Medical leave allows employees to take paid time off by utilizing their accrued sick leave. If you are planning to be away for 15 days or more, you will need to fill out the "Leave of Absence Request" form. This form can be found on our District website or directly through this link: Leave of Absence Request Form. Along with this form, please submit a doctor's note that outlines the nature of your illness, the dates you will be disabled, and when you expect to return to work. After submitting the form, our Human Resources (HR) team will contact you to advise of next steps. If an in-person meeting is necessary, HR will schedule and inform you of the date and time. All dates related to your medical leave should be recorded in Frontline Absence Management. Please enter your planned absence before your leave begins. Any unplanned or emergency absences will be entered by HR.

Please Note: if your medical leave extends beyond 30 consecutive days, it will appear on the upcoming Board Agenda.

The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 provides for unpaid leave with job protection. To qualify for FMLA leave, you need to meet these criteria:

• You must be employed by your current employer and work at a location where the company has at least 50 employees within a 75-mile radius.

• You should have worked for your employer for at least 12 months, although these months do not need to be consecutive.

• You must have worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12 months immediately before the start of your FMLA leave.

FMLA allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave within any 12-month period for several specific reasons:

• The birth and care of your newborn child, within one year of birth.

• The placement of a child with you for adoption or foster care, also within one year of that event.

• Caring for an immediate family member (spouse, child, or parent) who has a serious health condition.

• A personal health condition that seriously affects your ability to perform your job.

If you need to take a leave of absence, please start by filling out the “Leave of Absence Request” form available on the District website. You can find the form here: Leave of Absence Request Form. Along with your application, please include a physician's note that specifies the nature of your illness, the dates you will be disabled, and your expected date of return.

Once you have submitted the form indicating your plan to utilize FMLA leave, you will receive a “Healthcare Provider’s Statement” to be completed by both you and your doctor. The HR department will follow up with you to advise of next steps. If an in-person meeting is necessary, HR will schedule and inform you of the date and time. All FMLA leave dates will be recorded in Frontline Absence Management by our HR team.

For additional details on the Family Medical Leave Act, you can visit the Department of Labor's FMLA page: Click Here and Article XI, Section D:V of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Extension to Medical and FMLA
Employee requests to extend Medical or FMLA Leaves must be submitted to HR ten (10) days before the end of the current leave.

MATERNITY AND CHILD REARING

Maternity Disability Leave can be a paid and/or unpaid leave. If you have accumulated sick leave, you can use it for the period of disability related to your pregnancy and childbirth. Should your accumulated leave not fully cover the duration, you can apply for unpaid FMLA leave.

Please submit your leave request to HR at least sixty (60) days before your expected delivery date. You will need to complete the “Leave of Absence Request” form available on the district website. You can access the form here: Leave of Absence Request Form. After submitting the form, you will receive a “Healthcare Provider’s Statement” to fill out along with physician, detailing the start date of your maternity disability, estimated delivery date, and your expected return date. HR will then contact you to outline the next steps. If a face-to-face meeting is needed, HR will also schedule and inform you of the date and time.

All leave dates should be recorded in Frontline Absence Management. Please enter your planned absence before your leave begins. Any unplanned, FMLA, or emergency absences will be entered by HR.

CHILD REARING

Child Rearing Leave is an unpaid personal leave option. If you are planning to take this leave, please submit your request to HR at least Sixty (60) days before your intended start date.

• For tenured staff members, you may be granted leave for the remainder of the school year during which the birth or adoption takes place, and possibly for the entire following school year.

• Non-tenured employees are eligible to take leave for the remainder of the school year in which the birth or adoption occurs.

To apply, you will need to complete the “Parenthood Leave Request” form available on the district website. You can find the form here: Parenthood Leave Request Form. After you submit your form, HR will contact you to inform of next steps.

All leave dates need to be recorded in Frontline Absence Management. Please enter your planned absence before your leave begins. Any unplanned, FMLA, or emergency absences will be entered by HR.

For additional details, refer to Article XI, Section D:III of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Extension to Child Rearing Leave
If you are considering extending your current child rearing leave within the same school year, please send a written notification to HR at least thirty (30) days before your scheduled return date.

• Should you wish to extend your leave through the next school year, you will need to inform HR by April 1st of the current school year.

• Similarly, if you plan to return to work in September, please ensure you provide written notification to HR by April 1st of the current school year.

MILITARY

Military Leave is available to employees during their annual active duty period. If you serve in the US Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, National Guard, or Coast Guard Reserves, you may be eligible for up to two weeks of paid leave.

To apply for Military Leave, please complete the “Leave of Absence Request” form found on the district website. You can access the form directly through this link: Leave of Absence Request Form. Along with the form, you will need to submit a copy of your military orders which include the dates of your service.

All leave dates must be entered into Frontline Absence Management. Please enter your planned absence before your leave begins. Any unplanned or emergency absences will be entered by HR.

For additional details, refer to Article XI, Section E of the PEA Collective Bargaining Agreement or Article X, Section I of the PASA Bargaining Agreement.

PERSONAL

Personal Leave is an unpaid option that can be utilized for health reasons, educational purposes, or other personal matters. This type of leave is approved based on the discretion of the Board. For any non-medical emergency requests, you must submit your application to HR thirty (30) days before your intended leave start date.

To apply, please fill out the “Leave of Absence Request” form available on the district website, which you can access here: Leave of Absence Request Form. Along with your application, include a written statement and any documents that support the reason for your leave, as well as the expected start and end dates of the leave.

Once your form has been submitted, HR will contact you to advise of next steps. If an in-person meeting is necessary, HR will schedule and inform you of the date and time.

All leave dates should be entered into Frontline Absence Management. Please enter your planned absence before your leave begins. Any unplanned or emergency absences will be entered by HR.

For additional details, refer to Article XI: Section G of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Extension to Personal Leave

If you need to extend your Personal Leave, please make sure to submit your request to HR at least ten (10) days before your current leave ends.

Employees on leave should contact the Payroll Department to discuss benefits.

Medical Leaves require a physician’s note that medically clears the employee to return to full active duty.

All Leave of Absence related correspondence/documentation should be sent to: LeaveofAbsence@plainfield.k12.nj.us