FILE: GBRIC
MATERNITY LEAVE
Any employee who becomes pregnant or who adopts a child within twelve (12) months of birth shall be eligible for maternity leave (i.e., leave without pay). The expecting or adopting employee shall be given the option of choosing maternity leave or using current and accumulated sick leave for the period of time generally occasioned by pregnancy and childbirth or by placement and care after placement of an infant for adoption. Any leave taken pursuant to this policy will run concurrently with any leave available to an employee under the Family and Medical Leave Act. (See Policy GBRIBB, Family and Medical Leave.)
Such leave shall be granted upon proper application for maternity leave submitted to the Human Resources Department in writing at least thirty (30) days prior to the beginning date of the leave, except in emergency situations.
For pregnant employees, the employee’s application for maternity leave must be accompanied by a physician’s statement verifying the stage of pregnancy and the expected dates of disability due to pregnancy.
For adopting employees, the employee’s application for maternity leave must be accompanied by written documentation from the adoption agency and/or adoption attorney:
stating that the employee is in the process of adopting;
describing any anticipated reasons for leave; and
estimating how long the process is expected to take and/or expected dates of leave for same.
Qualified employees who desire to use their current and accumulated sick leave days for maternity leave purposes shall state such request and the number of days to be used in their application for maternity leave. Regular sick leave taken for maternity leave purposes is limited to a maximum of twelve (12) weeks. However, additional and/or extended sick leave may be granted as medically necessary. Employees permitted to use sick leave for maternity leave purposes shall be subject to all policies, provisions, and procedures regarding sick leave. (See Policy GBRIB, Sick Leave.) In any case where both parents are employed by the School Board, the combined number of weeks of regular sick leave taken for maternity leave purposes to which both employees may be entitled shall be limited to a maximum of twelve (12) weeks.
Revised: January 10, 2018
Ref: 42 USC 2000e et seq. (Equal Employment Opportunities)
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:1171, 17:1211, 23:334, 23:341, 23:342
Board minutes, 2-19-73, 2-7-79, 11-3-82, 9-1-99, 1-19-00, 6-6-01, 7-18-07, 1-10-18
Lafayette Parish School Board