Cheat Sheet on P-9 Statement of Absence Options for PFT Unit Members (Revised 8/27/24)
Ed Code governs use of sick leave, which is for illness of the employee. There are several other leave options with specific criteria explained below. See the bargaining agreement for full details.
*Differential Pay: Some types of leave result in compensation at differential pay, which is defined in CA Ed Code as full salary less the cost of a substitute, regardless of whether a sub is hired. PFT has negotiated a lesser pay deduction than the cost of a substitute when leave that results in differential pay is accessed. The amount deducted is full salary less the cost of one half the B2 daily rate, which for 2024-25 is $158/day. Any days not in full salary will have an effect on years of service for STRS and can delay step movement on the salary schedule.
WHAT: Sick Leave
PAY: Full salary, taken from accumulated sick leave
WHY: Illness, accident, injury, surgery, etc. of the employee
CONTRACT SECTION: page 9
WHAT: Extended Sick Leave
PAY: *Differential pay
WHY: If a teacher exhausts their accrued sick leave, for reasons of illness or accident of the teacher, the teacher may access Extended Sick Leave at differential pay* for up to 100 workdays (Contract Page 9).
These days are considered “days not in full salary”.
CONTRACT SECTION: page 9 and 13
PLEASE contact PFT or Personnel for more details on this leave.
WHAT: Catastrophic Sick leave
PAY: Full salary
WHY: Catastrophic sick leave may be requested when a teacher or family member is suffering from an illness or injury that is expected to incapacitate that person for an extended period. If all other accrued leave has been exhausted, and the teacher has donated at least one day to the Catastrophic Sick Leave bank during the last donation cycle, the teacher may apply for up to 50 days of leave at full pay. (The teacher must also exhaust any new leave options that become available while accessing catastrophic sick leave).
CONTRACT SECTION: See Donation of Sick Leave for Catastrophic Illness MOU, which currently supersedes the contract.
WHAT: Personal Necessity Leave
PAY: Full salary, taken from accumulated sick leave
WHY: Death of family member, accident (employee’s person/property), court dates, illness/surgery of immediate family members, religious holidays, legal adoptions, school activities of a child in K-12 or licensed daycare facility.
• School activities of a child are limited to no more 8 hours per month. This does include K-12 graduation ceremonies.
• If Compelling Reasons Leave has been exhausted, up to two days of Personal Necessity can be accessed for graduation of a family member from a four-year college.
• If the teacher has exhausted their accrued sick leave, they may access up to 5 days leave at differential pay* for illness or surgery of an immediate family member.
• Full time teachers may also access up to 14 hours (or the amount proportional to their contract percentage) to find, enroll, or re-enroll a family member in a preschool/childcare center, college, university, or other post-secondary institution. (This bullet is per an MOU signed 2/15/2019)
CONTRACT SECTION: Page 12 & 13
WHAT: Compelling Reasons Leave
PAY: Max of 3 days per year at full pay (Third day was previously at differential pay until PFT negotiated full pay for this day, effective July 1, 2024). These days do not roll over year to year (use them or lose them).
WHY: This leave is for “legal or business matters, matters involving the person’s household or family, or other matters deemed by the unit member to be of compelling personal importance”. If possible, five days advance notice is required for use of this leave. You do not have to give a reason for taking this leave. Repeated use of this leave by a unit member for the purpose of extending holidays or vacations is not permitted. Use of this leave upon the beginning orconclusion of the teacher and school year is subject to review by the Associate Superintendent, Personnel Support Services.
CONTRACT SECTION: page 17 for further details
WHAT: Personal Reasons
CONDITION: Except for emergencies, the teacher would apply to the site administrator in advance and in writing for up to three hours of time; accessing this leave needs administrator’s approval.
PAY: No impact on compensation and no impact on accrued sick leave
WHY: Emergency medical appointment, family emergency, participation in an activity that requires absence for less than 3 hours and does not require the employment of a substitute and is approved by site administrator.
CONTRACT SECTION: page 17 for further details
WHAT: Maternity Leave
CONDITION: Medically unable to perform job duties according to a licensed physician due to pregnancy, miscarriage, or childbirth.
PAY: If you are medically unable to work per your doctor (including prior to delivery, through and after delivery), you access your accumulated sick days (at full salary). If you exhaust your accrued sick leave and you’re still unable to work per your doctor, you automatically enter Extended Sick Leave at differential pay* (see above) for up to 100 workdays.
CONTRACT SECTION: page 14
PLEASE See Maternity Leave Considerations
WHAT: Bonding Leave
PAY: Full salary until all accumulated leave options are exhausted; then automatically switches to differential pay.
WHY: You are medically able to return to work per your doctor but wish to remain at home with your baby. You can access up to 12 weeks of "Bonding Leave" during the first year of birth. Bonding Leave applies to both mothers and fathers and includes adoption and foster care placement. Bonding Leave can be used in a minimum of two week increments or up to the full 12 weeks allowed. Use of one or more days of leave during a workweek shall constitute one week of leave under this section. Bonding Leave expires on the date of the child's 1st birthday. Spouses who work for the same school district may split the allotment in any combination of 2 week increments for a total of 12 weeks combined.
CONTRACT SECTION: Not in contract yet. New Ed Code 44977.5 added January 1, 2016.
PLEASE contact PFT or Personnel for more details on this leave.
WHAT: Bereavement Leave
PAY: Full salary up to 5 days. Bereavement Leave has no effect on accumulated sick leave or salary.
WHY: Death of immediate family member (defined page 12), if a longer time is needed, consider accessing Personal Necessity or Compelling Reasons Leave.
CONTRACT SECTION: page 16 for further details
WHAT: Jury Duty Leave
PAY: Full Pay less the amount paid by the court.
WHY: Any unit member summoned to serve as a juror or as a witness in a case not initiated by the unit member. Unit member must inform the district of the service dates.
NOTE: Employees summoned to serve jury duty during contracted workdays may choose to defer service to non-contract days. If the deferral is approved by the court the district will pay a stipend to the employee equal to the daily substitute teacher rate of pay for those days or portion of those days served. To receive the stipend, the employee must submit a P-9 form with the original summons and time sheet documenting actual time served. The original summons must be for contracted workdays. The absence and accompanying documentation must be submitted to Payroll within 90 days of the employees return to work.
CONTRACT SECTION: page 15
*PLEASE contact PFT or Personnel for more details on this leave.
