FMLA Leave The Board agrees to comply with the Family and Medical Leave Act and agrees that any policy adopted to implement the FMLA shall in no way reduce or adversely impact any other provision of this Agreement.
Casual Leave Employees may be granted casual leave with pay to a maximum of two (2) hours. Such leave will not be unreasonably denied.
Maternity Leave A pregnant employee shall qualify for maternity leave: (a) Upon written request at least four weeks in advance of the leave the employee will be granted leave of absence without pay for a period of not more than 12 months. The request must be accompanied by a doctor's note indicating the expected date of birth. (b) The period of maternity leave without pay shall be from 11 weeks before the expected date of termination of the pregnancy. (c) The Employer shall, with the agreement of the employee, defer the commencement of maternity leave for any period approved in writing by a qualified medical practitioner. (d) Where an employee who is at work becomes ill or injured following the commencement of the 11 week period in (b) above, such illness or injury shall be covered by application of the sick leave provision as follows: (1) where the illness or injury is not directly related to the condition of pregnancy, sick leave coverage may extend to the scheduled date of commencement of maternity leave or birth of the baby, whichever occurs first; (2) where the illness is caused through an abnormal condition or pregnancy, as determined in writing by a qualified medical practitioner, and the employee returned to work before the scheduled commencement date of maternity leave, the period of absence will be covered by the provisions of Clauses 26.1(a) and (b). (e) On return from maternity leave, an employee shall be placed in her former position. (f) The Employer shall maintain coverage for medical, extended health, dental, group life, short and long-term disability, and shall pay the Employer's share of these premiums. (g) Notwithstanding Clauses 20.1 and 20.2, vacation entitlements and vacation pay shall continue to accrue while an employee is on maternity leave for the first six months of maternity leave providing the employee returns to work for a period of not less than six months. Vacation earned pursuant to this clause may be carried over to the following year, notwithstanding Clause 20.9. (h) Where the original application for maternity leave is for a period of less than 12 months, it can be extended for an additional period so the combined leaves do not exceed 12 months. Such an extension must be for health reasons and will be without pay. A doctor's certificate is required. Benefit provisions under Clause 26.1(f) shall apply. (i) Maternity leave for employees in their initial probation period shall be in accordance with the (j) Six weeks prior to the expiration date of the maternity leave, the employee must notify the University in writing of the date of return to work. If no notification is given, the employee shall be deemed to have abandoned the position.
Sabbatical Leave 1. Upon written application, not later than April 1 of any school year, a unit member who meets the following qualifications shall be granted a sabbatical leave. 2. All applications for sabbatical leave will be reviewed by a committee consisting of three (3) representatives to be named by the Superintendent, and three (3) representatives to be named by the Association President. The committee shall consider, among other qualifications, the following: a. The proposed program of the applicant as related to professional graduate study, travel, writing, or research. b. The value of the proposed program to the Pickerington Schools, its pupils, and the individual applicant. c. The applicant’s total length of service with Pickerington Schools. 3. In order to be eligible for a sabbatical leave, a unit member must have been employed in the Pickerington School District for at least five (5) years. 4. Unit members requesting such leaves must accompany their applications with detailed plans for the proposed use of their sabbatical leaves. Within ninety (90) days after the expiration of his/her leave, the unit member will make a written report to the Superintendent detailing the use, which was made of his/her leave. If the leave was granted for graduate study, the unit member will present to the Superintendent a transcript from the university or college attended. 5. Unit members approved for a sabbatical leave will be notified of their approval by May 15th, or as soon thereafter as possible. A unit member on a sabbatical leave shall be given an employment contract for the year of leave and shall be entitled to a salary equal to the difference between their previous salary and the salary of the substitute teacher replacing them while on sabbatical leave. 6. As a condition of being granted a sabbatical leave, a unit member must agree to return to the Pickerington Schools for a period of one (1) year upon returning from leave. Failure to do so shall require the unit member to refund to the Board all payments received from the Board for sabbatical leave purposes during the leave period. Such refund shall be made within a four (4) month period beginning with the first full month said unit member was to have returned to duty. Such time limit may be extended by agreement of both parties. 7. Unit members on sabbatical leave shall be given full experience credit on the salary schedule and credit for seniority purposes for the period of the leave and shall return to their same or to a similar position as they held at the time the leave commenced. 8. A bargaining unit member on sabbatical leave may maintain health, life, and dental insurance benefits during the period of leave. Any member desiring continuation of such benefits must notify the Treasurer not less than thirty (30) days prior to the commencement of the leave and pay to the Treasurer an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of the total monthly cost of the insurance not less than ten (10) days in advance of the time that the Board premium payment is due. 9. Any bargaining unit member who purchases retirement credit for the portion of their salary forfeited during the sabbatical leave will pay to STRS both the employee and employer share of retirement contributions. 10. All such sabbatical leaves shall be granted in conformity to the provisions of Section 3319.131 of the Ohio Revised Code.
Paternity Leave 7.4.6(a) An employee will provide to the employer at least ten weeks prior to each proposed period of paternity leave, with: