Policy File: Gcrgc Non-Professional Personnel Maternity Leave Policy

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File: GCRGC

NON-PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL MATERNITY LEAVE POLICY

The maternity leave benefit for non-professional personnel in the Lafayette Parish School System shall be handled as any other medical condition governed under Policy File: GCRG. Each expectant non-professional employee shall have the option of choosing maternity leave without pay or using current and accumulated sick leave for the period of medical disability occasioned by pregnancy, child birth, or its aftermath. The School Board requires the completion of its Request for Medical Leave form, regardless of option chosen, by the employee’s physician as to the exact period of time of medically determined disability because of the pregnancy, child birth, or aftermath. Furthermore, in this as in any other sick leave situation, the School Board reserves the right to have the employee examined by a physician of its own choosing and at its cost whenever it deems appropriate. If there are any questions concerning the options, the employee should immediately contact the Human Resources Division.

Maternity leave shall count toward retirement as long as the requirements of the retirement system are met, and provided the employee on leave without pay pays both the employee’s and employer’s share of the cost.

Years of teaching, prior to the maternity leave, will be counted among those years required for tenure.

No employee under this option shall lose continuity in service.

An employee is expected to notify the Human Resources Division at least fifteen (15) days prior to returning to work.

Adopted: 10/03/73

Revised: 2/19/73

Revised: 2/7/79

Revised: 11/3/82

Revised: 9/1/99

Revised: 1/19/00

Revised: 6/6/01

Revised: 07/18/07

Legal Ref.: L.R.S. 17:1211

Lafayette Parish Public Schools, Louisiana

NON-PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL MATERNITY LEAVE POLICY

It is the policy of the Lafayette Parish School Board to give an expectant non-professional employee the option of choosing maternity leave without pay or using current and accumulated sick leave for the period of medical disability occasioned by pregnancy, child birth, or its aftermath. The School Board requires the completion of its Maternity Certification Form, regardless of option chosen, by the employee’s physician as to the exact period of time of medically determined disability because of the pregnancy, child birth, or aftermath. Furthermore, in this as in any other sick leave situation, the School Board reserves the right to have the employee examined by a physician of its own choosing and at its cost whenever it deems appropriate. If there are any questions concerning the options, the employee should immediately contact the Human Resources Division.

I. Maternity Leave Without Pay Option

A. Employees shall be granted maternity leave as leave without pay for up to one (1) calendar year, if the employee makes application. This option is the Lafayette Parish School System’s response to the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Written application for such leave must be submitted to the Human Resources Division prior to the end of the sixth (6th) month of pregnancy, along with the Lafayette Parish School System Maternity Certification Form completed by the employee’s physician.

B. The following shall apply for employees selecting this option:

1. Maternity leave of up to one (1) calendar year will count as experience for pay purposes.

Maternity leave shall count toward retirement as long as the requirements of the retirement system are met, and provided the employee on leave pays both the employee’s and employer’s share of the cost.

3. When a definite leave period is requested, an employee may not return to her position prior to the end of her leave unless that position becomes vacant.

4. Any person on maternity leave is to assume the responsibility of notifying the Human Resources Division and the school principal as to the date she plans to return to work. A doctor’s statement stating that the employee is physically capable of returning to work is required in the Human Resources Division prior to her returning to work.

5. Current and accumulated leave cannot be used by the employee if leave is applied for.

Years of teaching, prior to the maternity leave, will be counted among those years required for tenure.

II. Use of Current and Accumulated Sick Leave Days

A. An employee may work, prior to the birth of the child, as long as the employee’s physician permits, and with permission from the physician to return to work within six (6) to eight (8) weeks of the birth of the child.

1. Maternity Certification Form must be completed by the attending physician and submitted to the Human Resources Division prior to the end of the sixth (6th) month of pregnancy.

2. A pregnant employee must use current and accumulated sick leave if this option is used. If the employee does not have enough sick leave to cover the date of the absence approved by the person’s physician, the employee will be able to use days from her available extended sick leave at 65% of her daily rate until the doctor decides she is physically able to return to work.

3. If the employee expends all current and accumulated sick leave and extended sick leave, she will be docked 100% of her daily rate of pay.

4. The Lafayette Parish School Board does retain the authority to decide otherwise if it is deemed too dangerous for the employee to continue working.

An employee under this option does not lose continuity in service.