Leave

The Anchorage School District offers several different leave benefits to its employees. Depending on the bargaining unit agreement, the following leaves accumulate and may be used differently. Consult the bargaining unit agreement booklet for specific benefit arrangements. These leave benefits may include:

There may be other leave benefits that are not named above that have been negotiated as part of contract agreements with different bargaining units. Depending on the agreement, these additional leave benefits may include Cashable Annual Leave and Wellness Leave.

Sections

Please click on a link below to jump to the section you need:

Leave Request - Short Term

Short-term leave requests of 10 (ten) days or less that do not fall under Family Medical Leave are usually kept at the employee’s location.  Only in situations such as Military Leave, Legal Leave, and Leave without Pay should the Leave Request form be forwarded to another department. Leave usage is always dependent on how much accrued leave is available to the employee and what is outlined in their bargaining unit contract.

Emergency Leave
Employees absent for 10 days or less due to the death of a family member must attach a copy of the death certification, newspaper obituary or memorial service bulletin with the Leave Request.

Leave without pay
Employees requesting leave without pay must complete the Leave Request and forward to Payroll. Some contracts require additional approvals for leave without pay for over 3 days.

Legal Leave
Employees absent due to jury duty or legal matters relating to ASD are required to submit a copy of the parking validation, court slip, and the original check received from the court system to Payroll.

Sick Leave
Any employee who is out sick for more than three days should complete Family Medical Leave paperwork. See following section on Family Medical Leave.

Forms required to apply for a Leave Request - Short Term

»

Leave Request, form #101

Extended Leave of Absence - Long Term Leave

Employees who meet the eligibility requirements could apply for “Extended Leave of Absence.”  Extended Leave of Absence most commonly is leave without pay over 10 days, while on extended leave of absence the employee’s medical benefits could be in jeopardy.  Also, depending on bargaining unit agreement the employee’s position may or may not be secured.

• Extended Leave of Absence (Medical, Compelling Personal Reasons, and Professional Studies)

• Military Leave (Complete “Request for Extended Leave of Absence” and attach a copy of the orders.)

• Unpaid Leave Request (Complete “Request for Extended Leave of Absence” and attach a letter of justification.)

Important date information regarding Extended Leave of Absence-Long Term

AEA (Teachers)
Notice of intent to return from leave must be given to the District by certified mail by March 15, if on full year or second semester leave. Notice of intent to return from leave must be given to the district by November 15, if on leave for first semester only. 

For all other employee groups
Please review each bargaining unit contract for specific information regarding request for extended leave of absence, as dates may vary between unions. Some contracts stipulate that requests need to be made within a specific timeframe in advance of the leave and some require that a "notice of intent to return to work" be given to the District when the employee is planning on  returning from leave.

Forms required to apply for an Extended Leave of Absence

	»	Request for Extended Leave of Absence, form #103
	»	Physician or Practitioner Certification for Employee, form #105a If requesting leave for medical reasons
	»	Letter of Justification written by employee (no form)

Family Medical Leave (FMLA) - Non Maternity Related

The Anchorage School District will grant unpaid job protected family medical leave to eligible employees who have been out of work for more than 3 days for one of the following reasons:

• The employee’s own serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of their job

• In order to care for an immediate family member of the employee (spouse, employee’s own parent or child) who has a serious health condition;

• The birth of a child, for placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care (Please refer to the following section "Family Medical Leave" – Maternity)

Eligibility

An employee is eligible for FMLA if the employee has been employed by the Anchorage School District for at least

• 35 hours a week for at least six consecutive months; or
• 17.5 hours a week for 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the leave

Length of Leave

Eligible employees are entitled to a total of 18 weeks of leave within a 12-month period for:

• Pregnancy and birth of a son or daughter of the employee; or
• Placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care

Eligible employees are entitled to a total of 18 weeks of leave within 24 month period or 12 weeks in a 12 month period for:

• The care of an employee’s spouse, parent or child with a serious health condition; or
• The employee’s own serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of their job.

Use of Accrued Leave

Accrued sick leave may be used by those approved for Family Medical Leave subject to the restrictions in the employee’s Negotiated Agreement. At the employee’s or employer’s option, certain kinds of paid leave may be substituted for unpaid leave.

