Childbirth Accommodation & Childcare Reimbursement
Consistent with UC Irvine’s priority for establishing and encouraging family-friendly policies, the following provisions for Childbirth Accommodation and Childcare Reimbursement have been established.
Important COVID-19 Information
In recognition of the childcare issues faced by many graduate student employees during the unprecedented circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, we now have permission from UCOP to provide childcare reimbursements that adhere to the minimum requirements of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as to who qualifies as a “childcare provider” for purposes of reimbursement.
Please visit the IRS website for additional information
Graduate student employees and those on fellowship will be permitted to seek reimbursement for childcare provided by a friend or relative living in the same household as the graduate student if they are not:
- A person for whom the grad student (or the grad student’s spouse if filing jointly) can claim as a dependent;
- The grad student’s child who was under age 19 at the end of the year, even if the child isn’t the grad student’s dependent;
- A person who was the grad student’s spouse any time during the year; or
- The parent of the grad student’s qualifying person if the qualifying person is the grad student’s child and under age 13
As required by the IRS regulations, for purposes of reimbursement, all childcare providers who are individuals must have a valid taxpayer identification number or social security number. If the care provider is an organization, the organization must have a valid employer identification number.
Childbirth Accommodation and Childcare Reimbursement Funding Program
In accordance with the University of California’s contract with UAW, salaried ASEs (Teaching Assistants and Associate Instructors) and salaried GSRs (Graduate Student Researchers, Graduate Student Researcher Fellowships, and Graduate Student Researcher Trainees) appointed for a minimum of 25% time for the duration of the quarter, are eligible for up to eight weeks of childbirth leave. At UCI, this benefit has also been extended to certain Non-Bargaining Fellowships. The maximum of eight weeks paid leave extends only during the time a student holds an eligible position and/or fellowship. Note: The maximum of eight weeks paid leave is limited to one per academic year, regardless of the number of qualifying events.
Non-Bargaining Fellowships
At UCI, certain fellowships who meet minimum criteria are eligible for the system-wide Childbirth Accommodation Program (e.g. Graduate Division Endowed Fellowships, or fellowships offered by academic departments and centers at UCI) and are also eligible for up to eight weeks of childbirth paid leave.
An eligible fellow is a registered graduate student with a university-administered fellowship. To be eligible for the program, the university-administered fellowship must cover the full amount of California resident fees and tuition, and provide a minimum stipend of $6,000 for the quarter to be reimbursed. During the summer, the fellowship must provide a minimum stipend of $6,000.
What if the Non-Bargaining Fellowship, GSR Fellowship, and/or GSR Trainee also offers Childbirth Accommodation?
Most fellowships will defer to University policy and should also fund up to eight weeks of childbirth paid leave. In these cases, funding should be requested from the fellowship grantor, and do not need to apply for the system-wide Childbirth Accommodation Program. If the Non-Bargaining Fellowship, GSR Fellowship, and/or GSR Trainee benefit is less than the eight weeks of childbirth paid leave, the fellow would be eligible for supplementation thru the system-wide Childcare Accommodation Program.
Fee Remission
A central childbirth accommodation fund has been established to pay the salaries/stipends of these eligible students during the time they are on leave, and fee remissions are not covered by the central account. If applicable, fee remission support will remain being charged to the Non-Bargaining Fellowship, GSR Fellowship, GSR Trainee grant and/or hiring department (Teaching Assistants and Associate Instructors, or GSR) during the paid leave.
The contract between the University and the UAW also provides for a system-wide Childcare Reimbursement Program to eligible Academic Student Employees (including hourly ASEs, i.e. Readers and Tutors) appointed for a minimum of 25% time for the duration of the academic quarter. Starting Fall 2023, the reimbursement limit is $1,375 per quarter for eligible childcare expenses incurred during the ASE’s appointment period during the academic year. During the summer, the reimbursement limit is $1,375 irrespective of the number of summer sessions in which an ASE is employed. A central childcare reimbursement fund has been established to pay for reimbursable childcare expenses. Reimbursement requests must be submitted no later than the last day of the following term.
*ONCE APPROVED, REIMBURSEMENT PAYMENTS MAY TAKE UP TO 45 DAYS TO BE PROCESSED DUE TO PAYROLL DEADLINES.
The contract between the University and the UAW also provides for the system-wide Childcare Reimbursement Program to eligible Graduate Student Researchers (including Graduate Student Researcher Fellowships and Graduate Student Researcher Trainees) appointed for a minimum of 25% time for the duration of the fiscal quarter. Starting Fall 2023, eligible GSRs may be reimbursed up to $1,375 per fiscal quarter for eligible childcare expenses. During the summer, the reimbursement limit is $1,375 for the entire duration of the summer period between July 1 – September 30. Reimbursement requests must be submitted no later than the last day of the following term.
What if the GSR Fellowship and/or GSR Trainee also offers Childcare Reimbursement?
If the GSR Fellowship or GSR Trainee grant provides a childcare benefit that covers the maximum amount of $1,375 per quarter, then the fellow/trainee wouldn’t be eligible for the University’s Childcare Reimbursement Program in the same quarter. In cases where the fellowship/trainee childcare benefit is less than the maximum amount, the fellow/trainee would be eligible for supplementation thru the system-wide Childcare Reimbursement Program.
*ONCE APPROVED, REIMBURSEMENT PAYMENTS MAY TAKE UP TO 45 DAYS TO BE PROCESSED DUE TO PAYROLL DEADLINES.
At UCI, certain fellowships who meet minimum criteria are eligible for the system-wide Childcare Reimbursement Program. Starting Fall 2023, an eligible fellow may receive up to $1,375 per quarter for eligible childcare expenses incurred during the academic year. During the summer, the reimbursement limit is $1,375 for the entire duration of the summer period from July 1-September 30. Reimbursement requests must be submitted no later than the last day of the following term.
An eligible fellow is a registered graduate student with a university-administered fellowship who has (a) qualified dependent(s). To be eligible for the program, the university-administered fellowship must cover the full amount of California resident fees and tuition, and provide a minimum stipend of $6,000 for the quarter to be reimbursed. During the summer, the fellowship must provide a minimum stipend of $6,000.
What if the Non-Bargaining Fellowship also offers Childcare Reimbursement?
Some fellowships will defer to University policy and should also fund childcare expenses. In these cases, funding should be requested from the fellowship grantor, and do not need to apply for the system-wide Childbirth Reimbursement Program. In cases where the fellowship benefit is less than the maximum amount of $1,375 per quarter, the fellow would be eligible for supplementation thru the system-wide Childcare Reimbursement Program.
Additional Forms and Resources
- ASE Childcare Reimbursement Program Factsheet
- Childbirth Accommodation and Childcare Reimbursement Program Procedures
- For additional resources, please visit the Student with Families page
Questions?
Graduate Staff: Please submit these forms for approval and processing thru the Graduate Division ServiceNow portal here Graduate Student Employment Requests
Graduate Students and Graduate Staff: Please email gd-fellowship@uci.edu OR gd-employment@uci.edu if you have any questions regarding the eligibility of these programs.