Leaves of Absence (LOA)

FCPS provides two types of leaves of absence (LOA) to help employees meet their personal and professional needs: designated and non-designated.

• A Designated LOA is provided for specific purposes, and documentation supporting the LOA is required. An employee may request a designated leave of absence for any of the following reasons: child care, illness, hardship, military active duty, and student teaching, internships, or professional certifications for employees who are obtaining their initial teacher licensures, licenses in a critical field, or professional certifications for non-teaching employees.
• A Non-designated LOA is available to employees for any reason, including but not limited to the following: study, employee organization business, political activity, overseas spousal diplomatic assignments, professional enhancement, etc.

Eligibility

• Designated LOA: An employee need not have worked for FCPS for a specified time period prior to requesting this type of leave
• Non-designated LOA: An employee is eligible to request this type of leave after five continuous years of working for FCPS. Multiple non-designated leaves of absence may be taken during a career with FCPS. Eligibility for each successive leave of absence requires five years of active service from the date of returning to active employment from any prior designated or non-designated leave.

Calculation of Leave Year

For school-based educational employees, teachers, instructional assistants, and other less-than-12-month employees, a leave of absence is generally granted for a school year or for the remainder of a school year. A request for an LOA for the next school year must be submitted by March 1.

For any other employee, the duration of the leave of absence may be less than a year, and the LOA request must be submitted at least 30 days in advance, if possible.

Your completed LOA paperwork must be sent to the FCPS Disability and Leave Unit for review.

Department of Human Resources
Office of Benefit Services, Disability and Leaves Unit
8115 Gatehouse Road, Falls Church, VA 22042
FAX (571) 423-5013
Email: DisabilityandLeaves@fcps.edu

Important: Your worksite supervisor/ principal need to sign your LOA form as an acknowledgement your leave request. The Disability and Leaves Unit will receive and confirm your leave request. If approved, the Disability and Leaves Unit will send written approval to both you and your worksite supervisor/ principal. Completion of the LOA paperwork does not imply or promise the employee’s eligibility for an LOA. 

Questions

For assistance with your LOA request, please contact the Disability and Leaves Unit at 571-423-3200, option 1, or email DisabilityandLeaves@fcps.edu.

For More Information

Review the IDM Handbook and the Benefits While on Leave of Absence (LOA) packet on the Benefits Publications & Resources website.

Refer to Regulation 4822.