Full-time employees may receive funeral leave and be absent without loss of pay and without deduction from their accrued leave in the case of death of an immediate family member, for a period not to exceed three days per occurrence. Employees may utilize accrued leave for absences beyond the initial three days. Immediate family includes:

• Spouse
• Son or daughter, including biological, adopted, foster child, a son or daughter-in-law, a stepchild, legal ward, or a child for whom the staff member stands in loco parents
• Parent, step-parent, parent-in-law, or person who stands in loco parentis to the staff member.
• Sibling, step-sibling, sibling-in-law
• Grandchildren and grandparents
• Any person residing in the household at the time of death

If you have additional questions, feel free to contact the Benefits Department at benefitsandleaves@springisd.org

The Catastrophic Sick Leave Bank (CSLB) is a pool of local sick leave days established on a voluntary basis by full-time and half-day District staff members to be used by any member of the bank who has exhausted all paid leave benefits including vacation time. Sick leave bank days may be used by a member of the bank for the employee's own catastrophic illness or injury or for the catastrophic illness or injury of a member of the employee's immediate family.

All full-time staff members of the District who have five days, and .5 staff members who have five workdays of accumulated local sick leave as of the first day of their contract for the current year, are eligible for membership in the CSLB.

To be a member of the CSLB for one school year, a staff member shall contribute one day of local sick leave. Eligible new staff members may join the CSLB during the first weeks following their date of employment. Otherwise, the annual enrollment for Catastrophic Sick Leave Bank takes place from August 1 through September 1 each year. Membership must be renewed annually.

The term "catastrophic illness" implies an illness of a very serious nature, probably involving the need for extended absence and probably involving some hospital confinement. As an example: normal pregnancy with normal delivery is not considered a catastrophic illness. The CSLB may only be used for the contributor's own personal catastrophic illness or a catastrophic illness of a member of the contributor's immediate family.

Leave grants from the CSLB will be in units of not more than 30 consecutive work days up to 90 total days. At the end of 30 days, the staff member may apply for an extension by submitting an updated statement from the physician on the appropriate form.

If you have additional questions, feel free to contact the Benefits Department at benefitsandleaves@springisd.org

Documents:

• CLB Guidelines
• Request Form

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.

An eligible employee who is a covered service member’s spouse, child, parent, or next of kin may also take up to 26 weeks of FMLA leave in a single 12‐month period to care for the servicemember with a serious injury or illness.

An employee does not need to use leave in one block. When it is medically necessary or otherwise permitted, employees may take leave intermittently or on a reduced schedule.

Employees shall use all paid leave while taking FMLA leave which includes but not limited to comp time, local leave, state personal leave, state sick leave, exemplary attendance, vacation, and floating holidays. Employees receiving non‐duty days shall also be required to take available non‐duty days while on an approved FMLA status. If an employee substitutes accrued paid leave for FMLA leave, the employee must comply with the employer’s normal paid leave policies.

If you have additional questions, feel free to contact the Benefits Department at benefitsandleaves@springisd.org

Documents:

• FMLA Rights and Responsibilities
• FMLA Request Form - Employee Medical
• FMLA Request Form - Family Medical
• Parent Bonding Request Form

Paid Leave for Military Service.

Any employee who is a member of the Texas National Guard, Texas State Guard, reserve component of the United States Armed Forces, or a member of a state or federally authorized Urban Search and Rescue Team is entitled to 15 days of paid leave per fiscal year when engaged in authorized training or duty orders by proper authority. An additional seven days of leave per fiscal year are available if called to state active duty in response to a disaster. In addition, an employee is entitled to use available state and local personal or sick leave during a time of active military service.

Reemployment after Military Leave.

Employees who leave the district to enter into the United States uniformed services or who are ordered to active duty as a member of the military force of any state (e.g., National or State Guard) may return to employment if they are honorably discharged. Employees who wish to return to the district will be reemployed provided they can be qualified to perform the required duties. Employees returning to work following military leave should contact the Office of Human Resources. In most cases, the length of federal military service cannot exceed five years.

Continuation of Health Insurance.

Employees who perform service in the uniformed services may elect to continue their health plan coverage at their own cost for a period not to exceed 24 months. Employees should contact the Office of Human Resources for details on eligibility, requirements, and limitations.

If you have additional questions, feel free to contact the Benefits Department at benefitsandleaves@springisd.org

Documents

• Your Rights Under USSERA
• Leave Request Form

Temporary Disability Leave

Any full-time employee whose position requires certification from the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) is eligible for temporary disability leave. The purpose of temporary disability leave is to provide job protection to full-time educators who cannot work for an extended period of time because of a mental or physical disability of a temporary nature. Temporary disability leave must be taken as a continuous block of time. It may not be taken intermittently or on a reduced schedule. Pregnancy and conditions related to pregnancy are treated the same as any other temporary disability.

Employees must request approval for temporary disability leave. An employee’s notification of need for extended absence due to the employee’s own medical condition shall be accepted as a request for temporary disability leave. The request must be accompanied by a physician’s statement confirming the employee’s inability to work and estimating a probable date of return.

If disability leave is approved, the length of leave is no longer than 180 calendar days.

Temporary Medical Leave

A full-time noncontract employee who is not eligible for temporary disability leave as provided by state law shall, upon request, be granted a temporary medical leave of absence for the period of time during which the employee is physically unable to perform regular duties due to an illness or disability. The District shall require the employee to use temporary medical leave and paid leave, including any compensatory time, concurrently with FMLA leave.

A temporary medical leave of absence shall not exceed 90 calendar days per 12-month period. For purposes of an employee's entitlement to temporary medical leave, the 12-month period shall be measured backward from the date the employee uses temporary medical leave.

If you have additional questions, feel free to contact the Benefits Department at benefitsandleaves@springisd.org

Documents:

• Leave of Absence Request Form