Health Leaves
There are several options for paid and unpaid health leaves for DPS employees. Each leave option is listed below with the specific leave requirements.
Requesting a Health Leave of Absence:
- Complete: Request for Health Leave of Absence form [Word]
- Obtain Supervisor's Signature.
- Provide Medical Certification, if required. These forms are to be completed by your health care provider. Select the appropriate forms below.
Medical Certification Forms:
- Employee-Personal Illness Medical Certification form [Word]
- Family Illness Medical Certification form [Word]
- Physician Information Sheet [Word]
- Adoption or Birth of Child form [Word]
Sick Leave Bank Forms:
- Communication Workers of America [Word]
- Administrators, Managers, and Supervisors [Word]
- Denver Classroom Teachers Association [Word]
- Denver Association of Educational Office Professionals [Word]
- Vocational Teachers Federation [Word]
- Classified Employees (Pro-Techs, Area Specialists, FM's & Non-Affiliates)
- Submit completed forms to Health Services Department.
Health Leave Options
Brief summary and eligibility criteria. Select desired leave below, after opening click on "Policy Link" for more detailed information.
- Family Medical Leave Act (F.M.L.A)
- Personal Accumulated Sick Days
- Person Illness Leave of Absence
- Family Illness Leave of Absence
- Sick Leave Bank Days
- Long Term Disability (LTD)
- Disability Retirement
1. Family Medical Leave Act (F.M.L.A.) Policy Link: GBGF
A federally mandated leave program which if approved runs concurrently with other health leaves and worker’s compensation claims. Provides for up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave due to the serious illness of an employee, parent, child, or spouse (includes Common Law Spouse or Domestic Partner with affidavit). Military Family Leave provides up to 26 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave to care for an injured family member on active duty for the Armed Services.
Employment Requirements: Any employee who has been employed by DPS for at least 12 months and has worked for at least 1,250 hours during the months preceding the commencement of the leave.
Leave Period: Up to 12 weeks for serious illness, up to 26 weeks for Military Family Leave during a 12 month period. FMLA will run concurrent with other DPS health leaves of absence.
Medical Certification: Required for serious health condition of employee, child, spouse, or parent.
Pay: Employees must exhaust all personal/sick time when taking leaves for any of the reasons allowed under FMLA. Workers' Compensation will run concurrently with FMLA.
Continuation of Benefits: An employee on FMLA leave will be covered under the district's cafeteria plans the same as active employees. After FMLA expires, the employee must contact the Employee Benefits Department to arrange for payment to continue benefits.
Employee Groups/Associations: All employee groups.
Returning from FMLA Leave: An employee, upon returning from FMLA leave, will be reinstated to the same or equivalent position subject to FMLA rules.
Additional Requirements: Medical certification is required verifying an employee's ability to return to work from FMLA leave for serious illness of the employee (not required for maternity leaves).
2. Personal Accumulated Sick Days. Policy Link: See association agreements at hr.dpsk12.org
Personal sick days are a DPS benefit paid to employees according to DPS policy and to the specific employee's association agreement of which the employee is a member. Specific employee group/association agreements can be found at the DPS Human Resources website: hr.dpsk12.org.
Employment Requirements: DPS employee, see specific employee group/association agreements at: hr.dpsk12.org.
Leave Period: Eligible employees may use all accumulated sick days.
Medical Certification: Required for absences of 5 consecutive days or longer.
Pay: Full pay and benefits for accumulated sick days.
Continuation of Benefits: Same as active employee during FMLA leave.
Employee Group/Association: See employee association agreement for specific entitlements.
Returning to Work: Reinstated to same or equivalent position.
Additional Requirements: Medical certification is required for specific employee groups/associations verifying an employee's ability to return to work for absences of 20 consecutive days or longer (not required for maternity leaves).
3. Personal Illness - Extended Health Leave of Absence. Policy Links: GDCG, GCCBG
DPS policy and most association agreements allow for extended personal illness beyond accumulated sick leave. This health leave may be granted for a period of up to one year without pay or increment. Under certain circumstances, such leave may be extended for one additional year but may not exceed a period of two years.
Employment requirements: DPS employee, see specific employee group/association agreements at Human Resources web-site: hr.dpsk12.org.
Leave Periods: Eligible employees may be granted extended health leave (including up to 2 years).
Medical Certification: Required for absenses of 5 consecutive days.
Pay: No pay or benefits (unless employee has personal sick time, sick bank time or vacation).
Continuation of Benefits: No district contribution; if benefits are continued, it is at the expense of the employee. (District contribution will continue if employee is using personal sick time, sick bank time and/or vacation.)
Employee Groups/Associations: All except Denver Federation for Paraprofessionals. See specific agreement for requirements.
Return to Work: Return to same or substantially equivalent position, if available. See association agreements.
4. Family Illness - Extended Health Leave of Absence. Policy Link: GDCH
DPS policy and most association agreements allow for extended family illness beyond accumulated sick leave. This health leave may be granted for a period of up to one year without pay or increment. Under certain circumstances, such leave may be extended for one additional year but may not exceed a period of two years (including FMLA).
Employment Requirements: DPS employee, see specific employee group/association agreements at: hr.dpsk12.org.
Leave Periods: Eligible employees may be granted up to a maximum of 2 years.
Medical Certification: Required for absenses of 5 consecutive days.
Pay: No pay or benefits (unless employee has personal sick time and/or vacation).
Continuation of Benefits: No district Contribution; if benefits are continued, it is at the expense of the employee. (District contribution will continue if employee is using personal sick time and/or vacation time.)
Employee Groups/Associations: All except Denver Federation for Paraprofessionals. See specific agreement for requirements.
Return to Work: Return to same or substantially equivalent position if available. See specific association agreements.
Additional Requirements: Medical certification may be required verifying an employee's ability to return to work.
5. Sick Leave Bank. Policy Link: See association agreements at hr.dpsk12.org
The purpose of the SICK LEAVE BANK (SLB) is to provide to eligible employees, who have exhausted all their accumulated sick leave, the means of obtaining additional sick leave days upon proper approval of the SICK LEAVE BANK APPROVAL COMMITTEE (SLBAC), thus allowing employees time to be restored to health so that they may return to work with the District. It is not the intent of the SLB to provide additional days off for elective surgery, in lieu of a health leave, or prior to retirement or resignation.
Employment Requirements: Must meet the eligibility requirements as stated in the negotiated agreements for specific employee groups.
Leave Periods: See specific association agreements.
Medical Certification: Sick Leave Bank Physician Certification. Form may be printed from Health Leaves web-site.
Pay: Full pay with approved sick bank days.
Continuation of Benefits: Same as active employees.
Employee Groups/Associations: Denver Classroom Teacher's Association, Denver Association of Education Office Professionals, Classified Employees (Pro-Techs, Area Specialists, FM's & Non-Affiliated), Communication Workers of America, Facility Managers Association, Vocational Teacher's Federation and Administrative/Managers employee groups.
Return to Work: Return to same or substantially equivalent position if available. See specific association agreements.
Additional Requirements: Medical certification may be required for specific employee groups/associations verifying employee's ability to return to work for absences of 20 consecutive days or longer.
6. Long Term Disability (LTD)
Contact Human Resources Call Center, 720-423-3900, for additional information.
Full time employees are eligible upon completion of three months of continuous service. You must be off work due to disability for 3 months before payments begin (if approved).
7. Disability Retirement
Schedule a meeting with the Retirement Office 303-398-7699.