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Leaves & Absences

 

Leave & Absences

The district offers employees paid and unpaid leaves of absence in times of personal need. This handbook describes the basic types of leave available and restrictions on leaves of absence. Employees who expect to be absent for a period of more than three (3) days, or intermittently more than an average of one day per month, should call Benefits and Leaves Coordinator, Brooke Irwin, at (512) 943-5000 x6092 for information about applicable leave benefits, payment of insurance premiums, and requirements for communicating with the district.

Use of Leave

Paid leave must be used in full or half-day increments with the exception of hourly employees. Unless an employee requests a different order, available paid state and local leave will be used in the following order in accordance with the qualifying circumstances for the absences: 

  • State Leave
  • Local Leave 

 

Earned comp time and accrued flex time must be used before any available paid state and local leave, and paid leave must be used before a “dock” status is permitted or imposed.

 

Employees who expect to be absent for an extended period or more than 3 consecutive days should contact Brooke Irwin, HR- Benefits & Leaves Coordinator, at 512-943-5000 ext.6092 or irwinb@georgetownisd.org. You’ll receive information about applicable leave options, payment of insurance premiums, and requirements for communicating with the district.

If an employee does not report to work or request leave of absence(s) according to district procedures, the incident is considered a “no show”. An employee who is absent for 3 consecutive days without notice is considered to have abandoned their job and may face disciplinary consequences up to and including termination.

State Personal Leave

State law entitles all school district employees who work their full workday calendar to 5 days of paid personal leave per year.  If an employee separates from employment before his/her last duty day of the year or begins employment after the first duty day, state personal leave will be prorated based on the actual time employed.

Nondiscretionary. Leave taken for personal or family illness, family emergency, a death in the family, or active military service is considered nondiscretionary leave. Reasons for this type of leave allow very little, if any, advance planning. Nondiscretionary may be used in the same manner as state sick leave (see below).

Discretionary.  Leave taken at an employee's discretion that can be scheduled in advance is considered discretionary leave, and includes leave taken to perform extra-duty work for the District.  Discretionary leave must be approved by the employee's principal or supervisor.  An employee wishing to take discretionary leave must submit a request to the campus principal or department supervisor at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the anticipated absence.  

Discretionary use of state leave shall not exceed 3 consecutive work days or 10 work days per school year.  

 

Local Leave

Employees are granted local leave days depending on the length of their workday calendar.  Like state personal leave, if an employee separates from employment before his/her last duty day of the year or begins employment after the first duty day, local leave will be prorated based on the actual time employed.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Eligibility Requirements

An employee who works for a covered employer must meet three criteria in order to be eligible for FMLA leave. The employee must:

  • Have worked for the employer for at least 12 months;
  • Have at least 1,250 hours of service in the 12 months before taking leave; and
  • Work at a location where the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles of the employee’s worksite.

Leave Entitlements

Eligible employees who work for a covered employer can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period for the following reasons:

  • The birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption or foster care;
  • To bond with a child (leave must be taken within 1 year of the child’s birth or placement);
  • To care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a qualifying serious health condition;
  • For the employee’s own qualifying serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the employee’s job;
  • For qualifying exigencies related to the foreign deployment of a military member who is the employee’s spouse, child, or parent.

For more information, please contact Brooke Irwin- Benefits & Leaves Coordinator at (512) 943-5000 x6092 or irwinb@georgetownisd.org