Each of the provisions in this policy applies to all professional personnel to the extent that it does not conflict with an applicable collective bargaining agreement or individual employment contract or benefit plan; in the event of a conflict, such provision is severable and the applicable bargaining agreement or individual agreement will control.

Sick and Bereavement Leave
Please refer to the current “Agreement for Negotiations between the Board of Education, Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202, Will and Kendall Counties, and the Association of Plainfield Teachers.”
Sick leave is defined in State law as personal illness, mental or behavioral health complications, quarantine at home, serious illness, or death in the immediate family or household, or birth, adoption, place for adoption, or the acceptance of a child in need of foster care.
As a condition for paying sick leave after three days absence for personal illness or as the Board or Superintendent deem necessary in other cases, the Board, Superintendent or designee may require that the staff member provide a certificate from: (1) a physician licensed in Illinois to practice medicine and surgery in all its branches, (2) a mental health professional licensed in Illinois providing ongoing care or treatment to the staff members, (3) a chiropractic physician licensed under the Medical Practice Act, (4) a licensed advanced practice registered nurse, (5) a licensed physician assistant who has been delegated the authority to perform health examinations by his or her supervising physician, or (6) if the treatment is by prayer or spiritual means, a spiritual adviser or practitioner of the employee’s faith. If the Board or Superintendent requires a certificate during a leave of less than three days for personal illness, the District shall pay the expenses incurred by the employee in obtaining the certificate. 
Staff members are entitled to use up to 30 days of paid sick leave because of the birth of a child that is not dependent on the need to recover from childbirth. Such days may be used at any time within the 12-month period following the birth of the child. Intervening periods of nonworking days or school not being in session, such as breaks and holidays, do not count towards the 30 working school days. As a condition of paying sick leave beyond the 30 working school days, the Board, Superintendent or designee may require medical certification.
For purposes of adoption, or placement for adoption, or acceptance of a child in need of foster care, paid sick leave may be used for reasons related to the formal adoption or the formal foster care process prior to taking custody of the child or accepting the child in need of foster care, and upon taking custody of the child or accepting the child in need of foster care. Such leave is limited to 30 days, unless a longer leave is provided in an applicable collective bargaining agreement and need not be used consecutively once the formal adoption or foster care process is underway. The Board or Superintendent may require that the employee provide evidence that the formal adoption process or foster care process is underway.

Family Bereavement Leave
State law allows a maximum of 10 unpaid work days for eligible employees (Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 20 U.S.C. §2601 et seq.) to take family bereavement leave.  The purpose, requirements, scheduling, and all other terms of the leave are governed by the Family Bereavement Leave Act. Eligible employees may use family bereavement leave, without any adverse employment action, for: (1) attendance by the bereaved staff member at the funeral or alternative to a funeral of a covered family member, which includes an employee’s child, stepchild, domestic partner, sibling, parent, mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandchild, grandparent, or stepparent (2) making arrangements necessitated by the death of the covered family member or (3) grieving the death of the covered family member, or (4) absence from work due to a significant event, which includes: (i) miscarriage, (ii) an unsuccessful round of intrauterine insemination or of an assisted reproductive technology procedure, (iii) a failed adoption match or an adoption that is not finalized because it is contested by another party, (iv) a failed surrogacy agreement, (v) a diagnosis that negatively impacts pregnancy or fertility, or (vi) a still birth.  An employee qualifying for leave due to a Significant Event will not be required to identify which specific reason applies to the employee’s request.
The leave must be completed within 60 days after the date on which the employee received notice of the death of the covered family member or the date on which an event under item (4) above occurs.  However, in the event of the death of more than one covered family member in a 12-month period, an employee is entitled to up to a total of six weeks of bereavement leave during the 12-month period, subject to certain restrictions under State and federal law.  Other existing forms of leave may be substituted for the leave provided in the Family Bereavement Leave Act.  This policy does not create any right for an employee to take family bereavement leave that is inconsistent with the Family  Bereavement Leave Act.   

Sabbatical Leave
Sabbatical leave may be granted in accordance with The School Code.

Personal Leave 
Please refer to the current “Agreement for Negotiations between the Board of Education, Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202, Will and Kendall Counties, and the Association of Plainfield Teachers.”

Leave of Absence without Pay 
Please refer to the current “Agreement for Negotiations between the Board of Education, Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202, Will and Kendall Counties, and the Association of Plainfield Teachers.”
The Board of Education may grant a leave of absence without pay to professional staff members who have rendered satisfactory service and desire to return to employment in a similar capacity at a time as determined by the Board of Education.
Each leave of absence shall be of the shortest possible duration required to meet the leave's purpose consistent with a reasonable continuity of instruction for students.

