Following USAC resolution, UC expands paid sick leave to ASUCLA student employees
Café 451 in Charles E. Young Research Library is pictured. ASUCLA workers – including those working in cafes like Café 451 – are now eligible for paid sick leave following a UC employee policy change. (Leydi Cris Cobo Cordon/Daily Bruin senior staff)
By Diana Corona
Jan. 15, 2025 6:12 p.m.
This post was updated Feb. 28 at 3:18 p.m.
The Undergraduate Students Association Council passed a resolution Nov. 19 calling for ASUCLA employees higher wages and better working conditions, along with paid sick leave — which was later granted.
Effective January, the UC expanded eligibility for paid sick leave, with part-time staff now accruing it, according to a Dec. 16 email from an ASUCLA spokesperson.
“No one should have to choose between their health and their paycheck,” said General Representative Tommy Contreras, the resolution’s primary sponsor.
The resolution, co-sponsored by all other members of the council, alleges that ASUCLA – which employs over 1,500 students – fails to ensure its workers’ well-being. Contreras said he chose to sponsor the resolution because members of his office wanted to promote equity and justice for students on campus.
The resolution adds that the Los Angeles County minimum wage of $17.30 does not meet the rising cost of living, including rent, food and health care.
“I am a firm believer that a $20 minimum wage is not radical,” Contreras said. “It is reasonable.”
Stephanie Calderon, a fourth-year sociology student and ASUCLA employee at Jimmy’s Coffeehouse at Lu Valle Commons, said she supported raising the minimum wage for student workers and implementing health benefits. She added that ASUCLA employees often feel strained mentally due to their workload.
”A lot of the times we’re here working paycheck to paycheck,” Calderon said. “I’m budgeting my tuition, and I’m putting that first because I don’t really have any other options.”
She added that, because of staffing shortages, she often feels overworked and sometimes does not take breaks during her shifts.
“Employees are, including myself, constantly in a state of anxiety,” Calderon said. “We’re just always pressured to keep going.”
In an emailed statement following the Nov. 19 USAC meeting, an ASUCLA spokesperson said the union takes workplace safety concerns seriously and is unaware of any legal violations.
In a Dec. 20 Instagram post, Contreras’ office celebrated the expansion of sick leave eligibility but said a $20 minimum wage for ASUCLA workers remains an important goal.
“This decision is a victory for the workers who have long advocated for the rights and dignity they deserve,” the post said. “The fight for just compensation and benefits continues, and we will not rest until these goals are fully realized.”
