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Leaves of Absence

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Springfield Public Schools recognizes that circumstances due to a personal or family illness or other life events may arise and require you to be away from work for an extended period.

The District provides leaves of absence options when you need to take time away from work. If you need to be away from work for an extended period of time that exceeds five consecutive workdays, start the leave of absence process. This does not apply if you are on a short work break or taking a planned vacation. 

You may request a leave of absence for birth or adoption, your medical condition, your qualified family member’s medical condition or military business. You may also request a leave for personal and military reasons. 

 


Taking Leave

SPS offers a variety of leaves of absence, paid time off plans and disability benefits that provide employees approved time away from work. However, you must first determine your main type of leave in order to follow the correct filing process.

To find out how much vacation and/or sick time you have available, use the SPS Portal or contact your Payroll administrator.

Sick Leave

For short absences due to a medical condition for yourself or a family member, you have a few options depending on your leave accruals.

  • If you have enough accrued sick leave, personal leave, or vacation days to cover this absence, you are not required to apply for Protected Time Off.  Please complete and submit to your school administrator an Employee Exception Time Report for your absence. (Available from HR or your school secretary.) HR does not need a copy of this.
  • If you do not have enough accrued leave to cover your entire absence, the District requires that you apply for Protected Time Off (see section below) 
  • If your situation qualifies for Protected Time Off, you have the option of applying regardless of the length of your absence.  Even if you expect to take off less than six (6) days, it may be a good idea to apply because it is not uncommon for a medical absence to extend further than initially expected.

 

Length of Absence Returning On Enough Leave Accruals? Forms How to Submit and to Whom
1-5 days Day 6 or before Yes

Option 1: Employee Exception Time Report

Submit paper form to your Supervisor
      Option 2: Request Protected Time Off Electronic Form goes to Leaves Team
1-5 days Day 6 or before No Required: Request Protected Time Off Electronic Form goes to Leaves Team
6 + consecutive days Day 7 or later Yes Required: Request Protected Time Off Electronic Form goes to Leaves Team
6 + consecutive days Day 7 or later No Required: Request Protected Time Off Electronic Form goes to Leaves Team

 

Protected Leave

If you will be off work for six (6) or more days due to a chronic health condition (that is, you will return on Day 7 or after), to take care of someone with a health condition, to make arrangements in relation to domestic violence or bias crime, or to care for a military member, you will need to apply for Protected Time Off.  For more information and instructions visit our dedicated page for Protected Time Off.

You must also apply for protected leave if one or more of the following apply to you:

  • You do not have any accrued sick leave or personal leave to cover the absence.
  • You do not have enough accrued sick leave or personal leave to cover the entire absence
  • It is unknown if you have enough accrued sick leave or personal leave to cover the entire absence. 


Religious Leave (Licensed Employees)

In accordance with the licensed agreement, licensed staff members may take up to three (3) days of Religious Leave for the purpose of observing religious holiday(s). Licensed staff members are required to report the absence and obtain a substitute when applicable. For each Religious Leave day taken, the licensed staff member will have the option of either:

  • Using an available Professional Development day, or
  • Having the gross pay of the teacher be deducted for this leave at the substitute rate of pay. 

To request time-off for observance of religious holiday(s), please fill out the Request for Religious Leave (2024-25) form.

 

Unpaid Leave Request

Requests for Short or Long-Term Leave are approved based on certain criteria. Please refer to the bargaining agreements [link to internet] for more information.

Please complete and submit an Employee Exception Time Report to your administrator, and then email or fax a signed and approved copy to HR with a completed Unpaid Leave Request Form.

Short-Term

Certified: Employees may request up to six (6) days of unpaid leave during any three (3) year period.

Classified: Post-probationary employees with one (1) year satisfactory evaluation will be granted two (2) days per year unpaid leave accumulative to six (6) days during any three (3) year period.

Long-Term

Certified: An employee may request up to one (1) year (school year) of unpaid leave in a five (5) year period.

Classified: An employee may request up to one (1) year (school year) on unpaid leave in a three (3) year period.

 

Request for a 3rd Day of Paid Personal Leave (PL) Process

Classified: The classified (OSEA) collective bargaining agreement allows for staff to request an additional one (1) day of paid personal leave if they qualify, as outlined in Section 15.9.7 (page 52) of the classified (OSEA) contract.

To request additional PL, eligible employees must do the following:

  1. Submit an Employee Exception Time Report to your administrator.  Once approved, email HR at leaves@springfield.k12.or.us.
  2. Once a third day is verified, HR will notify the administrator, administrative secretary, Payroll and the employee of final approval.

Use of Leave Before or After a Holiday or Recess Period Process

Certified

Use of leave will be limited before or after a holiday, or other recess period or during the first or last two (2) weeks of the licensed staff member's work year, for employee-initiated absences under the following conditions:

  • Requests for leave must be made electronically and/or in writing to the building administrator.
  • HR will approve a maximum of thirty (30) licensed staff members to be released for employee-initiated absences.
  • Employee-initiated absences will include Paid Personal Leave, Professional Development paid days and Personal Leave (unpaid).

To request personal leave before or after a holiday/recess period, Certified employees must do the following:

  • Complete and submit an Employee Exception Time Report to the administrator for approval at least five (5) days' in advance.
  • Send HR a copy of the signed and approved Employee Exception Time Report. HR will verify that the school has not exceeded the building ratio for that particular date, or exceeded the thirty (30) licensed staff members to be released on any one day.   
  • HR will notify the administrator, administrative secretary and the employee of final approval.

Maximum licensed staff to be released on any one (1) day for employee-initiated absences for personal and professional leave will not exceed the building ratio shown below. 

  • 01 to 19 licensed staff — two (2) employees
  • 20 to 29 licensed staff — three (3) employees
  • 30 to 39 licensed staff — four (4) employees
  • 40 to 49 licensed staff — five (5) employees
  • 50 to 59 licensed staff — six (6) employees
  • 60 to 69 licensed staff — seven (7) employees
  • 70 to 79 licensed staff — eight (8) employees
  • 80 to 89 licensed staff — nine (9) employees
  • 90 to 99 licensed staff — ten (10) employees

Use of Leave Before or After a Holiday or Recess Period Process

Classified

To request personal leave before or after a holiday/other recess period, Classified employees will follow normal leave request processes, which include the following:

  • An employee may submit an Employee Exception Time Report to their supervisor for paid personal leave.
  • The employee shall give at least five (5) days advance notice when leave is desired, unless circumstances beyond their control prevent such advance notice. The supervisor’s response will be in writing or electronically delivered to the employee within three (3) work days of receipt.

Maximum Classified staff to be released on any one (1) day for employee-initiated absences for personal leave (paid or unpaid) will not exceed the building ratio shown below.

  • 1 to 19 staff - two (2) employees
  • 20 to 29 staff - three (3) employees
  • 30 to 39 staff - four (4) employees
  • 40 or more staff - five (5) employees

The immediate supervisor may exceed the ratio under special circumstances.