A recent state law will provide paid parental leave to North Carolina school employees for the first time ever this upcoming school year.
Until recently, North Carolina teachers had to apply accrued time off or take unpaid leave when they had a child.
The State Board of Education voted today on rules that clarify how employees can take the new leave. School employees who became a parent after July 1, 2023, through birth, adoption or a legal placement like foster care will be eligible. They must also work at their school or school district for 12 months before taking the leave.
The paid leave is for up to eight weeks for someone who gives birth and four weeks for other qualifying events. Part-time employees can take just as many weeks off, on a prorated basis so that they’re paid their standard part-time salary, not including overtime.
Employees can also take a longer parental leave using other accrued time off, up to the 12 weeks federally protected by the Family and Medical Leave Act. A new parent can take the leave once on a rolling 12-month basis, and if both parents are school employees, they can take their leave at the same time.
State lawmakers provided for the new leave in a recent law that restricts abortions after 12 weeks. The state will provide $10 million to fund substitute teachers. Charter schools can choose to offer the leave, and if they do, they will receive a portion of the state funding to hire substitutes.
Rule that teachers must give a reason for personal leave
On Wednesday, the State Board also discussed setting rules for a state policy that did away with a longstanding requirement for teachers to pay $50 to help cover the cost of a substitute teacher any time they took a personal day.
“Every board member has heard a lot about this from teachers over a long period of time,” said Board vice chair Alan Duncan.
A provision in the 2021 state budget ended that requirement, so long as a teacher provides a reason for their personal day. If a teacher does not provide a reason, they are required to cover the full cost of hiring their substitute, if one is hired.
“Why do you have to do that in order to not pay for the substitute?” 2022 NC Teacher of the Year Leah Carper asked at the Board meeting. “It just doesn't sound like a fun place to work, in my opinion.”
The requirement to give a reason for the leave was established by state lawmakers, and several board members indicated they would like to establish a rule that would make that requirement as flexible as possible. The board expects to discuss this at a later meeting.
“We need the best talent we can get in front of our children in the classroom, and we're competing with every other industry and every other profession,” said chair Eric Davis. “They're professionals. They should have the same professional respect and courtesy that is honored throughout the other professions.”
“I imagine most in this room feel the same way,” Davis said. “It’s frankly directed at our representatives and senators in the General Assembly.”
