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  • Leaves of Absence

You can continue healthcare coverage if you go on an approved leave of absence but you must make contribution payments to HSS during your leave.

Before you begin an approved leave of absence, follow the rules below if you would like to continue healthcare coverage during your leave. If you wish to discontinue your healthcare coverage during an approved leave of absence, you must notify HSS in writing prior to the start of your leave. Always contact HSS 30 days before returning to work after a leave in order to return your healthcare contributions to active status. Payments to HSS can be made via credit or debit card by completing this form: HSS Auto-Pay Formpdf.

Some aspects of this information do not apply to the SF Community College District employees. If you are an SFCCD employee please make sure to contact your employer for information about leaves of absence.

Type of Leave Eligibility Your Responsibilities
  • - Family and Medical Leave   (FMLA)
  • - Worker’s Compensation Leave
  • - Family Care Leave
  • - Military Leave
 If you notify HSS within 30 days of when your leave begins, you may be eligible to continue or discontinue (waive) your healthcare coverage for the duration of your approved leave of absence. You may have additional rights under an approved FMLA leave. Contact your departmental personnel representative for details.
  • 1. Notify your department’s personnel officer. They will provide HSS with important information about your leave.
  • 2. Contact HSS within 30 days of when leave begins to either waive coverage or arrange for payment of employee premium contributions while you are on leave. Failure to do so can result in termination of your health benefits.
  • 3. Contact HSS immediately (within 30 days of return to work) to request that premium contributions return to active status.
- Personal Leave Following
   Family Care Leave 		If you have been on an approved Family Care Leave and elect to extend your leave period as a Personal Leave, you may be eligible to continue (or waive) your healthcare coverage for the duration of your approved Personal Leave, if:
- The reason for the Personal
   Leave is the same as the
   reason for the prior
   Family Care Leave
- Your required healthcare
   contribution payments,if any,
   are current.
- You notify HSS before your
   leave begins.
  • 1. Notify your department’s personnel office. They will provide HSS with important information about your leave.
  • 2. Contact HSS within 30 days of when leave begins to either waive coverage or arrange for payment of employee premium contributions while you are on leave. Failure to do so can result in termination of your health benefits.
  • 3. Contact HSS immediately (within 30 days of return to work) to request that premium contributions return to active status.
  • - Educational Leave
  • - Personal Leave
  • - Leave for Employment as an
       Employee Organization Officer
       or Representative
 If you notify HSS within 30 days of when your leave begins, you may be eligible to continue (or waive) your healthcare coverage for the duration of your approved leave of absence.
  • 1. Notify your department’s personnel office. They will provide HSS with important information about your leave.
  • 2. 2. Contact HSS within 30 days of when leave begins to either waive coverage or arrange for payment of employee premium contributions while you are on leave. Failure to do so can result in termination of your health benefits.
  • 3. If your leave lasts beyond 12 weeks, you must pay the total cost of medical and dental coverage for yourself and any covered dependents. This includes your employee premium contribution amount plus the City and County of San Francisco’s contribution. Contact HSS for details.
  • 4. Contact HSS immediately (within 30 days of return to work) to request that premium contributions return to active status.
Flexible Spending Accounts and Unpaid Leaves of Absence
Healthcare FSA: During an unpaid leave of absence, no payroll deductions can be taken. You may suspend your Healthcare FSA if you notify HSS at the beginning of your leave. Accounts that remain unpaid for three consecutive pay periods will be suspended retroactively to the first missed pay period. To reinstate your Healthcare FSA you must notify HSS within 30 days of your return to work. A retroactive reinstatement back to the FSA suspension date allows claims incurred during your leave to be reimbursable. In this case, you must increase your bi-weekly FSA deductions (up to a maximum of $192.30) for the remainder of the plan year so your annual FSA contribution is equal to the total designated during Open Enrollment. You also have the option of reinstating a Healthcare FSA on a go-forward basis, at the original bi-weekly deduction amount. This will reduce your total FSA contribution for the plan year.

Dependent Care FSA: A Dependent Care FSA must be suspended while you are on leave. Claims incurred during leave are not reimbursable. To reinstate your FSA you must notify HSS within 30 days of your return to work. Reinstatement of a Dependent Care FSA is only allowed on a go-forward basis. You may reinstate at the original bi-weekly FSA deduction amount or you can increase bi-weekly FSA deductions (up to a maximum of $192.30) for the remainder of the plan year. If you increase deductions, total plan year contributions must equal, and cannot exceed, the amount you designated during Open Enrollment.

FSA Reinstatement Rules: If you do not notify HSS within 30 days of your return to work and request reinstatement of your FSA payroll deduction, Healthcare and/or Dependent Care FSA(s) will be cancelled for that plan year–no exceptions. If you return to work after the end of the plan year, a suspended Healthcare or Dependent Care FSA initiated during the previous plan year cannot be reinstated–no exceptions.