Teacher Leave Request Guidelines

Teacher Leave Request Guidelines

Process for submitting a leave request

• Employee notifies the administrator in writing the desire to request a leave; this should include: reason for the leave, leave beginning date, and leave ending date  

• Administrator initiates a conversation with HR to determine leave approval or not.

After leave is reviewed: Upon agreement, Human Resources will notify the employee of the decision of the leave request.

Types of Leave

Statutory Leaves (1-5 years) (122A.46 EXTENDED LEAVES OF ABSENCE)

• Request submitted by February 1. Leave request must be for at least 1 year, no more than 5 years.
• Employee retains seniority and continuing contract rights
• Employee must have been employed by the District for at least 5 years and has been in TRA for at least 10 years
• Employee can be in a full- or part-time position
• Employee must inform the district of their intent to return by February 1 annually
• No guarantee of return to same building or grade level
• No step advancement during leave

General Leaves (1 year)

• 1 year leave (no more or less)
• Granting this leave is at the discretion of the district. Includes education, health, career change, election to political office, overseas teaching, Peace Corps, National Teacher Corps, extended illness of teacher’s family, civic activities, or other reasons deemed appropriate by the district.
• No guarantee of return to the same building or grade level
• Retains their experience for pay purposes and other accrued benefits that employee had at time of leave
• No step advancement during leave
• Employee retains seniority

Child Care Leaves (up to 1 year)

• Immediately following the birth or adoption of a child
• May be extended into the following year, if the employee does not request a full year in the first year of their leave (i.e. January birth/adoption)
• No guarantee of returning to the same building
• Retains their experience for pay purposes and other accrued benefits that employee had at time of leave
• No step advancement during leave
• Employee retains seniority.

Sabbatical Leaves

See master agreement and district policy.  

Career Transition Leaves (2 years)

• Not extended past second year
• May not return early