File: GCCAG - Professional Staff Extended Leave Without Pay File: GCCAG - Professional Staff Extended Leave Without PayExtended Leave of Absence: An extended leave of absence is a leave request for a time period covering up to an entire school year. Decisions regarding extended leave requests should be made in a manner that ensures that the leave will not harm students. Leave requests will not be granted, or there may be a limit as to the duration of the leave, if there is a concern that a suitable replacement cannot be employed.
Serious consideration will be given to extended leave requests for the following reasons:
1. To accommodate physical or mental health needs or leaves to accommodate pregnancy, family emergencies, parental leave, or adoption.
2. To provide the opportunity to continue formal education.
3. Extended leave requests that do not fall into one of the above categories will be considered on an individual basis based on the recommendation of the supervisor(s).
A professional staff member requesting an extended leave shall state in writing which of the above reason(s) apply. An extended leave request to seek other employment or to enter into a contractual relationship with another district will not be granted. The professional staff member may, however, be permitted to substitute in the District at the District-approved substitute rate of pay with the approval of the superintendent or designee. If the District confirms that a professional staff member on extended leave from the District is employed elsewhere or that the reason for the leave request changed during the course of leave, without the approval of the superintendent or designee, that authorized employment and/or change may be grounds for termination based on the individual circumstances of each case. Requests from staff members on an extended leave of absence will be considered on an individual basis.
Requests for extended leave must be in writing and must have the approval of the superintendent or designee, who shall consult with the professional staff member's supervisor(s) before formalizing a recommendation to the Board of Education.
Leaves without pay (hereafter referred to as "leave") may be taken as follows:
1. One (1) to five (5) days. A professional staff member may request a leave of one (1) to five (5) days by submitting a written request to the superintendent or designee, specifying the reason for the leave. Such leave may not exceed five (5) days and may be granted by the superintendent or designee. Professional staff members returning from such leaves will be returned to the assignment held prior to the leave.
2. Over five (5) days through one (1) month. A professional staff member may request leave of over five (5) days and up to one (1) month by submitting a written request to the superintendent or designee. Approval by the Board shall be required. Professional staff members returning from such leaves will be returned to the assignment held prior to the leave.
3. Over one (1) month. A professional staff member may request a leave of over one (1) month by submitting a written request to the superintendent or designee. Leaves over one (1) month may be granted by the Board under the following circumstances:
a. At least thirty (30) days prior to leave, a suitable replacement must accept a temporary appointment for the length of the leave. If the replacement has been acquired at least thirty (30) days prior to leave, the requesting professional staff member will be notified in writing that they may return to their original assignment at the end of the requested leave.
b. If a suitable replacement has not been found at least thirty (30) days prior to leave, the requesting professional staff member will be advised in writing that they must notify the superintendent or designee in writing within ten (10) days that they choose to rescind their request for leave, or that they choose to take the leave and, upon return, be assigned to the first certificated position available within the District for which they are qualified, endorsed, or authorized according to the Colorado Department of Education.
c. If requesting leave for the following full school year, the professional staff member must submit a written request to the superintendent or designee by March 15 the school year preceding the year in which the leave is desired. Leaves will be granted for only one (1) school year in length. The status of these leave requests will be determined by April 1. Additional years may be granted in documented situations where a professional staff member has an immediate family member (as defined by the Family Medical Leave Act) that is gravely ill.
d. Leaves granted for a full school year will include only those professional staff members who have gained non-probationary status and have successfully completed five (5) consecutive years as a professional staff member in the District.
e. Extended leaves of absences, unless filled with a transfer, will, when possible, be filled by a replacement that is given an interim contract.
Extended Leave of Absence Granted
1. Extended leaves of absences are granted without salary, benefits, or other District benefits for the duration of their leave. Those granted extended leave may choose to pay the premiums necessary to remain in the District health and dental insurance program through Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). Payments for the continuation of these benefits must be received by the Human Resources Office on or before the first of each month. Please note that professional staff members utilizing COBRA may do so for up to eighteen (18) months.
2. Professional staff returning to the District after an extended leave may return to the same position upon their return or they may be reassigned the most comparable job available in the building they left for which a professional staff member is qualified unless Policy GCQA (Instructional Staff Reduction in Force) applies. If returning to the building that a professional staff member left is not an option from the building perspective, the professional staff member will be placed elsewhere in the District in a position for which they are considered highly qualified, consistent with Colorado's definition of a highly qualified teacher.
3. If the date of return from an extended leave is the beginning of a school year, the assignment shall be assured provided the professional staff member notifies both their supervisor and the superintendent or designee on or before March 15 of the preceding year of their intention to return. Extended leaves will be filled, when possible, with a replacement that is offered an interim contract.
4. Professional staff who are approved for an extended leave of absence for the entire school year will not receive credit for a year of experience on the salary schedule upon their return unless that person's leave consists of a contracted year of documented comparable teaching experience that had prior approval by the superintendent or designee.
5. Professional staff who are approved for extended leave for less than a year will receive a year towards non-probationary status only if they were scheduled for a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week for at least the last one hundred and twenty (120) days of the school year consistent with State statute.
6. Salary increments will be granted only if the period of leave in a given school year is less than ninety (90) calendar days.
7. Professional staff granted leave will retain their accumulated sick leave, but will not be awarded additional sick leave during the term of the extended leave.
Return from an Extended Leave
1. Failure of a professional staff member to notify their supervisor and the superintendent or designee of their intent to return for the following school year by March 15th may be processed as a voluntary separation of employment.
2. Before returning from an extended leave of absence that was granted due to health reasons, the superintendent or designee may require the professional staff member to present a statement from a physician that they are physically and/or mentally able to resume the normal duties required of their assignment. If requested, confirmation of the physician's statement by another physician selected by the superintendent or designee may be required at the expense of the District.
3. Should a professional staff member be granted an extended leave of absence and they decide not to return (and thus separating employment) to the District the following year, they will be granted an interview for positions in which they are qualified for, during the following year's hiring season.
4. Upon being re-hired (after separating as a result of not returning from an extended leave of absence), a professional staff member will be placed on the licensed salary schedule as a newly hired professional staff member, with the exception of, being placed in the lane in which they were placed at the time of separation.
When referring to working conditions, salary or benefits, the negotiated contract, which is currently in effect, will prevail. If an approved contract is not in place, these attached policies, regulations and/or exhibits will take their place.
Adopted: May 14, 1991
Revised: August 22, 1995
Revised: December 15, 2022
LEGAL REF: C.R.S. § 8-13.3-401 et seq. (Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act)
CROSS REF.: GBCA, Employee - District Sick Leave Bank
GBGE, Maternity/Paternity/Parental Leave
GBGF, Federally-Mandated Family and Medical Leave
GCCB, Administrative Staff Leaves and Absences
GCQA, Instructional Staff Reduction in Force
GCT, Exchange Teaching
GBGE, Staff Maternity/Paternity/Parental Leave
GBCA, District Sick Leave Bank
Current Summit County Education Association or Summit School District Leadership Association Agreement