4435 - PROFESSIONAL LEAVE

School Board of Alachua County

Bylaws & Policies

4435 - PROFESSIONAL LEAVE

Professional leave may be granted to support staff employees with or without pay in accordance with the following provisions:

Paid Leave

		1.	With prior approval, support staff employees may take paid leave (vacation or personal leave) to attend college level courses that are offered during the work day. The employee must submit to his/her supervisor a description of the course, time needed away from work, and a narrative describing the relationship with the course and the job. All documentation, including the employee's work schedule while attending the course, must be approved prior to attending courses.
		2.	In no case shall an employee be permitted to work towards an advanced or supplemental degree or receive college credit during the workday or at any time when salary or other reimbursement is paid by the Board, unless such time is covered by appropriate leave approved as set forth in Policy 4430.02, Approval of Leaves. Such leave shall be approved only if specific times and frequency will not adversely affect the employee's job performance.

	B.	Unpaid Leave
		Professional leave without pay on an extended basis may be granted to employees with three (3) or more years of continuous service, including approved leaves of absence, for the purposes of advanced schooling or Board-approved additional training. Such leave will normally be for not more than one (1) school year, but may be extended upon request. Such leave normally will not be available for the purpose of accepting full-time employment.
		Employees on professional leave of study must:

		1.	be on a planned program;
		2.	take not less than nine (9) semester or twelve (12) quarter hours per semester or quarter;
		3.	present a transcript at the end of the leave.

Support staff who are members of a bargaining unit should refer to the negotiated agreement.

F.S. 1001.41, 1001.42, 1012.22, 1012.23
F.A.C. 6A-1.081

Adopted 7/17/07