2.3.4 Leaves Of Absence

Policy: 2.3.4

Leaves Of Absence (General Purpose And Application )

Date of Policy Adoption: January 25, 2000

Revised Effective Date: January 25, 2000

Scope: All Employee Groups

Policy

Leaves of absence are provided to employees for a number of reasons, including enhancement of College services, professional growth, recovering from injury or illness, civic duty and critical personal business. Unless required by law, leaves of absence, and any rights relating to such leaves, are at the discretion of the District Governing Board or their designee.

The College will attempt to ensure that an employee taking an authorized leave will return to the job that s/he vacated. However, extenuating circumstances, such as reorganization, reassignment and program or job curtailment, could make it impossible for the employee to return to the position s/he vacated. In these cases, the employee will be placed in a similar, available job with no loss of pay or benefits.

Procedure

Leaves of absence with pay maintain an employee’s College-paid benefits for the time that pay continues. Employees on leaves with pay will not accrue vacation or sick leave credits while on leave.

Leaves without pay involve suspension of College payments, and of salary deductions, for employee benefits (in the case of FMLA leave, College -paid employee benefits will continue, although the employee will need to pay for the employee contributions to maintain insurance continuation). To the extent allowed by insuring agencies, employees may prepay premiums for group health, life, and long term disability insurance.

Faculty Exchange Leave:

Full-time faculty members are eligible for a faculty exchange leave, at full pay, after three years of service. On this leave, faculty exchange positions with an individual from a different institution for a specified period.

Employees on leave receive full pay and benefits during the leave period. The leave does not interrupt the individual's progress on the experience axis of the salary schedule. After faculty exchange leave is granted, three years must pass before such leave may be granted again to the same individual.

Faculty members interested in a faculty exchange leave are expected to coordinate for themselves the arrangements for exchange, after consultation with their supervisor. All exchanges must be approved by the supervisor and campus dean prior to application to the Professional Growth Committee. Any exchange will meet the needs of the College, as defined by the campus Executive Dean.

Completed forms (available from the committee) must be forwarded to the chair of the Professional Growth Committee by November 1 of the year preceding the year in which leave is requested. The applications will be reviewed by the Committee and College administration (where necessary, this includes the District Governing Board). Applicants should normally be notified in writing of the College’s disposition of their applications by March 1.

Date of Policy Adoption: January 25, 2000

Effective Date: January 25, 2000

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Dr. Ed Harris, Board Chair