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Prepared by Linda Nugent.
Hill HB No. 717
(KEYWORD, SUMMARY, AND DIGEST as amended by Senate committee
amendments)
SCHOOLS/EMPLOYEES: Provides relative to extended sick leave for teachers and
other school employees.
DIGEST
Extended sick leave for teachers, school bus operators, and other school board employees
Present law requires public school boards to permit teachers, school bus operators, and other
school board employees to take up to 90 days of extended sick leave in each six-year period
of employment, which may be used for a "medical necessity" any time that the person has
no remaining regular sick leave balance. Proposed law retains present law.
Additional extended sick leave for teachers
Present law requires school boards to permit a teacher who has been granted maternity leave
and has no remaining extended sick leave balance available to take up to 30 days of extended
sick leave for personal illness relating to the purpose for which the maternity leave was
granted. Proposed law specifies that these shall be 30 additional days and instead of
requiring that the personal illness be related to such purpose, provides the following
purposes:
(1)Personal illness relating to pregnancy.
(2)Illness of an infant (defined as a child under one year of age).
(3)Required medical visits certified by a physician as relating to infant or maternal
health.
Present law limits the taking of these 30 days to each six-year period of employment.
Proposed law retains present law.
Certification
Present law provides that on every occasion that a school bus driver or other school board
employee uses extended sick leave, a statement from a licensed physician certifying that it
is a medical necessity for him to be absent for at least 10 consecutive work days shall be
presented prior to the extension of such leave. Proposed law retains present law.
Present law provides that on every occasion that a teacher uses extended sick leave, a
statement from a licensed physician certifying that the leave is either of the following shall
be presented prior to the extension of such leave:
(1)For personal illness related to the purpose for which maternity leave was granted.
(2)A medical necessity for the teacher to be absent for 10 consecutive work days.
Proposed law instead requires that such statement certify that the leave is either of the
following:
(1) For personal illness related to pregnancy, illness of an infant, or required medical
visits relating to infant or maternal health.
(2)A medical necessity. Page 2 of 2
Prepared by Linda Nugent.
Present law, for the purposes of the required physician's certification, applicable to teachers,
school bus operators, and other school board employees, defines a "medical necessity" as the
result of catastrophic illness or injury, which means a life threatening condition, a chronic
condition, or an incapacitating condition of the person or an immediate family member.
Proposed law defines "medical necessity" as the result of a catastrophic illness or injury, a
life-threatening condition, a chronic condition, or an incapacitating condition of the
employee or a member of his immediate family. It also broadens the application of this
definition to all present law purposes relative to extended sick leave for such persons and
specifies that such "medical necessity" shall be as certified by a physician.
(Amends R.S. 17:500.2(A)(2)(c), 1202(A) and (E)(1)(a), and 1206.2(A)(2)(c); Adds R.S.
17:500.2(A)(2)(d) and 1206.2(A)(2)(d); Repeals R.S. 17:500.2(E)(1)(b), 1202(E)(1)(b), and
1206.2(E)(1)(b))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Education to the original
bill.
1. For school bus operators and other school board employees:
(a) Deletes proposed law provisions granting up to 30 additional days of
extended sick leave under certain circumstances and requiring that such
circumstances be certified by a physician.
(b)Restores present law provisions requiring, on every occasion that
extended sick leave is used, a physician's certification that it is a medical
necessity that the person be absent for at least 10 consecutive work days
prior to the extension of such leave.
2. For teachers in special schools: Deletes all proposed law and restores all present
law provisions relative to extended sick leave for these teachers.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Education to the engrossed
bill
1. Restores present law that limits the taking of the 30 days of extended sick leave
to each six-year period of employment.