Skip To Main Content

Select a School

Madison Metropolitan School District

Leave of Absence

Earned/Accrued Paid Time Off

Personal & Family Illness (PI)

The Handbook includes very specific information regarding personal illness (PI) time and how it is earned and acceptable use.  The acceptable use rules, that affect all employees, are explained in section 12 of the Handbook.

Click on the appropriate employee group for further information on how PI time is earned.

Administrators

Custodians

Educational Assistants (EA/SEA/NA/BEA)

Food Service

PR/PR-I

Security Assistants

Substitute Teachers (hired before 7/1/2013)

Supportive Educational Employees (SEE)

Teachers 

Trades

Vacation

Vacation time is available to employees who work 12 months (some 10 month positions) per year.  You can find more information about vacation time below.

Administrators

BRS (12 month only)

Custodians

PR/PR-I

Supportive Educational Employees (SEE)

Trades

Bereavement Leave

  • An employee shall be granted up to seven (7) days off without the loss of pay for the death of the following members of the employee’s and his/her spouse’s/designated family partner’s immediate family for the purpose of bereavement leave: 
    • Father, Mother or stepparent
    • Father in law, Mother in law, stepparent in law
    • Husband, Wife or Domestic Partner
    • Child (including foster, step and grandchild)
  • An employee shall be granted up to five (5) days off without the loss of pay for the death of the following members of the employee’s and his/her spouse’s/designated family partner’s immediate family for the purpose of bereavement leave:
    • Son or Daughter in law
    • Brother or Sister
    • Brother or Sister in law
    • Grandfather or Grandmother
    • Grandfather or Grandmother in law
  • An employee shall be granted up to two (2) day off without the loss of pay for the death of the following members of the employee’s and his/her spouse’s/designated family partner’s immediate family for the purpose of bereavement leave:
    • Aunt or Uncle
    • Aunt or Uncle in law
    • First Cousin
    • Niece or Nephew
  • Employees may be absent up to one (1) day for funeral leave to attend the funeral of a close personal friend with such absence charged to the employee’s accrued sick leave account.

Legal Leave

  • Employees are permitted to be absent for up to 2 days per school year for legal reasons – such as adoption proceedings, settlement of wills, court actions, real-estate closings.  The time taken off is only allow for the time needed for the legal reason.  For example, if a court action is 2 hours long, Legal Leave will only be approved for those 2 hours; or, if a closing on a house is 1 hour long, Legal Leave will only be approved for that 1 hour and not for any additional time to move into the house.
  • Employees must provide proof of the need of the Legal Leave and must submit the request at least 5 working days in advance of the absence.
  • Employees will be permitted to be absent for two (2) days per school year without loss of compensation for legal reasons, i.e., adoption proceedings, settlement of wills, court actions, real estate closings. The employee will be expected to notify his/her supervisor/ principal at least five (5) working days prior to such absence. The employee will be expected to be absent only as long as necessary

Religious Holidays  

  • A request for absence for the purpose of observing religious holidays shall be made in writing at least ten work days prior to the requested absence, except for religious holidays that are celebrated between the first day of school and September 15. In the event of the latter, a seven work days prior notice is required.
  • The form to request a Religious Holiday leave can be found here.  

Long-Term Leaves

If you need to take time off from work for more than 5 days, you will need to request a leave of absence.  MMSD offers a wide variety of leave of absence options including: FMLA, medical leave, child rearing leave, and an "other" leave.  

Types of Available Leaves

Family Medical Leave (FMLA)

  • Eligible employees may take up to 60 work days of job-protected leave for qualifying family and/or medical situations per calendar year, as provided by the Family Medical Leave Acts (FMLA).  Upon returning from leave, the employee is entitled to be restored to the employee’s original position, or to an equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits, duties, and responsibilities. Eligible employees are those employees who have worked for the District for at least 12 months and have worked at least 1,250 (Federal FMLA) / 1,000 (Wisconsin FMLA) qualifying hours in the 12 months immediately preceding their leave of absence.
  • Employees will continue to accrue Personal Illness while on a paid FMLA leave, where applicable.
  • Wisconsin FMLA and Federal FMLA run concurrently.  An employee may be approved for Wisconsin FMLA but not Federal FMLA due to their employment status and/or hours worked.

How Much Time is Available through FMLA?

  • Wisconsin FMLA
    • 6 weeks of leave in a calendar year for the birth/adoption of a child,
    • 2 weeks of leave in a calendar year for the care of a child, spouse/domestic partner or parent, and 
    • 2 weeks of leave in a calendar year for the employee’s own serious medical condition.
  • Federal FMLA 
    • Up to a total of 12 weeks off in a calendar year for the following:
      • Birth/adoption of a child, and/or
      • To care for a child, spouse or parent with serious medical condition, and/or
      • The employee’s own serious medical condition, and/or
      • A qualifying exigency for the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, parent or next of kin; or
      • Up to 26 weeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness if they are the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, parent or next of kin.  

Medical Leave – Non FMLA

  • An employee who is not eligible for FMLA or has exhausted their FMLA may apply for a medical leave that can last up to 2 calendar years. After Medical Leave exhausts (2 years),  employment is terminated. 
  • If the leave is 1 year or less, the employee will retain the right to return to the position he/she formerly held at the time the leave was requested.
  •  If the leave is 1 year – 2 years, the employee will be placed in the next vacant position for which he/she is qualified. If there is no vacant position at the time the employee is released to return to work, the employee shall have the option to: Be assigned to a substitute position or go on a layoff status. 

