Hi all, I will be taking the 12 FMLA leave after having my child. Were you all granted to continue at your current grade level if that was your preference, or were you moved to another position shortly before coming back?
I took 6 weeks when Brian arrived (technicallly not maternity leave, since he was adopted) and 6 when Julia was born. Both times people in my department covered my classes, and I took them back when I returned to work.
I took a 10 week leave and returned to my classroom. If you're only taking 12 weeks, I'm not sure why you would be moved to a different position. I know my district offers the opportunity to take a year off (unpaid) but still keep a job in the district. That is the only time someone may be moved to a new position.
I took a 6 week leave with my 1st well the end of the year and then also the summer so really 3 months and then returned to my position With my second, I took 9 months and was switched to a new grade ( december - june plus the summer). With my third, I took 6 months (June - January ) and then returned to my same job, but that fall, I got to come back to Kindergarten
I am pretty sure in my district you can take whatever the maternity leave time is and return to your job, but if you take a whole year, you are only guaranteed a job in the district.
We can take time off and get our job back...either 12 weeks or however much sick time you have if it is more than 12 weeks. However, if you take a whole school year, you are only guaranteed a job somewhere in the district. Usually they try to keep people in the same position if possible but they won't RIF someone or move someone who doesn't want to be moved to offer you the same position if something else is available.
One of the teachers at my school was released from the district during her maternity leave because the school reduced the size of her program (cut the number of teachers who taught that subject) and she had the lowest seniority of the teachers in the subject.
My district is similar to what the others have said. If you take a full year or go to the end of the year, you aren't guaranteed the exact position but you are guaranteed a job. I took 15 weeks and went back to my same position, but I was out from late October to mid February, so it was still the same school year.
Our maternity leave is one year. If you take a year, you are guaranteed to return to the same position you left (or if your leave extends over the summer, to the position you were assigned to for September). If you extend your leave to 2 years, you are guaranteed a spot at the same school. Over that, and you have a job in the board, but could be at a different school.
Wow, MrsC, that's a very nice perk. Do you need to be on permanent contract to receive this benefit? We have to be tenured if we want to take over 12 weeks or the amount of sick time we have...whichever is more. If you aren't tenured in the district, you won't be guaranteed a position.
The 12 month maternity leave (actually, parental leave as it can be taken by either parent or a combination) is a provincial standard, not related to teaching. It's wonderful.
In the district I work for you can take one semester and are guaranteed the same position in the same school. If you take a year you end up losing the spot; but still hold your spot. You would need to contact your union or your HR to find out about how it will work for you.
I work for a charter school so we receive contracts each year. Since I would be out the beginning of next year, I hope that they keep me in the same grade level instead of moving me to a different one. They asked me during me pre-eval meeting if I would be willing to be flexible and move to a different grade and I said yes, but my #1 preference would be to stay in my grade level. I should know by mid-May if they plan on moving me or not. Sigh.
