For the purpose of any personal leave offered pursuant to state law, a registered domestic partner shall have the same rights, protections, and benefits as a spouse and protections provided to a spouse's child shall also apply to a child of a registered domestic partner. (Family Code 297.5)
Whenever possible, employees shall request personal leaves in advance and prepare suitable instructions, including lesson plans as applicable, for a substitute employee.
(cf. 4121 - Temporary/Substitute Personnel)
Bereavement
Employees are entitled to a leave of up to three days, or five days if out-of-state travel is required, upon the death of any member of the employee's immediate family. No deduction shall be made from the employee's salary, nor shall such leave be deducted from any other leave to which the employee is entitled. (Education Code 44985, 45194)
(cf. 4161/4261/4361 - Leaves)
Members of the immediate family include: (Education Code 44985, 45194)
1. The mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, or grandchild of the employee or of the employee's spouse
2. The employee's spouse, son, son-in-law, daughter, daughter-in-law, brother, or sister
3. Any relative living in the employee's immediate household
At the employee's request, bereavement leave may be extended under personal necessity leave provisions as provided in the section "Personal Necessity" below. (Education Code 44981, 45207)
Personal Necessity
Employees may use a maximum of seven days of their accrued personal illness/injury leave (sick leave) during each school year for reasons of personal necessity. (Education Code 44981, 45207)
(cf. 4161.1/4361.1 - Personal Illness/Injury Leave)
(cf. 4261.1 - Personal Illness/Injury Leave)
Acceptable reasons for the use of personal necessity leave include:
1. Death of a member of the employee's immediate family when the number of days of absence exceeds the limits set by bereavement leave provisions (Education Code 44981, 45207)
2. An accident involving the employee's person or property or the person or property of a member of the employee's immediate family (Education Code 44981, 45207)
3. A serious illness of a member of the certificated employee's immediate family (Education Code 44981)
(cf. 4161.8/4261.8/4361.8 - Family Care and Medical Leave)
4. A classified employee's appearance in any court or before any administrative tribunal as a litigant, party, or witness under subpoena or other order (Education Code 45207)
5. Fire, flood, or other immediate danger to the home of the employee
6. Personal business of a serious nature which the employee cannot disregard
Leave for personal necessity may be allowed for other reasons at the discretion of the Superintendent or designee. However, personal necessity leave shall not be granted for purposes of personal convenience, for the extension of a holiday or vacation, or for matters which can be taken care of outside of working hours. The Superintendent or designee shall have final discretion as to whether or not a request reflects personal necessity.
Advance permission shall not be required of any employee in any case involving the death of a member of the employee's immediate family, an accident involving the employee's person or property or the person or property of a member of his/her immediate family, or the serious illness of a member of the employee's immediate family. (Education Code 44981, 45207)
However, the employee shall notify the Superintendent or designee of the need for the leave as soon as practicable.
After any absence due to personal necessity, the employee shall verify the absence by submitting a completed and signed district absence form to his/her immediate supervisor.
Legal Duties
An employee may take time off work in order to: (Labor Code 230)
1. Serve on an inquest jury or trial jury
2. Comply with a subpoena or other court order to appear as a witness
Notices, summons, and subpoenas for court appearances shall be submitted to the district office when requesting leave.
A classified employee called for jury duty shall be granted leave with pay up to the amount of the difference between his/her regular earnings and any amount received for jury fees. (Education Code 44037)
A certificated employee also shall be granted leave for jury duty with pay up to the amount of the difference between his/her regular earnings and any amount received for jury fees.
Employees shall be granted leave to appear in court as witnesses other than litigants or to respond to an official order from another governmental jurisdiction for reasons not brought about through the connivance or misconduct of the employee. Such employees shall receive pay up to the amount of the difference between the employee's regular earnings and any amount received for witness fees.
