Leaves of absence, for reasons other than those covered under the FMLA, as outlined within the FMLA policy,
will not be granted automatically, but authorization will be based upon the employee's showing of "good cause"
for the request. Such leave is only granted with the recommendation of the Human Resources Director, and the
approval of the County Manager. In determining whether to grant a request, the County Manager may consider
not only the merits of the request, but the needs of the County, the employee's record and other relevant factors.
Employees will be required to provide timely and appropriate verification to initiate or continue a leave of
absence.
After an approved leave of absence, if the employee is able to perform the essential functions of his/her position,
the employee generally will be reinstated to the original position or a comparable position with equivalent pay.
After the initial six (6) months of leave, an employee may be granted an extension of leave, up to an additional
six (6) months, only for his/her "serious health condition."
An employee who is granted leave beyond the initial period of six (6) months may be eligible for reinstatement
at the discretion of the Department Head/Agency Head/Elected Official.
If an employee is granted leave for 12 months and has an accrued leave balance (sick and/or annual leave) at
the expiration of that period, then the employee may request additional leave, which can be approved only by
the County Manager. The additional leave cannot exceed the amount of the employee's accrued leave balance.
Generally, employees who do not have any accrued leave at the end of a 12-month leave of absence will not
be approved for an additional extension.
6. PROCEDURES
A. Leave Requests & Certification
An employee seeking a Leave of Absence for any reason should complete a Leave of Absence Request Form,
stating the reasons for the absence and providing documentation supporting the request. The form should be
submitted to the employee's supervisor. Written authorization from the Department Head/Agency Head/Elected
Official is required for final approval.
Employees who are self-employed or who hold any other secondary employment position prior to or at the time
of requesting leave, must obtain written permission to continue such employment during a leave of absence.
An employee should submit the request for leave at least 30 days in advance of the anticipated leave where the
leave is foreseeable. When the leave is not foreseeable, an employee should submit the request form within two
(2) days of the time the need for leave becomes known to the employee.
When leave is requested for a serious health condition of the employee or an immediate family member which
requires the employee's attention, the employee must submit a health provider's certification of the need for
leave. The employee may also be required to submit recertification of the need for continuing leave every 30
days. If the leave qualifies for FML, please see the FMLA policy for more information.
The County may require that the employee undergo an examination by a physician of the County's choice prior
to determining whether leave or an extension of leave will be granted.
B. Requests for Extension of Leave Beyond Six (6) Months
An employee who has been on leave for six (6) months may request an extension of a leave of absence not to
exceed an additional six (6) months (12 months total) for the employee's own serious health condition. Such
request should be submitted on the Leave of Absence Request Form, stating the reasons for the absence and