Advance Notice and Medical Certification

The employee may be required to provide advance leave notice and medical certification.  Taking of leave may be denied if requirements are not met.

• The employee ordinarily must provide 30 days advance notice when the leave is "foreseeable."
• Notice "as soon as practicable" when the leave is not foreseeable ("as soon as practicable" generally means at least verbal notice to the employer within one or two business days of learning of the need to take FMLA leave)
• An employer may require medical certification to support a request for leave because of a serious health condition, and may require second or third opinions (at the employer’s expense) and a fitness for duty report to return to work.

Job Benefits and Protection

• For the duration of FMLA leave, the employer must maintain the employee’s health coverage under any "group health plan."  (Note: Employee’s are responsible for paying the employee-paid portion of any insurance premium while on FMLA. If any required premium payments are not made by the employee, insurance coverage may be DISCONTINUED.)
• Upon return from FMLA leave, most employees must be restored to their original or equivalent positions with equivalent pay, benefits, and other employment terms.
• The use of FMLA leave cannot result in the loss of any employment benefit that accrued prior to the start of an employee’s leave.

Unlawful Acts by Employers

FMLA makes it unlawful for any employer to:

• interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of any right provided under FMLA:
• discharge or discriminate against any person for opposing any practice made unlawful by FMLA or for involvement in any proceeding under or relating to FMLA.

Enforcement

• The U.S. Department of Labor is authorized to investigate and resolve complaints of violations.
• An eligible employee may bring a civil action against an employer for violations.

FMLA does not affect any Federal or State law prohibiting discrimination, or supersede any State or local law or collective bargaining agreement which provides greater family or medical leave rights.

For additional information

Contact the nearest office of the Wage and Hour Division, listed in most telephone directories under U.S. Government, Department of Labor.

Forms required to apply for Family Medical Leave - Non Maternity related

	»	Request for Family Medical Leave, form #105
	»	Physician’s Certification for Employee, form #105a Required for employee’s illness
	»	Physician’s Certification for a Family Member, form #105b Required to care for a family member with a serious illness
	»	Workers’ Compensation Leave Options, form #112 Required for Workers’ Compensation cases only
	»	Leave Bank Request, form #1385 Required only if eligible employee wants to apply to sick leave bank

Family Medical Leave (FMLA) - Maternity

The Family Medical Leave (Alaska) allows an employee to take up to 18 workweeks (90 workdays) during a 12 month period for pregnancy childbirth, adoption or placement of a child in the employee's home for foster care.

For Maternity Leave, please complete the "Request for Family Medical Leave" and a "Physician’s Certification for Employee" and submit to the Leave Specialist approximately 30 days before your due date.  Once the baby is born please submit a verification of birth from the doctor indicating the date of birth and the type of delivery.

The union contracts usually allow employee’s to use up to six weeks of their accrued sick leave for a vaginal delivery or up to eight weeks of their accrued sick leave for a cesarean section.  If an AEA employee is on maternity leave and is in a leave without pay status for a period of time it could have an impact on their retirement and step movement.

If you do not have enough sick leave to keep you in a paid status the full six or eight weeks and you are a member of the sick leave bank; you can apply to the sick leave bank for additional time. By applying to the sick leave bank this does not mean that you will be in a paid status the full time you are out on leave, the time will vary due to how much accrued sick leave you have, how many personal days you have and how much time the sick leave bank will grant you. To apply to the sick leave bank complete the "Leave Bank Application." The employee completes Part A and the physician completes Part B. When applying to the sick leave bank for maternity the form must be signed by a MD, DO, DPM or licensed nurse practitioner and not a certified nurse midwife or a physician’s assistant.

Pregnant employees are permitted to work as long as they are able to perform their jobs.  Leave would begin when the employee’s doctor requests that the employee be placed on bed rest because of health concerns; the employee is unable to perform their job; or the birth of the child.  The district does not have any predetermined length of time an employee is required to be out due to childbirth.

When husband and wife both work for the district

A husband and wife who are eligible for FMLA leave and are both employed by the same covered employer may be limited to a combined total of 18 weeks of leave during any 12-month period of leave.