Leaves for Crime Victims
An employee may be absent from work in order to attend judicial proceedings related to a crime when he/she is a victim, or an immediate family member, registered domestic partner, or child of a registered domestic partner of a victim, of any of the following crimes: (Labor Code 230.2)
1. A violent felony as defined in Penal Code 667.5(c)
2. A serious felony as defined in Penal Code 1192.7(c)
3. A felony provision of law proscribing theft or embezzlement
For these purposes, the employee may use vacation, personal leave, personal illness/injury leave, unpaid leave, or compensatory time off that is otherwise available to the employee. (Labor Code 230.2)
Prior to taking time off, an employee shall give his/her supervisor a copy of the notice of each scheduled proceeding that is provided by the responsible agency, unless advance notice is not feasible. When advance notice is not feasible or an unscheduled absence occurs, the employee shall, within a reasonable time after the absence, provide documentation evidencing the judicial proceeding from the court or government agency setting the hearing, the district attorney or prosecuting attorney's office, or the victim/witness office that is advocating on behalf of the victim. (Labor Code 230.2)
The district shall keep confidential any records pertaining to the employee's absence from work by reason of this leave. (Labor Code 230.2)
Leaves for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking
An employee who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking as defined by law may use vacation, sick leave, personal leave, or compensatory time off that is otherwise available to him/her under the terms of his/her employment to attend to the following activities: (Labor Code 230, 230.1, 246.5)
1. Obtain or attempt to obtain any relief, including, but not limited to, a temporary restraining order, restraining order, or other injunctive relief to help ensure the health, safety, or welfare of the employee or his/her child
2. Seek medical attention for injuries caused by domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking
3. Obtain services from a domestic violence shelter, program, or rape crisis center as a result of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking
4. Obtain psychological counseling related to an experience of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking
5. Participate in safety planning and take other actions to increase safety from future domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, including temporary or permanent relocation
Prior to taking time off, an employee shall give reasonable notice to his/her supervisor, unless advance notice is not feasible. When an unscheduled absence occurs, the employee shall provide, within a reasonable period of time, certification of the absence in the form of any of the following: (Labor Code 230, 230.1)
1. A police report indicating that the employee was a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking
2. A court order protecting or separating the employee from the perpetrator of an act of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, or other evidence from the court or prosecuting attorney that the employee has appeared in court
3. Documentation from a domestic violence or sexual assault counselor as defined in Evidence Code 1037.1 or 1035.2, licensed medical professional or health care provider, or counselor that the employee was undergoing treatment for physical or mental injuries or abuse resulting in victimization from an act of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking
The district shall maintain the confidentiality of such an employee to the extent authorized by law. (Labor Code 230, 230.1)
Personal Leave for a Child's School Activities
Any employee who is a parent/guardian or grandparent having custody of one or more children enrolled in grades K-12 or who attend a licensed day care facility may use up to 40 hours of personal leave, vacation, or compensatory time off each school year in order to participate in school or day care activities. Such leave shall not exceed eight hours in any month of the year. The employee shall give reasonable advance notice of the absence. (Labor Code 230.8)
In lieu of using vacation, personal leave, or compensatory time off, eligible employees may take unpaid leave for this purpose.
If both parents/guardians of a child are employed at the same work site, this leave shall be allowed for the first parent/guardian who applies. Simultaneous absence by the second parent/guardian may be granted by the Superintendent or designee. (Labor Code 230.8)
Upon request by the Superintendent or designee, the employee shall provide documentation from the school or licensed day care facility that he/she participated in school or licensed day care facility activities on a specific date and at a particular time. (Labor Code 230.8)
Service on Education Boards and Committees
Upon request, a certificated employee shall be granted up to 20 school days of paid leave per school year for service performed within the state on any education board, commission, committee, or group authorized by Education Code 44987.3 provided that all of the following conditions are met: (Education Code 44987.3)
1. The service is performed within the state.
2. The board, commission, organization, or group informs the district in writing of the service.
3. The board, commission, organization, or group agrees, prior to the service, to reimburse the district, upon the district's request, for compensation paid to the employee's substitute and for actual related administrative costs.
Employee Organization Activities
Upon request, any certificated or classified employee shall be granted a leave of absence without loss of compensation to serve as an elected officer of a district employee organization or any statewide or national employee organization with which the employee organization is affiliated. The leave shall include, but is not limited to, absence for purposes of attending periodic, stated, special, or regular meetings of the body of the organization. (Education Code 44987, 45210)
(cf. 4140/4240/4340 - Bargaining Units)
(cf. 4143/4243 - Negotiations)
Upon request of an employee organization in the district or its state or national affiliate, a reasonable number of unelected classified employees shall be granted a leave of absence without loss of compensation for the purpose of attending important organizational activities authorized by the organization. The employee organization shall provide reasonable notification to the Superintendent or designee when requesting a leave of absence for employees for this purpose. (Education Code 45210)
When leave is granted for any of the above purposes, the employee organization shall reimburse the district within 10 days after receiving the district's certification of payment of compensation to the employee. (Education Code 44987, 45210)
Religious Leave
The Superintendent or designee may grant an employee up to three days of leave per year for religious purposes, provided that the leave is requested in advance and that it does not cause additional district expenditures, the neglect of assigned duties, or any other unreasonable hardship on the district.