Leave to Serve as an Election Judge
Any staff member who was appointed to serve as an election judge under state law may, after giving at least 20-days’ written notice to the District, be absent without pay for the purpose of serving as an election judge.  The staff member is not required to use any form of paid leave to serve as an election judge. No more than 10% of the District’s employees may be absent to serve as election judges on the same Election Day.

Child-Rearing Leave
Please refer to the current “Agreement for Negotiations between the Board of Education, Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202, Will and Kendall Counties, and the Association of Plainfield Teachers.”

Leaves for Service in the Military 
Leaves for service in the U.S. Armed Services or any of its reserve components and the National Guard, as well as re-employment rights, will be granted in accordance with State and federal law.  A professional staff member hired to replace one in military service does not acquire tenure. 

General Assembly Leave 
Leaves for service in the General Assembly, as well as re-employment rights, will be granted in accordance with State and federal law.  A professional staff member hired to replace one in military service or in the General Assembly does not acquire tenure. 

School Visitation Leave
An eligible professional staff member is entitled to 8 hours during any school year, no more than 4 hours of which may be taken on any given day, to attend school conferences or classroom activities related to the teacher's child, if the conference or activity cannot be scheduled during non-work hours. Professional staff members must first use all personal leave, accrued vacation leave, compensatory leave, and any other leave that may be granted to the professional staff member, except sick and disability leave. 
The Superintendent shall develop administrative procedures implementing this policy consistent with the School Visitation Rights Act. 

Leaves for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence, Gender Violence, or Other Crime of Violence 
An unpaid leave from work is available to any staff member who: (1) is a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any other crime of violence or (2) has a family or household member who is a victim of such violence whose interests are not adverse to the employee as it relates to the domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any other crime of violence.  The unpaid leave allows the employee to seek medical help, legal assistance, counseling, safety planning, and other assistance without suffering adverse employment action.
The Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act, governs the purpose, requirements, scheduling, and continuity of benefits, and all other terms of the leave. Accordingly, if the District employs at least 50 employees, an employee is entitled to a total of 12 work weeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period.  Neither the law nor this policy creates a right for an employee to take unpaid leave that exceeds the unpaid leave time allowed under or is in addition to the unpaid leave time permitted by, the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. § 2601, et seq.). 

Other Leaves
The Board of Education will grant a leave of absence to the Association president and trustees of the Teachers' Retirement System as required by Sections 24-6.2 and 24-6.3 of The School Code. 

Covid-19 Paid Administrative Leave
During any time when the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency under 20 ILCS 3305/7, paid administrative leave is available to eligible employees of the District, State or any of its agencies, or the local health department has issued guidance, mandates, or rules related to COVID-19 that restrict an employee from being on District property for a reason outlined in State law.

For an employee to be eligible for COVID-19 paid administrative leave, the employee must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as defined in 105 ILCS 5/10-20.83 (final citation pending).

The employee will receive as many days of administrative leave as required to abide by the public health guidance, mandates, and requirements issued by the Ill. Dept. of Public Health, unless a longer period has been negotiated with the exclusive bargaining representative.

As a condition of being granted COVID-19 paid administrative leave, an employee shall provide all documentation necessary to substantiate the employee’s eligibility for the leave, as requested by the Superintendent or designee.  An employee who is on COVID-19 paid administrative leave will receive the employee’s regular rate of pay; the leave will not diminish any other leave or benefits of the employee.  Employees may not accrue COVID-19 administrative leave. 

LEGAL REF.:    
105 ILCS 5/10-20.83 (final citation pending), 5/24-6, 5/24-6.1, 5/24-6.2, 5/24-6.3, 5/24-13, and 5/24-13.1.
10 ILCS 5/13-2.5
330 ILCS 61, Service Member Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. 
820 ILCS 147/, School Visitation Rights Act.
820 ILCS 154/, Child Bereavement Leave Act.
830 ILCS 180/Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act 

CROSS REF.: 5:180 (Temporary Illness or Temporary Incapacity), 5:185 (Family and Medical Leave), 5:330 (Sick Days, Vacation, Holidays, and Leaves)

ADOPTED:  November 22, 2004

REVISED:  February 22, 2010
May 26, 2015
September 28, 2015
January 23, 2017
January 24, 2022
February 27, 2023