Parental Leaves
Having a Baby?
El Segundo Unified School District wishes to offer you our sincerest congratulations on the new addition to your family! We wish you all the best during this exciting life development. In order to support you during this endeavor, this section is provided to confirm the steps required to facilitate your leave of absence relating to the birth of your child. We advise all expectant parents (mothers, father, biological, or adoptive) to schedule a meeting with the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources to get a clear understanding of your leave options and to adequately prepare for you absence.
Pregnancy Disability Leave - The First Phase of Leave
Expectant mothers will be restricted from work by the doctor at or before the birth of the child. Typically, doctors will restrict mothers from work for birth and recovery for six to eight weeks. This period is referred to as Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL). During this time, you will be able to draw pay from your available sick leave. If you exhaust your sick leave prior to the end of your pregnancy disability leave, you will then be able to access differential pay for up to 100 days. Differential pay is the difference between your daily rate of pay and the cost of a substitute teacher. The District will continue to contribute to your health benefits; however, please note that you are responsible for your normal contribution. Contact Marni Ortiz at (310) 615-2650, ext. 1522, for information about your available sick days and health benefits. Please submit a Leave of Absence Request Form to the Office of Human Resources as early as possible and provide a doctor’s note within ten days of when your doctor places you on work restriction. Please have your doctor indicate the estimated return to work date on the note. The return to work date may change, but the initial estimate helps the Office of Human Resources and the Payroll Department plan for your leave.
Parental Leave - Time to Bond with your New Family Member
Employees are eligible to take up to 12 weeks of job protected leave for the purpose of bonding with a newborn child, or with a newly placed child in the household for adoption or foster care. You will draw pay from any available sick time during this period. Employees with at least one year of service will be entitled to differential pay for the remainder of the 12 weeks. To request this leave, the employee should submit the Leave of Absence Request Form AND the Request for Parental Leave Form to the Office of Human Resources no less than 30 days in advance of the planned absence. Parental leave must be used within 12 months following the birth or placement of the child. Parental leave must be taken in increments of at least 2 weeks’ duration; however, the unit member may take parental leave in increments of less than two weeks on up to two occasions.
Again, the District will continue to contribute to your health benefits during parental leave; however, please note that you are responsible for your contribution. Contact Silvia Troccoli at (310) 615-2650, ext. 1522, for information about available sick days and health benefits.
Not Ready to Come Back to Work?
If you would like to request a leave of absence beyond the time for which you are eligible under FMLA or CFRA (for example, going on leave for the duration of the school year), you must request the leave of absence in writing at least 30 days in advance. The request would need to be approved by the Board of Education. Any leave granted beyond the time for which you are eligible under FMLA or CFRA would be unpaid. The District would not continue to contribute toward health benefits while you are in an unpaid status. Please utilize the Request for Leave of Absence form to request such leave. The request should be submitted separate from the request for qualifying leave under CFRA.