Parental Leave

Family and Medical Leave will be granted to employees who have worked for APS for at least twelve (12) months and who have worked at least 1250 hours in the previous 12 months. This leave is without pay and may be taken for up to one (1) year from the first date the leave is taken. This leave is granted only for the following reasons:

• a. to care for a child upon the birth or placement for adoption or foster care of the child.

A Leave of Absence Request Form must be completed. A written physician’s certificate is also required. The certificate must include the date on which the health condition occurred, the probable duration of the condition, an estimate of the amount of time you need to be off work to care for your own health condition, and confirmation that the nature of the condition warrants you to be away from work to care for yourself. Employees shall be required to give thirty (30) days advance notice in the event of a foreseeable medical treatment. To assist us in arranging work assignments during your absence, we ask that you give us prior notice, to the extent possible, of an expected birth or adoption, as well as an indication, to the extent known, of your expected return date. To facilitate your return to work, we also ask that you provide us with advance notification of your intended return date. Failure to do so may delay your return date. Benefits that accumulate on an accrual basis (vacation, sick and personal days) will cease to accrue during the leave period. Employees may choose to use all accrued, unused vacation and personal days during the leave period. Once such benefits are exhausted, the balance of the leave will be without pay.

Group insurance benefits (medical, dental, vision, LTD and life) will continue during the leave provided the employee continues to make required contributions to these plans. Failure to make such contributions will result in the termination of these benefits. If an employee fails to return to work after Family Medical Leave, the employee will be held liable for the amount of health insurance premiums paid by APS during the employee's unpaid leave. Other benefits, such as retirement and 403(b) plans, will be governed in accordance with the terms of each plan. In the case of an employee's own serious health condition, before the employee will be permitted to return from medical leave, he or she will be required to present APS with a written physician's statement indicating that the employee can return to work and perform the essential functions of his/her position. In addition, the employee must submit the Return to Work Certificate which the treating physician completes.