[DannieAS]

I need to start making my financial plans for when I get a placement. AT my PRIDE class last night, I discovered that when they are matching you with your prospective adoptive child they will ask you to take 6 weeks to bond mandatory.

I know this leave is unpaid...but both the FMLA and California Family Rights act specify that an employee may elect to use accrued paid leave (eg sick leave, vacation etc) if you already are not being forced to.

I work in a school district and so obviously there is no accrued vacation, only accrued sick days. I have 213 hours accrued.

Do districts honor your request to use sick days? any Californian's out there that have done this? My main concern is that I am the sole income for my household so I need to be ready to be really frugal the next few months and put EVERYTHING to savings if I learn that I can't use my sick days...that way I won't be stressedX2 when I receive placement.

(I put this on the foster to adopt forum, but if this draws more CA people to respond, here it is again)

[mommytoEli]

did you check with your school district about adoption leave? some districts are better than others, but our old one in CA gave us 5 days adoption leave, just like they would give 6 weeks leave to a mother of a newborn. 5 days was kind of wimpy, but every day counts, right? lol.

[DannieAS]

hey any days I can squeeze into a paid time off is better than having the complete 6 weeks unpaid

I put in a call to my supervisor and she told me a good person to contact in the special ed. office that is good with dealing with personnel as we all know personnel is very ummm how shall i say this nicely *special and not helpful*.

[takingtheplunge]

Hello.
First, welcome to the board.

To answer your question, it depends on your district.
My district gives you 3-5 free days for birth or adoption that don't count against your sick days. It's like a bonus. Then, as you go into FML, you can use your sick time. After that is gone, then you are out of pocket. But, but they have to offer you your job back when you come back. They may (depending on if it's over one month after your time it gone), ask you to then start paying for your benefits if you want to keep them.

My friend's school district did not give her 3-5 free days nor did they let her use all of her sick time. Instead, they only allowed her to use part of her sick time (3-4 weeks, unsure), and then the rest of the time was on her.
_________

Don't stress. Things have way of working out. I bugged the SW right before my summer break and said how nice it would be to have 11 weeks off to bond. I got a palcement 5 days before school ended. My district covered those days for free, so I didn't even have to loose any sick time.

Perhaps you will get a placement before spring break, x-mas, and/or summer and not have to use all of your time.

______

All FML does whether you work in edu or industry is protect your job for up to 12 weeks. It's like a doctor's excuse for being out. This way when you come back they can't fire you and hire the girl/boy who was filling in for you.

Yet, employers can choose whether or not they let you off-set your pay with sick time pay and/or whether they give you some pay as a benefit.

Good luck

[julierose24]

I am a teacher in southern California, and I was not allowed to use any of my sick days when I took off work after being placed with my daughter. I was allowed to use 10 personal days (we get 10 personal days per year, but it does get taken from sick leave bank), but they had to be approved. I had a ton of sick days, but couldn't use any of them. It was very disappointing. I hope your district is better!

[DannieAS]

Even if I have to take 10 personal days...that's at least 2 weeks that is still paid....so thanks....I also have a secretary that my supervisor told me to talk to in the special ed. department that knows the union contract well and knows how to handle personnel so I think I can get an accurate account of what I can do...thanks....

[desertmom2b]

California EDD has a deal called Paid Family Leave. It allows you to take up to 6 weeks off work. You can choose to take it all in a lump 6 week block or intermittently within a 12 month period. As long as you pay into SDI, the state will pay you a percentage of your pay, just like if you were on Disability leave. The lady I spoke to said it is equivalent to about 75% of what you normally bring home from your current job. I would suggest calling now to have them send you all the paperwork. That way you have time to read it all and then it's handy for when it is time to complete and send in. Hope this helps!!