FILE:  GBRIA

GENERAL LEAVES OF ABSENCE

PERSONAL LEAVE

The Catahoula Parish School Board shall grant to all teachers and all other employees, two (2) days absence during each school year to be used for such purposes as may be determined by the individual.  For every day an employee is absent from work over the allowed two (2) days, for non-medical reasons, the employee shall be conferenced as to the reasons thereof and appropriate action shall be taken depending on the outcome of the administrative conference.

These two (2) days shall be used at the employee's discretion, upon submitting proper notice to the principal or supervisor for such leave at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to taking said leave.  The two (2) days personal leave shall not be cumulative nor payable upon death or retirement, or paid in any other manner except as provided by law.  Personal leave shall be charged to and deducted from current and/or accumulated sick leave as of the date personal leave is taken.

LEAVE WITHOUT PAY

The Board may grant leave of absence, without pay, only for family hardship/emergency, medical problems, or educational purposes, to any regularly employed teacher or other employee for periods of time not to exceed one year.  Such leave shall be granted by the Board, upon proper request in writing by the employee, whenever in the discretion of the Board such leave is in the best interest of the school district.  Leaves of absence without pay shall correspond with the ending date of semester periods established by the official Catahoula Parish school calendar.

At the time leave without pay is granted, the Board may declare that all or certain of such leaves shall not be deemed to interrupt active service for sabbatical leave purposes.

Any Catahoula Parish School Board employee who is granted leave without pay by the School Board shall be obligated to pay 100% of applicable insurance premium during the period of leave.  The School Board shall not continue contributions towards the premium. Employees using sick leave for maternity leave purposes, sabbatical leave, or persons on sick leave that receive pay through accumulated sick leave shall not be affected by this provision and the Board shall continue to pay the necessary premiums.

SCHOOL AND DAY CARE CONFERENCE AND ACTIVITIES LEAVE

An employer may grant any employee of the school system leave from work of up to a total of sixteen (16) hours during any twelve (12) month period to attend, observe, or participate in conferences or classroom activities related to the employee's dependent children for whom he/she is the legal guardian that are conducted at the child's school or day care center, if the conferences or classroom activities cannot reasonably be scheduled during the nonwork hours of the employee.  An employee who wishes to request such leave shall provide a reasonable notice to the employer prior to the leave and make a reasonable effort to schedule the leave so as not to unduly disrupt the operations of the employer. 

An employer is not required to pay an employee for any time taken as leave for conferences and school activities.  However, an employee shall be permitted to substitute any accrued vacation time or other appropriate paid leave for any leave taken as provided here.

CIVIL, EMERGENCY, AND SPECIAL LEAVE

An employee shall be given time off without loss of pay, annual leave, or sick leave as follows for:

Revised:  August, 2005

Ref:     La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:1171, 17:1186, 17:1208, 17:1208.1, 23:1015.2

            Board minutes, 12-6-88, 1-3-89, 12-7-73, 9-6-05

Catahoula Parish School Board