Leave Administration
Overview
DCSD leave Administration oversees and administers employee leave requests in accordance with district policy and state and federal leave laws.
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Goal
- Ensure that leave policies are applied on a consistent basis and comply with state and federal law and district policy.
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Objective
- Provide guidance on the district leave policies and programs including but not limited to the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Military Leave, Jury Duty, DeKalb Medical Leave, Bereavement, and Professional Leave.
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Responsibilities
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:
- Provides guidance to supervisors, timekeepers, and employees regarding the process for the need for a leave of absence (completing initial request, determining eligibility, approval process/designating leave as FMLA-qualifying)
- Oversees the return-to-work process for employees returning from an approved leave of absence
- Monitors absence reporting system for accurate sick leave time recording
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678.676.0005
Types of Leave
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FMLA
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to take job-protected leave to obtain care for himself or herself for a serious health condition, or to provide care to a parent, spouse, or child with a serious health condition. FMLA Leave also applies to any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, child, or parent is a military member on covered active duty or call to covered active-duty status. This leave is unpaid. Use of accrued unused pay for sick leave, personal leave, or vacation, may be an appropriate means to receive compensation while on approved FMLA Leave. - Paid Parental Leave
In accordance with Georgia Law, DeKalb County School District shall grant up to 120 hours of Paid Parental Leave to full-time employees with six (6) months of continuous employment with the District and to hourly employees with 700 hours of work with the District in the six (6) months immediately preceding the first requested Paid Parental Leave date. All days absent shall be reported by the employee on a Statement of Leave Form, certifying the dates and reasons for the absence. A physician’s certificate or documentation establishing the existence of the qualifying event will be required by the Superintendent or his/her designee for approval. This policy will be in effect for births, adoptions or placements of foster children occurring on or after July 1, 2021.Parental Leave is provided under state law to provide paid leave following the birth of an employee’s child or the placement of a child with an employee through adoption or foster care. The maximum amount of parental leave can be taken during a rolling twelve-month period. Any such leave that remains 12 months after the qualifying life event shall not carry over for future use. This policy will run concurrently with an approved FMLA or Medical Leave, as applicable. Unused paid parental leave shall have no cash value at the time the employee separates from employment. The Division of Human Resources has the right to deny the request for parental leave.
- DeKalb Medical Leave
The District sponsored medical leave is available to employees who have a serious medical condition as defined by the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) but who do not qualify for FMLA. Employees may apply for an unpaid job-protected Medical Leave for a qualifying reason as defined in the FMLA, with the continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave. The District will allow employees to take a medical leave per rolling calendar year for the employee or an immediate family member measured backward from the date an employee uses any Medical Leave. When the need for leave is foreseeable, the employee must give the Division of Human Resources at least 30-days advance notice of the need to take a DeKalb Medical Leave. When the need is unexpected the employee must notify the Division of Human Resources as soon as possible.The leave does not need to be taken in a continuous block. When medically necessary, eligible employees may take the leave intermittently. The allowable time off is limited to the period of disability as certified by the attending physician but no more than 40 work days (8 weeks) or 160 hours. At the end of the approved leave period the employee will be required to return to work, apply for additional leave (if applicable), or resign his/her position. A continued employee absence beyond the approved medical leave period will be considered job abandonment. The Division of Human Resources has the right to deny a request for Medical Leave for ineligibility purposes.
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Extended Leave
Employees who have exhausted leave provisions under the FMLA or approved DeKalb Medical leave, may apply for an extended medical leave. The extended medical leave may not exceed a period of one year from the first day of the approved continuous leave period. After one year, if the employee does not return to the district, the employee will be separated from the district. This leave is unpaid. Use of accrued unused pay for sick leave, personal leave, or vacation, may be an appropriate means to receive compensation while on approved FMLA Leave. -
Military Leave
Military Leave is granted to allow employees to comply with ordered military duty with the Armed Forces of the United States or the State of Georgia, for days in which the employee is ordered to active-duty or inactive-duty training. If an employee is on approved Military Leave, he/she may receive pay for military leave, not to exceed eighteen days in any federal fiscal year. -
Professional Leave
Professional Leave may be granted to eligible employees pursing a graduate degree in education related to the employees’ position with the district. Professional Leave is an unpaid leave of absence for up to one year to complete course requirements to complete a residence degree program, practicum, student teaching, or other internship required by attending university.
How to Apply
The leave request process for FMLA Leave, Paid Parental Leave, Military Leave, and Professional Leave, begins with you completing a Leave Request Application and submitting it to Leave Administration at leaves@dekalbschoolsga.org or fax to 678-875-5200. Please note that the steps to apply for leave will vary based on the type of leave you are requesting. Please refer to the specific steps below to apply for leave based on the nature of your need for leave.
*How to Apply for:
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Family Medical Leave (FMLA)
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Paid Parental Leave (PPL)
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Extended Leave
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Military Leave
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Professional Leave
All forms are available on the Employee Portal.
