credits may voluntarily donate either of those credits to any other CSU employee on the same campus, if the recipient employee has exhausted all accrued leave credits due to a catastrophic illness or injury, is on an approved leave of absence and is an authorized recipient.  

    Employees wishing to donate will need to complete the Catastrophic Leave Donation Form:
    CAT Leave Donation Form

    • Submit completed CAT Leave Donation form to Payroll Services via email to: payroll@csusm.edu

    Credits may be donated in one-hour increments and the maximum number of hours allowed to be donated, per fiscal year, is determined by the collective bargaining agreement.

    Refer to Catastrophic Leave Chart:
    CAT Leave Chart

    • Leave credits are transferred in the order pledged and are not deemed donated until transferred by Payroll to the recipient.
    • The leave you donate remains in your account until it is transferred to an eligible employee.
    • When your leave credits are transferred to an eligible employee; your leave balance will indicate the reduction online in PeopleSoft Absence Management.
    • Donations are irrevocable once posted to the recipient’s leave record.
  • Solicitation Process

    With the employee’s approval, the Office of Human Resources will notify the campus community of the employees need for donations by:

    • Posting the employee’s name in the weekly campus announcement
    • Posting the employee’s name in PeopleSoft – HR Resources

    In addition, the employee may authorize a representative to solicit leave credit donations from campus employees on their behalf.  This may include a colleague, union representative, friend, and/or family member.

  • Eligible Donation Credits

    Sick and/or vacation credits may be donated if the leave is for the employee’s own catastrophic illness/injury.

    If the employee’s catastrophic leave is for family care, only vacation credits may be donated.

    Credits may be donated in one-hour increments and the maximum number of hours allowed to be donated per fiscal year is determined by the collective bargaining agreement.

    Refer to Catastrophic Leave Chart
    CAT Leave Chart

    Donations are irrevocable once posted to the recipient's leave record.

  • Use of Catastrophic Leave Donations for Family Care

    Catastrophic illness or injury leave may be used when an employee’s “immediate family member” has a catastrophic illness or injury and results in the employee being required to take time off for an extended period of time to care for the family member.

    • An “immediate family member” shall be defined in accordance with the definition contained in the sick leave provisions of the applicable collective bargaining agreement or policy covering the recipient employee.
    • The employee must have exhausted all his/her accrued leave credits.
    • The employee must be on an approved Leave of Absence.

To Discuss Your Options, Contact:

Tanya Obermark/HR Leaves Analyst
Email: hrbenefits@csusm.edu
Refer to your appropriate Collective Bargaining Agreement