GCBDG - Unpaid Leaves of Absence
Adopted: 4/8/87
Re-adopted: 8/13/97, 8/22/01; 7/13/22
The Board, in its sole discretion, may grant an unpaid leave of absence to any of its employees. Requests for such leaves shall be in writing and received no later than May 1 if the leave is to be effective the following school year or 60 days prior to leave if the request is for a portion of a school year in progress. Unpaid leaves shall be for one school year or less except that the Board may extend the leave for overseas teaching assignments an additional year if it deems the extension to be of benefit to the district.
An employee must have at least five years of continuous experience with the district to qualify for unpaid leave. At least seven years will separate additional leave requests from individual employees.
Unpaid leaves are generally granted for the purpose of rest and recuperation, professional study leave or other such leaves as may be provided by employee collective bargaining agreements. Requests such as entering private business, teaching in another district or pursuing another career will generally be rejected.
In the case of a classified employee pursuing teacher certification, the district will consider leave requests on an individual basis and may waive the requirement listed above.
During approved unpaid leaves, the district shall have no financial obligations to the employee whatsoever and for the purpose of unemployment compensation, the leave will be considered a voluntary separation without compelling cause. Reinstatement to employment will be conditioned upon compliance with the approval provisions and to a position for which the employee is qualified.
END OF POLICY
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