FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVES OF ABSENCE. Employees shall have rights provided by the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”). Under FMLA, a unit member who has worked at least 1250 hours in the twelve month period preceding the commencement of the leave is entitled to take up to twelve (12) weeks of unpaid leave between July 1 and June 30 of each year because of the birth of a child; the placement of an adoption or xxxxxx care child with the employee; for the care of a spouse, child, step-child, parent, or step-parent who has a serious health condition; or because of a personal serious health condition. During such leave, the unit member is entitled to the continuation of health benefits with the same level of Board contribution as otherwise exists. Leave taken pursuant to other provisions of this contract shall count toward the twelve (12) week FMLA entitlement. Thus, if the purpose of a leave qualifies for sick leave, the employee shall take sick leave; if the purpose of the leave qualifies for child care leave, then the employee shall take child care leave under this contract, provided that benefits for the first twelve (12) weeks of the child care leave shall be paid by the Board to the extent the Board otherwise would pay for such benefits. The time off on sick leave or child care leave shall count toward the employee’s twelve (12) week FMLA entitlement; that is, the employee shall not be entitled to an additional twelve weeks of FMLA leave after exhausting sick leave or child care leave. The unit member may request or the Board or administration shall designate leave as FMLA leave within 48 hours of the commencement of the leave if the leave is to be counted toward the twelve (12) week FMLA entitlement.
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