Benefits

FMLA stands for Family Medical Leave Act. It is a leave that may last up to 12 weeks for medical reasons. To qualify for the leave, certain conditions must be met.

• Employees who have worked for 12 months and 1,250 hours or more within a year.
• It allows an unpaid medical leave for your own serious health condition, for care of newborn or adopted baby within first 12 months, or to care for a sick or injured spouse or parent.
• You may use sick time for the time that you are considered to be disabled by your doctor. After that time, you would use personal or other paid time off to offset the unpaid portion of the leave.
• During this leave, the district continues to make a contribution towards your health insurance the same as if you were working for the 12 weeks.
• If your leave extends beyond 12 weeks, then you may be required to pay the whole cost of the health and dental insurances.
• If an employee does not meet the required minimum number of hours worked within a year, that employee may request to take a medical leave.
• The qualification for leave is calculated on a rolling calendar from the date of the onset of the leave.

• You must meet the conditions to be eligible for FMLA.
• The district is required by statute to grant FMLA leave.
• FMLA may be taken to care for an injured or ill spouse, parent or child.
• Medical leave applies only to your own serious health condition. These guidelines are intended to provide general information. Some employee groups may vary slightly– see your specific employee group contract book or policies. Staff share/Procedure/FMLA/FMLA and medical leave FAQs.
• Medical leave may extend beyond 12 weeks if your doctor prescribes that you need to be off work longer.
• With a medical leave, the district does not make the contribution to your health insurance unless you are using sick leave or other paid time off.

• A Time Off Request Form should be turned in if the leave is for more than 10 days and related to a medical condition, OR, if at the end of the leave you will be returning to work with restrictions. Indicate the start and end date and the reason for the leave is illness. Your supervisor should sign off on the form before it is sent to Human Resources (HR).
• A note from your doctor indicating that the leave is for medical reasons and the estimated time off needed. This would include start and end date.

• Your paperwork should provide an estimated start and end date for your leave.
• Once the baby is born, notify HR and your building/program when you deliver.
• You will need to also provide a note from your physician indicating the length of your leave for medical reasons.
• If you wish to adjust the end date of your leave, you will need to submit a written request to HR within 3 weeks of the delivery. Your request will be reviewed by HR and your principal, director, or supervisor. We will notify you if we can accommodate the requested change.

• Your request for leave is reviewed by HR.
• You will receive a letter from HR within 5 days that indicates if your leave was approved.
• If your leave qualifies for FMLA and goes beyond 12 weeks, then that portion of your leave is sent to a meeting of the school board for approval.
• Once your leave has begun, payroll will send you a statement with number of sick, personal, or vacation hours that you will use during your leave and how your pay check may be affected.

If you are off 10 days or less, you enter your absence into AESOP.

If you are off beyond 10 days, HR will enter your time off in AESOP and payroll system.

• You do not need a note from your physician unless you are returning with restrictions. We will need to review your restrictions to determine if you can return to work.
• The district will assume you are returning on your end date unless you have been approved to return on a different date.