FILE: GBRIC
MATERNITY AND ADOPTIVE LEAVE
MATERNITY LEAVE
The Catahoula Parish School Board shall grant to regular employees, with limited exception, leave without pay for maternity purposes for a reasonable period of time before and after the birth of a child. Reasonable period of time means that period during which the female employee is disabled on account of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Regular employees, for purposes of this policy, shall mean teachers serving under contract (not to include substitute teachers or teachers replacing others on leave) and other female employees who are employed by the School Board on a regular basis. Such leave shall be granted upon proper application to the School Board for maternity leave.
Employees may be permitted to use current and accumulated sick leave days in lieu of maternity leave upon proper request. The period of disability for which sick leave may be used shall be determined by the employee's physician, in conjunction with the employee and appropriate school personnel, and submitted to the School Board in writing. The application must be submitted to the principal and the Superintendent or his/her designee at least thirty (30) days prior to the commencement of leave. The application must be accompanied by a statement from a physician verifying the stage of pregnancy and the expected dates of disability due to pregnancy. Such certificate shall follow the same standards as for submission of certificates for sick leave as found under Certification of Absence in policy GBRIB, Sick Leave. Failure to comply with the notice and other requirements of this policy may be considered willful neglect of duty and may result in termination of employment.
Employees permitted such sick leave shall comply fully with all sick leave regulations.
Each teacher granted maternity leave in accordance with state law who has no remaining sick leave days available may also be granted up to thirty (30) days of extended sick leave in each six-year period of employment in accordance with policy GBRIB, Sick Leave.
After the period of disability, the employee shall be responsible for submitting a medical statement certifying that the employee is able to return to work.
Maternity leave for the period of disability occasioned by pregnancy and/or childbirth shall not interrupt the consecutive service for sabbatical leave purposes. Once maternity leave extends beyond the period of disability, however, such period of leave shall be considered an interruption of the accrual of consecutive semesters for sabbatical leave eligibility.
The following steps should be considered when a maternity leave is being taken:
Maternity leave shall begin on the date requested by the teacher and recommended by the physician.
A teacher shall be eligible for re-employment to the position she left when she submits written notice from her physician that she is physically fit for full-time employment, and when she can give full assurance that care for the child will cause a minimal interference with job responsibilities. A teacher is guaranteed the position she held prior to being granted leave unless the position is eliminated.
Re-employment shall be guaranteed following the date that the individual was declared eligible for re-employment.
A teacher who takes maternity leave will keep her accumulated days intact when returning to her position. However, a teacher who chooses to use her accumulated sick leave for maternity purposes will have her accumulated sick leave reduced by the number of days used.
Maternity leave is leave without pay.
ADOPTIVE LEAVE
The School Board shall grant leaves of absence not to exceed thirty (30) days to regular employed teachers after the legal adoption of a child. If multiple children are adopted on the same date, the event shall be considered a single qualifying event. The granting of such leave shall not affect any of the tenure rights with the teacher may have acquired under state law.
Each teacher granted adoptive leave in accordance with state law who has no remaining sick leave days available may also be granted up to thirty (30) days of extended sick leave in each six-year period of employment for personal illness related to illness of an infant, or for required medical visits certified by a physician as relating to infant health.
Adoptive leave shall not interrupt the consecutive service for sabbatical leave purposes.
Revised: March 5, 2019
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ยงยง17:1171, 17:1211, 23:334, 23:341, 23:342
Board minutes, 7-2-73, 3-5-19
Catahoula Parish School Board