ATLANTA — Georgia lawmakers introduced legislation on Monday to increase the number of days of accumulated sick leave for Georgia’s K-12 teachers and other staff.
The legislation says that under current law, teachers and school staff only have three days of accumulated sick leave.
If passed, House Bill 127 would increase that amount to five.
According to the Georgia Department of Education, “employees accrue sick leave at 10 hours per month, accruing at five hours per pay period.”
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This amount is also separate from paid time off, which the department said is earned “starting with 10 hours per month, 12 hours per month after five years, up to 14 hours per month after 10 years. Annual leave begins accruing at five hours per pay period, for a total of 10 hours per month.”
In terms of pay periods, Georgia public school teachers are paid monthly, 10 months each year.
The legislation does not increase the speed at which sick leave is accumulated.
However, the bill text stipulates that the absences can only be used when it would not be in conflict with local board of education policies or when their presence is “essential for effective school operations.”
That said, sick leave can also not be withheld or denied due to a failure or refusal by personnel to tell administration the specific purpose they’re seeking an absence, so long as they are able to tell them whether it is being used as a personal or professional absence.
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