15.1 Maternity Leave: Employees who are working are entitled to use sick leave for disabilities caused or contributed to by pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, and recovery there from on the same terms and conditions governing leaves of absence for other illness or medical disability. Such leave shall not be used for child care, child rearing, or preparation for childbearing, but shall be limited to those disabilities as set forth above. The length of such disability leave, including the date on which the leave shall commence and the date on which the duties are to be resumed, shall be determined by the employee and the employee's physician. Said employee may be required to produce a licensed medical practitioner's certificate of medical condition. If an employee does not have a sufficient paid leave balance to cover the period of disability leave, leave of absence without pay shall be granted. Upon return to work the employee shall be placed in the same classification without loss of seniority and benefits.

15.2 General Leaves: A permanent employee who has used all vacation time to which he/she is entitled and who requests in writing to be absent from work because of personal reasons, may be granted a personal leave without pay for a period of time not to exceed one (1) week if approved by his/her supervisor and/or unit administrator. A personal leave without pay of more than one (1) week may be extended upon approval of the Board of Trustees up to one (1) full year of total leave time. Fringe benefits will be paid by the District through the last day of the month in which an approved unpaid leave begins. The District will resume payment for such benefits effective on the first day of the month following the employee's return to work. The employee may arrange with the Human Resources Department to keep his/her insurance in force during the period of the leave by prepaying the premiums on a monthly basis.

15.3 The District shall grant family care leaves in accordance with State and Federal laws and regulations. Family care leave for the principal domestic partner is provided according to the conditions of coverage as established by the Santa Cruz County Schools Health Insurance Group.