FILE: GBRIC
MATERNITY LEAVE
The Vermilion Parish School Board declares that any employee who becomes pregnant shall be eligible for maternity leave (leave without pay). The expectant employee shall be given the option of choosing maternity leave or using current and accumulated sick leave for the period of medical disability occasioned by pregnancy and childbirth. Employees who use current and/or accumulated sick leave for maternity leave purposes shall be subject to all policy provisions, regulations and procedures affecting sick leave.
An employee who becomes pregnant must notify the Superintendent or his/her designee in writing (by completing the Request for Maternity Leave form) within the first four (4) months of pregnancy. The form must be accompanied by a statement from a physician verifying the stage of pregnancy and the expected dates of disability due to pregnancy. 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.
Maternity leave of absence (leave without pay) may be granted to regularly employed women for a reasonable time before and after childbirth for a maximum of one year. Maternity leave without pay does not affect tenure, teaching or working experience acquired prior to the leave. Maternity leave granted only for the period of disability occasioned by pregnancy and/or childbirth shall not interrupt the consecutive service for sabbatical leave purposes.
REGULATIONS
Maternity leave may be requested in accordance with the following regulations:
Within the first four (4) months of pregnancy, the employee must complete medical certification and sick leave application and submit same to the Superintendent (copy available in principal’s office).
Verification from the employee’s physician as to how long she will require leave must be submitted.
All days missed shall be charged as regular sick leave unless otherwise specified by the employee. When all of the accumulated sick leave days have been used, the employee may elect to begin using extended sick leave provided they qualify.
When days absent are charged as sick leave and all accumulated sick leave or extended sick leave days indicated have been used, the employee shall automatically go on maternity leave.
When the employee returns to her school from maternity leave, the principal will advise the Superintendent of the exact date on which she returned to work.
An employee that will be adopting a child shall inform the School Board, by letter, upon filing for child adoption. The employee shall inform the School Board once an adoption agency has accepted their application and shall also inform the School Board, by letter, of the appropriate date of arrival.
Adopted: July 20, 2016
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:1171, 17:1211, 23:334, 23:341, 23:342
Board minutes, 6-6-85, 11-20-03, 7-20-16
Vermilion Parish School Board