Home / 2020 / August / New vacation payout program for those impacted by the wildfires

New vacation payout program for those impacted by the wildfires

To: UCSC faculty and staff

From: Sarah Latham, Vice Chancellor Business and Administrative Services

August 28, 2020

As the Cal Fire mandatory evacuation order has been lifted for our residential campus, we are now engaging in recovery and repopulation efforts. This process will be undertaken in a phased approach. More information will be shared with you as that process continues.

We also continue to focus on ways we can support employees who have been impacted by the wildfires. Many of you remain evacuated, and we continue to get reports of employees whose homes have been damaged or destroyed by the fires.

In addition to the support services already outlined in prior communications, we are launching a new program. The UC Santa Cruz Employee Emergency Accrued Vacation Payout Program is a temporary program for eligible UCSC employees who are experiencing financial hardship as a result of the summer 2020 wildfires in California. The program allows eligible employees to request a one-time payout, of up to a maximum of 80 hours, of their available accrued vacation to help meet expenses incurred due to impacts from the fires. The program is open to fiscal-year academic, represented and non-represented staff employees, including probationary, career, partial-year career, limited and contract employees, who meet eligibility requirements. Applications for the program must be received on or before Nov. 14, 2020. Program guidelines, eligibility requirements and instructions can be found here. You can apply using this link.

As additional evacuation orders are lifted across the county, we know that more of you could learn that your homes have been lost or damaged in the wildfires. For those who have lost homes due to fire damage or destruction, if you have not already done so, we encourage you to complete the home loss form. This assists us in identifying ways that we can support you based on your particular circumstance. If you have been evacuated but do not know the status of your home, you do not need to fill out this form.

As you continue to navigate the days ahead, remember that you can access our Employee Information Hotline Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Team members are standing by ready to support you and answer any questions you may have.

Employee Information Hotline Call-In Information:
669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 878 731 3895

Employee Information Hotline Zoom Room Information:
https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/8787313895

In addition, if you remain in need of emergency housing, please contact our Employee Emergency Housing Hotline at (831) 531-8250. Someone is available to take your call daily between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Also keep in mind the resources available to you through FEMA. You can access information and apply for disaster assistance through one of the following:
Though we are now entering the recovery phase of our wildfire response, we know the road ahead will be a long one. While many of our Banana Slugs are facing loss and uncertainty, we have witnessed members of our UC Santa Cruz community step up and step forward to lift each other up and provide support. This has provided much needed light and hope. The very best of who we are continues to show.