Paternity Leave

See Emergency Leave within each bargaining unit contract, except for AEA (see Section 365 of the contract).

Adoption

Adoptions and children placed into the employee's home for foster care are processed using the Family Medical Leave paperwork and would be eligible for the same length of time as for the birth of a child.  Employees have the choice when they would like to begin their leave from either the date of travel or date of placement.  Employee will provide a copy of their itinerary (if they choose to use date of travel) and a copy of the legal paperwork showing date of placement.

Forms required to apply for Family Medical Leave - Maternity

	»	Request for Family Medical Leave, form #105
	»	Physician’s Certification for Employee, form #105a Two required, one before baby is born and one after indicating the date of birth and the type of delivery
	»	Leave Bank Request, form #1385 Required only if employee wants to apply to sick bank

Frequently asked questions regarding Family Medical Leave

When should an employee complete the Family Medical Leave form?

Any time an employee is out for more than 3 days due to their own serious illness or for a family member’s serious illness

If an employee knows that they will be going on leave for a foreseen situation as surgery or maternity, FMLA paperwork should be completed 30 days in advance

What does FMLA do?

FMLA secures a qualified employee’s benefits and position for 18 weeks (90 workday) period.

How is FMLA counted?

FMLA is counted from the first day an employee is out on leave counting scheduled workdays.

FMLA is counted concurrently with any leave the employee may be using to keep them in paid status.  For example, if an employee is using accrued sick leave while on Family Medical Leave; both FMLA and sick leave will run concurrently.

Where should the completed FMLA forms be sent?

Completed FMLA forms should be sent to the Leave Specialist in the Benefits Department.  The forms can be hand delivered to the Benefit Department; mailed to 5530 E. Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage, AK  99504; or they can be faxed to 907-742-4008.  If faxed; originals should be sent in inter-district mail.

When is an employee’s FMLA request approved?

FMLA approval is granted once the supervisor has signed the FMLA form and the Leave Specialist has verified eligibility.

What is the notification process for when a FMLA request is approved?

A copy of the approved FMLA form is mailed to the employee’s home address.

I have an employee who was injured on the job and will be out for more than 3 days.  What forms should (s)he complete?

	»	Request for Family Medical Leave, form #105
	»	Physician or Practioner's Certification for Employee, form #105a
	»	Workers' Compensation Leave Options, form #112

I have an employee who is out due to their own serious illness and will be out for more than 3 days.  What forms should (s)he complete?

	»	Request for Family Medical Leave, form #105
	»	Physician or Practioner's Certification for Employee, form #105a

I have an employee who will be out for more than 3 days to care for an immediate family member with a serious illness.  Which forms should (s)he complete?

	»	Request for Family Medical Leave, form #105
	»	Physician’s Certification for a Family Member, form #105b

Military Family Leave

Entitlement

Eligible employees with a spouse, son, daughter, or parent on active duty or call to active duty status in the National Guard or Reserves in support of a contingency operation may use their 12-week leave entitlement to address certain qualifying exigencies.  Qualifying exigencies may include attending certain military events, arranging for alternative childcare, addressing certain financial and legal arrangements, attending certain counseling sessions, and attending post-deployment reintegration briefings.

Military Family Leave also includes a special leave entitlement that permits eligible employees to take up to 26 weeks of leave to care for a covered servicemember during a single 12-month period.  A covered servicemember is a current member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who has a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty on active duty that may render the servicemember medically unfit to perform his or her duties for which the servicemember is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy; or is in outpatient status; or is on the temporary disability retired list.

Eligibility

The eligibility requirement for Military Family Leave is the same as for Family Medical Leave.  An employee is eligible for Military Family Leave if the employee has been employed by the Anchorage School District for at least

• 35 hours a week for at least six consecutive months; or
• 17.5 hours a week for 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the leave
• A current member of the Armed Forces (including a member of the National Guard or Reserves or a family member of a servicemember as indicated above.

Job Benefits and Protection

During the Military Family Leave, the employer must maintain the employee’s health coverage under any “group health plan” on the same terms as if the employee had continued to work.  Upon return from Military Family Leave, most employees must be restored to their original or equivalent positions with equivalent pay, benefits and other employment terms.