The Superintendent or designee shall deduct the cost of hiring a substitute, when required, from the wages of the employee who takes religious leave.
No employee shall be discriminated against for using this leave or any additional days of unpaid leave granted for religious observances at the discretion of the Superintendent or designee.
Spouse on Leave from Military Deployment
An employee who works an average of 20 hours or more per week and whose spouse is a member of the United States Armed Forces, National Guard, or reserves may take up to 10 days of unpaid leave during a period that his/her spouse is on leave from deployment during a military conflict, as defined in Military and Veterans Code 395.10. (Military and Veterans Code 395.10)
Within two business days of receiving official notice that his/her spouse will be on leave from deployment, the employee shall provide the Superintendent or designee with notice of his/her intention to take the leave. The employee shall submit written documentation certifying that his/her spouse will be on leave from deployment during the time that the leave is requested. (Military and Veterans Code 395.10)
Leave for Emergency Duty
An employee may take time off to perform emergency duty as a volunteer firefighter, a reserve peace officer, or emergency rescue personnel. (Labor Code 230.3)
Any employee who performs duty as a volunteer firefighter, reserve peace officer, or emergency rescue personnel shall be permitted to take temporary leaves of absence, not to exceed an aggregate total of 14 days per calendar year, for the purpose of engaging in fire, law enforcement, or emergency rescue training. (Labor Code 230.4)
Civil Air Patrol Leave
An employee may take up to 10 days of unpaid leave per calendar year, beyond any leave otherwise available to him/her, to respond to an emergency operational mission of the California Civil Air Patrol, provided that the employee has been employed by the district for at least a 90-day period immediately preceding the leave. Such leaves shall not exceed three days for a single mission, unless an extension is granted by the governmental entity authorizing the mission and is approved by the Superintendent or designee. (Labor Code 1501, 1503)
The employee shall give the district as much advance notice as possible of the intended dates of the leave. The Superintendent or designee may require certification from the proper Civil Air Patrol authority to verify the eligibility of the employee for the leave and may deny the leave if the employee fails to provide the required certification. (Labor Code 1503)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
44036-44037 Leaves of absence for judicial and official appearances
44963 Power to grant leaves of absence (certificated)
44981 Leave of absence for personal necessity (certificated)
44985 Leave of absence due to death in immediate family (certificated)
44987 Service as officer of employee organization (certificated)
44987.3 Leave of absence to serve on certain boards, commissions, etc.
45190 Leaves of absence and vacations (classified)
45194 Bereavement leave of absence (classified)
45198 Effect of provisions authorizing leaves of absence
45207 Personal necessity (classified)
45210 Service as officer of employee organization (classified)
45240-45320 Merit system, classified employees
EVIDENCE CODE
1035.2 Sex assault counselor; definition
1037.1 Domestic violence counselor; definition
FAMILY CODE
297-297.5 Registered domestic partner rights, protections, and benefits
GOVERNMENT CODE
3543.1 Release time for representatives of employee organizations
12945.1-12945.2 California Family Rights Act
LABOR CODE
230-230.2 Leave for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or specified felonies
230.3 Leave for emergency personnel
230.4 Leave for volunteer firefighters
230.8 Leave to visit child's school
233 Illness of child, parent, spouse, domestic partner or domestic partner's child
234 Absence control policy
246.5 Paid sick days, purposes for use
1500-1507 Civil Air Patrol leave
MILITARY AND VETERANS CODE
395.10 Leave when spouse on leave from military deployment
PENAL CODE
667.5 Violent felony, defined
1192.7 Serious felony, defined
CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION
Article 1, Section 8 Religious discrimination
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 29
2601-2654 Family and Medical Leave Act
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 42
2000d-2000d-7 Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964
COURT DECISIONS
Rankin v. Commission on Professional Competence, (1988) 24 Cal.3d 167
PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS BOARD DECISIONS
Berkeley Council of Classified Employees v. Berkeley Unified School District, (2008) PERB Decision No. 1954
Management Resources:
WEB SITES
California Federation of Teachers: http://www.cft.org
California School Employees Association: http://www.csea.com
California Teachers Association: http://www.cta.org
Public Employment Relations Board: http://www.perb.ca.gov
Regulation VALLECITO UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT
approved: September 30, 2015 Avery, California