Employees who have been employed by the district for at least 12 months - and have worked at least 1,250 hours in the 12 months immediately preceding the need - are eligible for family and medical leave. Eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year between July 1 and June 30 for the following reasons:

• The birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child.
• To care for a spouse, parent, or child with a serious health condition, or;
• An employee’s serious health condition. 

If both spouses are employed by the District, combined family and medical leave for the birth, adoption, or placement of a child, or to care for a parent with a serious health condition may be limited to a combined total of 12 weeks as determined by the needs of the District.

Eligible employees are entitled to continue their health care benefits under the same terms and conditions as when they were on the job and are entitled to return to their previous job or an equivalent job at the end of their leave. Under some circumstances, teachers who are able to return to work at or near the conclusion of a semester may be required to continue their leave until the end of the semester.

Family and medical leave runs concurrently with accrued sick and personal leave. Accumulated leave will be used as family and medical leave, except in the case of employees who are receiving workers’ compensation wage benefits.

In some circumstances, employees may take family and medical leave in blocks of time or by reducing their normal weekly or daily work schedule. Intermittent leave may be taken under the following circumstances:

• To allow an employee to care for a seriously ill spouse, child, or parent;
• When an employee requires medical treatment for a serious illness;
• When an employee is seriously ill and unable to work; 
• When an employee becomes a parent or has a foster child placed in his or her home.

When the need for family and medical leave is foreseeable, employees who want to use it must provide 30-day advance notice of their need. When the need for leave is not foreseeable, employees must contact the Human Resources Office as soon as possible. Employees may be required to provide the following:
 

• Medical certification from a qualified health care provider supporting the need for leave due to a serious health condition affecting the employee or an immediate family member;
• Second or third medical opinions and periodic recertification of the need for leave;
• Periodic reports during the leave regarding the employee’s status and intent to return to work;
• Medical certification from a qualified health care provider at the conclusion of leave of an employee’s ability to perform the essential job functions. 

Employees requiring family and medical leave should contact the Personnel Office for details on eligibility, requirements, and limitations.