District outlines expanded parental and family‑leave language; sick‑bank and retroactivity discussed

Negotiators reviewed Article 16 proposals the district said would expand parental and family‑leave access while relying on existing legal definitions.

A district negotiator summarized the language: birth‑giving parents may use up to 60 accumulated sick days for pregnancy‑related disability leave, with sick days applied only to days school is in session; non‑birth parents may use up to 30 accumulated sick days for bonding following birth, adoption or non‑emergency foster placement, within one calendar year of the qualifying event; a teacher who must care for a family member for an FMLA‑qualifying event may use up to 30 accumulated sick days for family leave and family leave may be used only once per academic year unless extended leave is approved.

The district said it would rely on the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) definitions to determine qualifying family members and qualifying events. District negotiators clarified that the sick‑bank access discussed would be for documented, ongoing medical conditions and not intended to cover routine single‑day absences (for example, the district said that an isolated fever that keeps a child home would not normally be the basis for extended sick‑bank access, while documented ongoing medical needs could qualify).

The district said it would consider retroactive application of the new language for staff currently on qualifying leave, and negotiators agreed to refine definitions and application rules during tentative agreement drafting.