Catastrophic Illness Leave Program Summary

What is the Catastrophic Illness Leave Program?

The Catastrophic Illness Leave Program (“Catastrophic Program”) is a benefit developed by the City of Los Angeles Joint Labor-Management Benefits Committee (JLMBC) and approved by the Mayor and City Council. It is a one-time only program that is intended for use when no other options are available for the purpose of continuing LAwell coverage. It allows full-time civilian employee members* of the LAwell Program who are catastrophically ill, or who must care for a catastrophically ill family member, to draw up to 480 hours of Catastrophic Leave time. Half-time employees can draw up to 240 hours.

How does the Catastrophic Program work?

Employees approved for the Catastrophic Program will have a specified number of hours (not to exceed 480 hours) credited to their balance of 100% sick leave. While on the Catastrophic Program, full-time employees are limited to receiving no more than 40 hours per pay period of any compensated time available to the employee, including sick leave (half-time receive no more than 20 hours). 40 hours per pay period is the minimum compensation required for full-time LAwell Program members to maintain the City’s subsidy for health insurance. Catastrophic Program awarded hours cannot be used if the employee no longer meets a catastrophic situation.

Who is eligible to receive Catastrophic Leave time?

To be eligible for the Catastrophic Program, an employee must have:

1. passed probation as a permanent full-time or half-time civilian employee*, is a member of the City’s LAwell Program, and is either: a. experiencing a non-work-related, catastrophic illness/injury or lifethreatening disease; or b. required to care for a family member experiencing a catastrophic illness/injury or life-threatening disease where other types of care are not reasonably available.
2. exhausted all sick leave time, vacation time, floating holidays, and accumulated overtime.
3. exhausted all basic disability benefits (if you are requesting the time for yourself) and supplemental disability benefits (if you had chosen to buy this additional benefit for yourself).
   

*Excluding employees of the Department of Water and Power, and Deputy and Assistant City Attorneys covered by MOUs 29, 31, or 32