Child Rearing Leave

  • After one full calendar year of employment, an employee may request a child rearing leave for up to 12 consecutive months to care for a child who is under school age. An employee shall be granted one child rearing leave per child.
  • The employee shall make written application for an unpaid child rearing leave to the Benefits Department at least 90 days in advance unless the employee is unable to provide such notice due to medical reasons, or in the case of an adoption, the employee is unable to provide such advance notice due to the placement requirements of the adoption process.
  • The employee shall retain the right to return to the position he/she formerly held at the time the leave was requested.

Other Unpaid Leave

  • All requests for other unpaid leave of absence, other than emergencies, must be submitted to the District at least thirty (30) days prior to the anticipated beginning of the leave. Such applications will be reviewed and granted or denied at the District’s sole discretion. The unpaid leave of absence shall not exceed one (1) calendar year.
  • The employee shall retain the right to return to the position he/she formerly held at the time the leave was requested.

Income while on a Leave

  • Eligible employees may use their accrued and available Personal Illness, Vacation and/or Legal Leave balances to receive pay while on an FMLA or a Non-FMLA Medical Leave of Absence.  Except under the provision of the FFCRA wherein paid Leave is required, if Personal Illness, Vacation and/or Legal Leave is not used, the absence will be unpaid.
  • All other leaves of absence are unpaid.

Benefits while on a Leave

FMLA Leaves

  • Employees will continue to be enrolled in medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, life insurance and long-term disability insurance while on an FMLA.  Premium contributions will continue at the same employee/MMSD paid levels. If the employee does not receive paychecks during this time, premium contributions will be invoiced.

Medical Leaves

  • Employees will continue to be enrolled in medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, life insurance and long-term disability insurance while on a Medical Leave and in Paid Status.  Premium contributions will continue at the same employee/MMSD paid levels.  
  • Employees can continue to be enrolled in medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts and life insurance while on a Medical Leave and in an Unpaid Status.  The employee will be invoiced for the entire premium.  
  • When MMSD’s insurance contributions end, employees will be notified and given the opportunity to pay the full cost of insurance or cancel coverage (with the right to re-enroll when returning from the leave).  

Birth of a Child

  • If an employee would like to change their coverage, such as add a baby to health/dental/vision or enroll in FSA, they must complete the election within 30 days of birth.  Visit MMSD's Life Event Changes page for more information and instructions. 
  • Employees may want to consider updating their life insurance beneficiary information. Visit MMSD's Life Event Changes page for more information and instructions. 
  • Visit WRS and any 403(b) vendor to update beneficiaries.

Short Term Disability (STD) - Enrollees Only

  • Calendar days 1-14 are considered the waiting period. The day the employee goes out on leave due to a serious medical condition is day 1.  During this time, the employee may use Personal Illness and/or Vacation to receive pay for any contracted/scheduled work days. Emergency Paid Sick Leave under the FFCRA may be used during the waiting period as applicable (when/if employee’s medical condition is due to confirmed COVID-19 infection).
  • Employees must apply for Benefits through The Standard Life Insurance Company directly.  Instructions will be provided as a part of the leave process. 
  • Once STD is approved, employees will receive 66.67% of their regular earnings through The Standard Life Insurance Company until the employee is eligible to apply for Long Term Disability pay (see below).
  • Disability pay, in some cases, is taxable earnings.  Employees should discuss their tax situation with a tax advisor and may want to consider requesting taxes be withheld from the disability checks.

Long-Term Disability (LTD)

  • Calendar days 1-75 are considered the waiting period. The day the employee goes out on leave due to a serious medical condition is day 1.  During this time, the employee may use Personal Illness and/or Vacation to receive pay for any contracted/scheduled work days.  
  • Employees will receive an LTD Application for Benefits at least 15 days prior to the end of the waiting period.  The completed Application must be returned to The Standard Life Insurance Company.
  • Once LTD is approved, and through the end of disability, employees may receive 80% of their regular earnings through The Standard Life Insurance Company.
  • Disability pay, in some cases, is taxable earnings.  Employee should discuss their tax situation with a tax advisor and may want to consider requesting taxes be withheld from the disability checks.
  • The switch to Long-Term Disability may impact the employee’s Social Security and/or Medicare status. Employees are encouraged to contact the Social Security office to understand any and all implications.
  • Please be aware, there is a significant chance employees on LTD may need to enroll in Medicare A and/or B due to Long Term Disability and/or Insurance Premium Waiver.

Reasonable Accommodations

ADA Accommodations, may be available. Please talk to your doctor about what accommodations may be needed and have them complete this form. All accommodation requests need to be sent to leaves@madison.k12.wi.us

Additional Resources

  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP): There are times in life when you might need a little help coping or figuring out what to do. Take advantage of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which is available to you and your family. It’s free and confidential — 888-293-6948 or http://workhealthlife.com/standard3
  • Nurse Line: If you are unsure if you need to seek treatment or are unsure where to go, contact a Nurse on Call through your health insurance plan (24x7). 
    • GHC Nurse 855-661-7350 
    • Dean Nurse 800-576-8773
  • Prescription Drug Takeback Program: If you have unused prescriptions, you can take them to a drug takeback location, free and confidentially. Prescription at the Drug Takeback location will be properly disposed of.
    https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/opioids/drug-take-back-day.htm
  • Prescription pain medicine addiction is a growing problem in Dane County and Wisconsin.  More information about prescription pain medication addiction, resources and treatment help can be found at https://doseofrealitywi.gov

*Please refer to the Employee Handbook for any details or definitions of the leave of absences available to you.  The employee handbook will supersede all information in this FAQ.

Have Questions? Contact the Benefits Helpdesk at benefits@madison.k12.wi.us or at (608) 663-1692