Leave & Time Off

Do you need to take a Leave of Absence (LOA)?

A leave of absence (LOA) is required any time you miss more than 10 days of work.

Whether you are experiencing a family or medical emergency, adding a new family member, scheduling a planned surgery, or experiencing another reason that has led you to take an LOA, we are here to discuss your options.

How to take a Leave of Absence

Submit a Leave of Absence Form

If your situation has known dates, go ahead and submit your leave of absence form as soon as possible. These forms can be sent to HR directly and we can share with your supervisor if you are not able to get their signature beforehand.

This form goes to the School Board of Directors for approval and is a requirement for all absences that last over 10 workdays. It also allows your building to better plan and find substitute coverage for your position.

Connect with the HR Leaves Coordinator

Once notified, the HR Coordinator will send your official FMLA and PFML notices to you via email. After reading through your notices, a phone conversation, Zoom meeting, or in-person meeting can be arranged to go over any questions you may have.

The HR Leaves Coordinator can help you understand your potential leave entitlements and will be your point person while on a leave of absence. If you have not yet done so, you will be asked to submit a Leave of Absence form for leave over 10 days.

Submit Required Supporting Documents

A doctor's note is required for any use of sick leave over 5 days, which can be sent to the building principal or HR directly.

A PFML or FMLA Medical Certification can be used instead of a Doctor's note if the employee chooses to provide a copy to HR.

The HR Leaves Coordinator can help you create and finalize a Leave Plan for how you wish for your assignment to be handled at the DO level while on LOA. Without a formal Leave Plan, your LOA may be processed as unpaid.

If Leave Dates Change - Submit a New Leave of Absence Form

Submit Required Supporting Documents for Return to Work

Resources

Leave of Absence (LOA) Request form can be found on the HR Forms page.

Each Union's Collective Bargaining Agreements can be found on the Union Information page.

Questions?
Please contact the HR Leave & Benefits Coordinator at hrleaves@svsd410.org

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that protects you from negative impacts to your job when you take time off or a leave of absence for any of the following reasons:

A serious health condition, either yours or a family member’s
Prenatal medical care or incapacity due to pregnancy and/or delivery
Time to bond with your new baby or newly placed adopted or foster child
Qualifying activities (exigencies) related to a family member’s military active duty
A serious injury or illness of a family member who is a current member of the armed forces or a veteran

The District determines when to designate a leave as FMLA based on the facts of each individual situation. When we know facts that indicate your leave of absence might be covered under FMLA, we are required to inform you of your rights under this law. You are responsible for providing enough information so that the District can make the appropriate determination.

FMLA leave is unpaid unless an employee has accrued paid time off to remain in paid status. Employees taking FMLA may also qualify for Washington Paid Family and Medical leave (PFML). Review the PFML section further below for more information.

Applying for FMLA

You are an eligible employee if both of the following apply:

You have worked for your employer at least 12 months
You have at least 1,250 hours of service for your employer during the 12 months before your leave

If you believe you may qualify for FMLA, contact the HR Leave & Benefits Coordinator at hrbenefits @svsd410.org

Confidentiality
We protect the confidentiality of your health information. You are not required to disclose your own or your family member’s medical diagnosis to your supervisor or colleagues. FMLA requires medical certification which is to be submitted directly to Human Resources, where it is kept confidential and not part of your employment history.

Periodic Updates
During your absence, we may ask that you update us periodically about your ability to return to work. If your need for a leave of absence changes significantly or is longer than anticipated, we may ask for an updated healthcare provider certification.

For more information on FMLA, please refer to the FMLA Poster.

Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML)

The Paid Family and Medical Leave program is a mandatory statewide insurance program that provides paid family and medical leave to eligible employees. The program is administered by the Employment Security Department (ESD). Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program does not replace the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). In many cases, PFML and FMLA will run at the same time.

When on Paid Family and Medical Leave, you are on unpaid status from the District.

To learn more about the eligibility criteria, what constitutes a qualifying event, estimate your payment, and to apply, please refer to the Washington State Paid Family and Medical Leave website.

Notice to the District
Employees must provide at least 30-day notice to the District before the leave begins for a foreseeable event such as the birth or placement of a child or a planned surgery. If the need for leave is unforeseeable, like an accident or sudden illness, employees must provide notice as soon as practical. The employee must inform the District as soon as practical if dates of the leave change, are extended, or were initially unknown. The notice must contain the anticipated timing and duration of the leave. For intermittent leaves, the notice must also include the anticipated frequency of the leave.

Requesting a Leave of Absence
Filing a PFML claim with the State is a separate process from applying for a leave of absence with the District. When an employee files a PFML claim, the employee must also request a leave of absence from the District or already be on an approved leave. To request a leave of absence from the District, please visit our HR Forms webpage and complete the Leave of Absence Request form.

For introductory information about PFML, please refer to the PFML Poster.

The Difference Between FMLA & PFML

The Federal Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is an unpaid leave entitlement that provides job and health insurance protection when eligible employees take a leave of absence for a qualifying reason. The Washington State Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) program is a state of Washington program that provides partial wage replacement in the form of a weekly benefit paid by ESD while claiming this benefit.

The school district determines when to designate leave as FMLA covered. Employees choose whether and when to file a PFML claim. PFML does not replace FMLA. In many cases, PFML and FMLA will run at the same time.

	PFML	FMLA
Eligibility	Must have worked 820 hours in the state of WA in the qualifying period.	Must have worked 12 months and 1,250 hours for SVSD prior to start of FMLA leave.
Job Protection	Must have worked 12 months and 1,250 hours for SVSD prior to start of PFML leave.	Must have worked 12 months and 1,250 hours for SVSD prior to start of FMLA leave.
Pay	Up to 90 percent of your average weekly wages capped at $1,542 per week.	Unpaid unless you use your accrued leave.
How to Apply	Apply for paid benefits online or by mail with the Employment Security Department.	Complete leave request form online. Print appropriate form for your physician to complete.
Employee Notice to District	Provide written notice at least 30 days before you plan to take PFML leave (may or may not be same date you first take leave from SVSD). Provide notice as soon as you are able to if your leave is not planned.	Provide notice at least 30 days before you plan to take leave for a circumstance covered by FMLA. Provide notice as soon as you are able if your leave is not planned.
Length of Leave of Absence	Up to 12 weeks a year; can be extended depending on qualifying events.	Up to 12 weeks a year.
Family Member Definition	Same as FMLA, but also includes grandchildren, grandparents, siblings, in-laws.	Child, parent, spouse, state registered domestic partner.

Shared Leave

Shared leave helps employees financially manage work absences caused by a severe, extraordinary, or life-threatening health crisis or other qualifying circumstances. The shared leave program is administered in a manner consistent with state law and is intended to extend leave benefits to an employee who would otherwise likely have to take leave without pay, or terminate their employment with the District.

Eligible employees may donate excess leave for use by an employee when the employee, or an employee’s relative or household member, is experiencing a qualifying condition.

Applying for Shared Leave
If you believe you may qualify for shared leave, contact Beth Porter, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, at porterb@svsd410.org for more information and to discuss your unique situation.

To Donate Leave
When an employee requests shared leave, an email is sent to the employee’s work site or districtwide (at the employee’s discretion) notifying others of a need for shared leave. The reason for the shared leave is not stated and the appropriate form to donate leave is included in the notification. Employees receiving leave are not notified who the leave came from.

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