§ 16-225.01. Parental, family, and medical leave.

(a)

Parental leave. Up to five (5) days of paid parental leave shall be granted to employees who are eligible for family and medical leave pursuant to this Section.

(b)

Family and Medical leave.

(1)

General. Except as noted in this Subsection, family and medical leave shall be granted to employees who are eligible to earn annual leave who have been employed by the County for at least 12 months and who have been in a paid status for at least 1,040 hours during the previous 12 months. Family and medical leave shall also be granted, for purposes of parental responsibilities associated with the birth or adoption of a dependent child, to any employee eligible to earn annual leave, regardless of the employee's length of service with the County. An employee shall be entitled to a total of 15 workweeks of family and medical leave during any 12-month period.

(2)

Duration. Family and medical leave shall not exceed fifteen (15) workweeks of any combination of paid leave and leave without pay in accordance with Section 16-225.

(3)

Granting of family and medical leave. Subject to the provisions of Subsections (c) and (d), below, an employee may be granted family and medical leave only for one or more of the following:

(A)

Because of the birth of a child of the employee and in order to care for such child;

(B)

Because of the placement of a minor child with the employee for adoption or foster care;

(C)

In order to care for the spouse, child, parent, or parent-in-law of the employee, if such spouse, child, parent, or parent-in-law has a serious health condition;

(D)

Because of a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of the position of such employee;

(E)

The employee may use any combination of earned and available parental, sick, annual, or personal leave for paid family and medical leave.

(c)

Approval of parental, family, and medical leave.

(1)

Any employee may request parental, family, or medical leave.

(2)

An appointing authority shall examine each request and determine whether the employee's request meets the provisions of this Section. An appointing authority may require an employee to submit certification by the appropriate primary health care provider in order to make this determination.

(3)

The employee's request shall be granted if it meets the requirements of this Section.

(d)

Use of parental, family, or medical leave. All leave taken pursuant to this Section:

(1)

Must be used within twelve (12) months of the birth of the child or placement of the child with the employee for adoption or foster care;

(2)

Is subject to a thirty (30) day advance notice requirement if the necessity for leave is foreseeable;

(3)

May be taken under a method involving a reduced workday or workweek, an intermittent basis, or any combination thereof.

(CB-107-1988; CB-47-1993; CB-13-1994 CB-22-2000)