Benefits During Leave Employees are encouraged to contact the Employer’s Benefits Office (phone # 000-000-0000, xxxxxxxx@xx.xxx) prior to any leave without pay to understand impact on benefits and learn about other points to consider.
EXTENDED LEAVES OF ABSENCE A. Extended Leaves of Absence: As applicable, staff members employed during the 2015-16 school year will be “grandfathered” under the terms of the previous language. Provision has been made by the Board of Education for absence from duty of Professional Employees as follows: Health Leave Association Business Leave Parental Leave Military Leave Foreign Travel or Teaching - Academic Study Personal All requests for extended leaves of absence will be applied for and those approved shall be granted in writing. Professional Employees requesting reassignment upon completion of an extended leave of absence will be assigned to the first available position based upon their professional preparation, experience, and certification. Except for Association Business Leave and Military Leave, if a vacancy is not available by the beginning of the second year following the completion of the leave, the leave status ends and the Professional Employee is terminated from the district. Part-time Professional Employees who go on Extended Leave of Absence should not expect to return to a position which would increase their contract time. A part-time Professional Employee returning from Extended Leave of Absence may be offered a position of greater contract time. B. Health Leave (extended) Any Professional Employee, having served the district for a minimum of three years, or with approval from the Superintendent and/or their designee, whose personal illness or physical incapacity extends beyond accumulated Xxxx Leave will be granted leave of absence without pay or increment for the remainder of the current semester. Health leave may be extended for one additional semester with application, as appropriate and available, made no less than 30 days prior to the conclusion of the current semester. In cases where such notice is not available, consideration will be made at the discretion of the Superintendent and/or their designee. At such time as the employee is diagnosed by their medical advisor as able to return to work, the employee may be returned to a position for which they are licensed, provided one is available, at the beginning of the subsequent semester or school year. Under no circumstances will an employee be entitled to return to a position. C. Association Business Leave (extended) 1. Professional Employees designated by the recognized employees' organization may, upon request, be granted a leave of absence for up to two years without pay, for the purpose of engaging in activities of local, state, and national affiliates of the Association. Upon return from such a leave, a Professional Employee will be assigned to the same position, if available; or, if not, to a substantially equivalent position. 2. The president of the NEA SM may, upon request, be granted a leave of absence for up to six years for the purposes of performing those duties. The district will annually issue an employment contract to the NEA SM president during the term of the president's service. Such president shall receive Experience Credit as outlined in Article XI (Contracts and Salaries) C. (Experience Credit), 2. (Present Employees), hereof. During the tenure of the NEA SM president, the provisions of Article VIII (Temporary Leaves of Absence) hereof shall not apply to said president, including the accumulation of temporary leave and the reporting of absences to the district. The NEA SM will reimburse the district for all salary and benefits costs associated with the president's compensation. The Association agrees that the NEA SM president does not serve as an agent of the district while performing duties of the NEA SM president. Accordingly, the Association agrees to indemnify and hold the district harmless for any action of the NEA SM president while performing duties of the NEA SM president. Upon return from such leave, the NEA SM president will be assigned to the same position, if available, or, if not, to a substantially equivalent position. During the president's leave of absence, the president may agree to accept an additional assignment from the district. In that case, the district and the president shall agree (a) to the president's duties and responsibilities, (b) the terms and conditions of that assignment, and (c) an appropriate credit toward the NEA SM reimbursement for the president's salary and benefits. D. Parental Leave (extended) 1. A Professional Employee may be granted a leave of absence, without pay or increment, for the purpose of prenatal care, or for the purpose of childcare, upon the birth of or adoption of a child. Under special/appropriate circumstances, approved Parental Leave (extended) may be adjusted/discontinued with the approval of the Superintendent and/or their designee. a. In the event of pregnancy, the Professional Employee shall file a request for extended parental leave with the Human Resources Office at the beginning of the third trimester of pregnancy. b. In the event of an adoption, the Professional Employee shall file written notice with Human Resources at the time the Professional Employee received notice from the adoption agency. c. Such leave may commence at any time and will extend through the end of the current semester. d. Upon written application, such leave may be extended for one semester. Exceptions to this policy will be governed by the requirements of the Family and Medical Leave Act. E. Military Leave (extended) 1. Leave for military or alternate civilian service, as provided by law or in the regulations of the Selective Service System, will be granted, without pay or increment, to any Professional Employee who is inducted or enlists in active military or civilian services. This leave shall continue for the duration of the period of actual service and for ninety (90) days immediately following the honorable discharge or separation of the employee. 2. Within ninety (90) days following the honorable discharge, each person desiring reinstatement shall so notify the Board and shall furnish evidence of physical fitness and mental competence to do the kind of work the Professional Employee was doing at the time leave was granted, or such work as may be available. 3. This leave does not include or guarantee any assignment in addition to, or independent of, the standard assignment or any extra-standard salary allotment therefor. 4. Every possible consideration and preference in assignment shall be accorded to persons returning to the schools from the Armed Services. 5. This leave applies only to persons who enter military service, and does not apply to persons who voluntarily seek employment in war industries or other governmental positions. 6. Professional Employees who are members of units of the National Guard or reserve forces of the United States and who are called to serve a mandated tour of duty for training or other service by proper authority pursuant to the laws of the United States or of the State of Kansas, shall be granted a leave of absence not to exceed fifteen (15) days during a contract period. Professional Employees called to serve will select those duty options which least interfere with the educational program of the District. The Professional Employee will be reimbursed by the District to make up any difference between the Professional Employee's base contract daily rate and the Professional Employee's military pay during this leave of absence. F. Foreign Travel or Teaching; Academic Study (extended) 1. Foreign Travel
Union Leave of Absence An employee on an unpaid Union leave of absence shall have her wages, benefits and seniority continued by the Employer, and the Union agrees to reimburse the Employer for the costs of such wages and benefits. Employees requesting leave under this article will provide the Employer with as much advance notice as possible of the dates of the leave. Where there are less than fifteen (15) regular employees at a workstation at the time the leave request is submitted, and subject to operational requirements, unpaid Union leave of absence will be granted to one employee for the purpose of conducting Union business. This would be an additional person on Union leave at worksites where the position of the Union President or Council member has been backfilled for the duration of their term of office. A leave of absence without pay shall be granted to an employee who is a member of the Union and who is: A) a Union Council/Board member. Such leave shall be granted for the purpose of attending regular or special meetings of the Council/Board and shall include reasonable travel time. B) either elected or appointed to represent the Union and/or a region at annual or special conventions of the Union. C) a member of the Union’s bargaining committee. Such leave (including travelling time) shall be granted to attend preparatory negotiating meetings, to conduct negotiations, and to participate in mediation, industrial inquiry commissioner hearings and arbitrations. D) selected by the Union or its members as a delegate to attend the Provincial Bargaining Conference. E) selected by the Union or its members as a delegate to attend regional Bargaining Conference.
