As you may know, the Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) and Expanded Family Medical Leave (EFML) benefits provided for under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) will expire on December 31, 2020. These benefits provide paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave to eligible employees who cannot work or telework as scheduled due to specified reasons related to COVID-19. As a result of the continued impact of COVID-19 in Maryland, the university has decided to extend the deadline to utilize any unused FFCRA leave benefits to June 30, 2021.

This extension will allow eligible employees who have not used these leave benefits or who have not used the maximum allowable amount of EPSL and/or EFML to apply for and use the leave should they need it through June 30, 2021. Please note that this extension does not provide additional paid leave benefits over and above what is currently offered under the FFCRA. In addition, if Congress amends the provisions of the FFCRA prior to June 30, 2021, the university’s extension of the benefit will cease to be effective to the extent that it conflicts with the federal amendment.

If you are currently on EFML and wish to extend your leave into 2021, please send an email to umdleave@umd.edu for assistance. For more information on eligibility for and the provisions of EPSL and EFML please visit UHR’s FFCRA page. If you have any questions about the leave benefits, please contact umdleave@umd.edu.