Use of Military Family Leave cannot result in the loss of any employment benefit that accrued prior to the start of an employee’s leave.

For additional information

Contact the nearest office of the Wage and Hour Division, listed in most telephone directories under U.S. Government, Department of Labor.  The web site for the Department of Labor is http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd. 

Also, USERRA, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act protects the job rights of individuals who voluntarily or involuntarily leave employment positions to undertake military service or certain type of service in the National Disaster Medical System.  USERRA also prohibits employers from discriminating against past and present members of the uniformed services, and applicants to the uniformed services.

Forms required to apply for Military Family Leave

Certification of Qualifying Exigency for Military Family Leave  WH-384

Certification for Serious Injury or Illness of Covered Servicemember for Military Family Leave WH-385

Sick Leave Banks

Participating employees contribute to a Sick Leave Bank from their own accrued sick leave depending on the bargaining unit, please see rules/regulations or guidelines for amounts. Employees who have exhausted accumulated leave and have been out for a prolonged absence of at least five (5) consecutive workdays may request withdrawals from a Sick Leave Bank, subject to the Leave Bank committee. Only those employees contributing to the Bank may make withdrawals.

ACE, APA, Exempt, and Non-Represented

This sick leave bank committee meets on an as needed basis.  Members can apply by completing Leave Bank Application form #1385 and submitting the form to the Leave Specialist.  For more information please review the Rules and Regulations.

AEA

The AEA Sick Leave Bank committee meets approximately once a month; see schedule following.  All dates are subject to change. Sick Leave Bank applications MUST be received by the Leave Specialist BEFORE THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON THE MONDAY prior to the Thursday meeting date.
More information: Rules and regulations for withdrawal | Donation procedures

2011-12 Sick Leave Bank Committee meeting dates
Thursday, August 25, 2011	Thursday, January 19, 2012
Thursday, September 22,2011	Thursday, February 23, 2012
Thursday, October 20, 2011	Thursday, March 22, 2012
Thursday, November 17, 2011	Thursday, April 19, 2012
Thursday, December 15, 2011	Thursday, May 10, 2012

Bus Drivers and Attendants, General Teamsters Local 959

There is no sick leave bank available for bus drivers and attendants at this time.

Custodian, Public Employees Local 71

This sick leave bank committee meets on an as needed basis.  Members can apply by completing Leave Bank Application form #1385 and submitting the form to the Leave Specialist.  For more information please click here for Rules and Regulations.

Warehouse and Maintenance Employees, General Teamsters Local 959

The Maintenance Sick Leave Bank is administered by the "General Teamsters Local 959."  Please contact the union for information regarding this sick leave bank.

Food Service, Teamsters Union Local 959

This sick leave bank committee meets on an as needed basis. Members can apply by completing Leave Bank Application form #1385 and submitting the form to the Leave Specialist. For more information please click here for Sick Leave Bank Guidelines.

TOTEM Association of Educational Support Personnel

This sick leave bank committee meets on an as needed basis.  Members can apply by completing Leave Bank Application form #1385 and submitting the form to the Leave Specialist.  For more information please click here for Sick Leave Bank Guidelines.

Forms required to apply for Sick Leave Banks

»

Leave Bank Request, form #1385

Workers' Compensation Leave

All reports and claims for Workers’ Compensation go through the Risk Management Department.  However, if an employee is going to be or has been out more than 3 days the employee MUST complete the Request for Family Medical Leave, the Workers’ Compensation Leave Option form, and their physician should complete the Physician’s Certification for Employee. Family Medical Leave and Workers’ Compensation Leave will run concurrent.

Any employee who is out on a workers’ compensation claim cannot apply to the sick leave bank.

Forms required to apply for Workers' Compensation Leave

	»	Request for Family Medical Leave, form #105
	»	Physician or Practioner's Certification for Employee, form #105a
	»	Workers' Compensation Leave Options, form #112

Contact Information

For questions regarding leave options, contact:

PDF Forms

Forms on this site are designed to be filled out by hand or on your computer, printed out, and mailed to the appropriate office. Due to the limitations of the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software you will be unable to save your changes unless you have a full version of Adobe Acrobat.