In accordance with the United States Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) the United Independent School District entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period for specified family and medical reasons or for any “qualifying exigency” arising out of the fact that a covered military member is on active duty, or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty, in support of a contingency operation. The FMLA also allows eligible employees to take up to 26 workweeks of job-protected leave in a single 12-month period to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness. To be eligible for FMLA benefits, an employee must: Have worked for the District for a total of 12 months, worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12-month period immediately before the date the leave would begin and be employed at a worksite where 50 or more employees are employed by the District within 75 miles of that worksite. According to District Policy DEC (LOCAL), FMLA runs concurrently with accrued sick and personal leave, temporary disability leave, compensatory leave, assault leave, and absences due to work-related illness or injury. (Board Policy DEC (LOCAL) is available online, at work location, or HR) If you are presently covered under the District health insurance plan, the insurance payments and benefits will remain the same while under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The District will pay the District’s portion while the employee pays the other portion. If you exhaust all State and Local personal days, the District will continue to pay the health premium portion. However, you will be responsible for paying the employee portion. If this occurs, you will need to make arrangements with the Payroll Deduction Assistant in the Payroll Department to pay the employee portion of the monthly healthcare premium. Premium payments must be submitted by the 20th of each month in order for the policy coverage to remain active. Please complete this request, including the applicable Certification of Health Care Provider Form, which needs to be completed by your attending physician, and submit it to the Human Resources Department for processing and approval at least 30 days before the leave is to commence, when the need is foreseeable. When 30 days' notice is not possible, submit the request as early as practicable, and you must comply with the employer’s normal call-in procedures. If you have any questions regarding the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), please feel free to call our office at (956) 473- 6273. 

Employee Request for Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)