Health Benefits, Leaves of Absence, Medical Administration, and Safety

A leave of absence is a primary method for accommodating a DOE employee’s need to be absent from work for an extended period.  A leave of absence application must be signed and in some cases approved by a manager or principal and submitted to HR Connect for processing and determinations.  The forms and supporting documentation required depend on the type of leave requested and the type of employee requesting the leave.


Medical Leaves

• Medical Leave for Administrative Staff
  Employees may apply for a medical leave of absence without pay only when they have exhausted all sick leave and/or annual leave days. Employees must submit a completed PD 6 signed by their principal or supervisor along with supporting medical documentation to the HR Connect Leaves of Absence Administration Office for processing. Check Rules and Regulations Governing Non-Pedagogical Employees (January 30, 2004) to determine eligibility for a medical leave with or without pay.
  
  
• Advancement of Personal Leave Days for Administrative Staff
  Permanent civil titled employees may apply for an advancement of their personal leave days. Employees must submit a written request to their supervisor for approval and then submit the signed request along with medical documentation to the HR Connect Leaves of Absence Administration Office for medical review and processing.
  
  
• Personal Illness, Borrowing Days, Grace Period for Instructional Staff
  When employees use their CAR days for personal illness, want to borrow days, or apply for a grace period, they must fill out an OP 198 form with the help of their school secretary. The school secretary submits the form to the principal or supervisor for approval. When the illness is not self-treated, the OP 198 form must be accompanied by medical documentation on the OP 198 form, or the employee may submit a physician’s certificate or an OP 407 form. The principal has the authority to approve any request up to 20 days. HR Connect makes determinations on requests for more than 20 days or at the request of the principal.
  
  Employees may borrow up to 20 days per year to cover days absent due to serious personal illness. Principals can approve up to 20 borrowed days unless they require medical evaluation. Days cannot be borrowed if the employee has days in their CAR.
  
  Employee who have exhausted all CAR days are entitled to a grace period of up to 30 calendar days before the start of a medical leave of absence without pay or a line of duty injury leave of absence. This grace period allows the employee to remain on payroll at a prorated rate in lieu of his or her regular salary. The prorated payment is equivalent to pay for weekends and holidays.
  
  
•  Line of Duty Injuries
  A line of duty injury (LODI) is any accident or incident that occurs while the employee is on duty; line of duty applies to a licensed pedagogue, or in the case of assault, to UFT educational paraprofessionals and DC37 family paraprofessional school aides. When an accident or incident occurs, it must be reported to a supervisor within 24 hours. The secretary or the Online Occurrence Reporting System (OORS) operator is then responsible for ensuring that the employee is given the Comprehensive Injury Report Written Statement form to complete. This form must be completed, signed by the employee, and then submitted to the school secretary or the OORS operator. The school secretary must obtain the principal and superintendent’s signature on the Comprehensive Injury Report. The superintendent must also check "Approved" or "Disapproved" on the Comprehensive Injury Report. The employee must fill out an OP 198 form with the help of his or her school secretary. The school secretary submits the form to the principal or supervisor for approval. The school secretary then must submit the Comprehensive Injury Report, the OP 198, and any supporting medical documentation (OP 407) to the HR Connect Leaves of Absence Administration Office for processing. Personnel Memo #4 contains the complete guidelines for LODI.
  
  
• Health Sabbatical
  A sabbatical leave for restoration of health is a leave with reduced salary granted to appointed teachers and regularly appointed or properly selected acting supervisors.  Employees may apply for a sabbatical leave for restoration of health at any point during the school year for the fall or spring term. A sabbatical leave for restoration of health is granted with the expectation that the employee’s health will be restored and that he or she will return to service. Employees must submit a completed OP8 signed by their principal along with supporting medical documentation to the HR Connect Leaves of Absence Administration Office for processing. Medical documentation may be submitted directly to HR Connect using the OP 407.  Click to access the OP 407 Page 1, OP 407 Page 2 and Instructions for OP 407. To learn more see the Personnel Memorandum #5.

Other Types of Leaves

• Study Sabbatical:
  The DOE provides paid leave at partial salary for some types of professional development. Teachers on regular appointment will be eligible for study after each 14 years of service.  Teachers with seven years of appointed time are eligible for a six-month sabbatical. To learn more and apply, review the eligibility requirements outlined in Personnel Memorandum #5 and file an OP8.
  
  
• Other Leaves:
  To request a leave for illness or death in family, personal business, or education purposes, check eligibility requirements as set forth in rules and regulations for administrative employees, detailed on the Central Administrative and Managerial Employees Web page.

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For information about Medical Administration, including reimbursement for uninsured LODI expenses, visit the Medical Administration Web site.