Leave Process
Eligibility
Employees are eligible for FMLA Leave when they have been employed with DCSD for at least 12 months, and have worked at least 1250 hours during the 12-month period immediately before the start of the FMLA Leave. Employees are eligible for Paid Parental Leave when they have been a full-time employee of DCSD with six (6) months of continuous service; an hourly employee with 700 hours of work with DCSD in the six (6) months immediately preceding the first requested PPL date. Full-time employees are eligible for Professional Leave when they have been employed with DCSD for at least 12 months. Only one (1) professional leave may be granted to each employee in a two (2) year cycle. An employee wishing to complete non-educational degree programs are not eligible for Professional Leave.
Approval Process
For FMLA, and Extended Leave approval, eligible employees must submit medical certification or an Extended Leave Application, supporting the need for the requested leave. The appropriate form(s) will be provided by Leave Administration and must be completed by the healthcare provider who is treating the condition.
For Paid Parental Leave, employees must submit proof of the birth of a child, adoption of a child, or foster placement, depending on the nature of the PPL request. Please contact Leave Administration for details on acceptable documentation.
For Military Leave, employees must submit a copy of official military orders, and provide the Commanding Officer’s name, address, phone number, and email address.
For Professional Leave, employees must submit an unofficial copy of their transcript, and proof of current program enrollment at least six (6) weeks prior to leave.
Leave Administration’s primary mode of communication is email. Please check your email for updates. Please read all emails and attachments for important information.
Returning to Work
Before returning to work from…
- Continuous FMLA
All employees out on approved continuous FMLA Leave due to their own medical condition, must submit a medical release from the treating physician or the DCSD Fitness for Duty – Return to Work Authorization completed by the treating physician.All employees out on approved continuous FLMA Leave to care for a family member, must Reply All to the leave approval email they received from Leave Administration to notify Leave Administration of their return to work on the morning they return to work.
Employees returning from approved FMLA Leave will be returned to the same or equivalent position and location, as defined by FMLA Law.
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Paid Parental Leave
All employees out on approved Paid Parental Leave must Reply All to the leave approval email they received from Leave Administration to notify Leave Administration of their return to work on the morning they return to work. - Military Leave
All employees out on approved continuous Military Leave must notify Leave Administration with a return to work date at least 10 days prior to returning to work.Employees returning from approved Military Leave will receive full employment and reinstatement rights as provided by law.
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Extended Leave
All employees out on approved Extended Leave, must submit a medical release from the treating physician or the DCSD Fitness for Duty – Return to Work Authorization completed by the treating physician. - Professional Leave
All employees out on approved Professional Leave must notify Leave Administration with a return to work date at least 10 days prior to returning to work.Reasonable efforts will be made to reassign an employee who returns from approved Professional or Extended Leave within the allotted time, but not necessarily to the same position previously held.
When Leave is Denied
An unapproved leave of absence for three (3) or more consecutive workdays may be considered as abandonment of and resignation from your DeKalb County School District position. Upon receiving notice of a denied leave request, the employee should contact his/her supervisor to make arrangements to return to work. If the employee is unable to return to work, he/she may resign to avoid termination for job abandonment. If the employee does not return to work, the employee’s supervisor may initiate the job abandonment process.
If leave was denied because supporting documentation to support leave request was not received by Leave Administration, the employee should make arrangements to submit the required documentation immediately. After Leave Administration receives and reviews the required supporting documentation, the denial may be overturned and the leave request may be approved.
If an employee believes the decision to deny his/her leave was made in error or that extenuating circumstances warrant further review of the request, he/she may contact Leave Administration with more information or additional details surrounding the need for leave.
FAQ
- I have enough sick leave pay to cover my absence. Why do I need an approved leave of absence?
- When should I start the leave request process?
- What is intermittent leave?
- Will my short term disability (STD) benefit payments start automatically?
- I did not have enough paid leave time to cover my approved leave of absence. When will my check return to normal?
- Where can I find a copy of the DCSD Leave Policy?
- Where can I get more information on Paid Parental Leave?
- What are the guidelines for Field Experience and Student Teaching?
I have enough sick leave pay to cover my absence. Why do I need an approved leave of absence?
When should I start the leave request process?
What is intermittent leave?
Will my short term disability (STD) benefit payments start automatically?
I did not have enough paid leave time to cover my approved leave of absence. When will my check return to normal?
Where can I find a copy of the DCSD Leave Policy?
For questions regarding DCSD’s Leave and Absence Policy please refer to Board Policy GBRI – Professional Personnel Personal Leave and Absence Policy and Regulation.
Where can I get more information on Paid Parental Leave?
To see Paid Parental Leave Frequently Asked Questions, please click here.
What are the guidelines for Field Experience and Student Teaching?
For DCSD Field Experience and Student Teaching Guidelines, please click here.
Forms
These forms are only available to current DeKalb County School District employees. Where applicable, you will be redirected to the Employee Portal.