Section 5.1. Leaves of Absence.--Upon recommendation of the president and approval by the Board of Trustees and the Secretary of Education, a leave of absence for a period not to exceed twenty calendar weeks with full pay or a leave of absence for a period not to exceed forty calendar weeks with half pay, for restoration of health, study, travel or other appropriate purposes, may be granted to any member of the faculty of the Thaddeus Stevens State School of Technology, the Scotland School for Veterans' Children, and the Scranton State School for the Deaf, who has completed ten or more years of satisfactory service as a member of the faculty thereof. After completion of the requisite ten years, one leave of absence shall be allowed for each additional seven years of service upon recommendation of the Board of Trustees and approval by the Secretary of Education. Leaves shall be accumulated so that no one shall lose entitlement because of failure to use leave, but no one shall be entitled to use more than forty weeks of the accumulated leave in succession. The president of the Thaddeus Stevens State School of Technology, the Scotland School for Veterans' Children, and the Scranton State School for the Deaf may be granted a leave of absence on the same basis as faculty members, as defined in this act. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions, the Thaddeus Stevens State School of Technology, the Scotland School for Veterans' Children, and the Scranton State School for the Deaf shall grant leaves of absence to at least two persons in each semester, if there be two qualified persons requesting leave.
No leave of absence shall be granted unless such person shall agree in writing to return to his or her employment with the Thaddeus Stevens State School of Technology, the Scotland School for Veterans' Children, and the Scranton State School for the Deaf for a period of not less than one year immediately following the expiration of such leave of absence.
No such leave of absence shall be considered a termination or breach of the contract of employment and the person on leave of absence shall be returned to the same position he or she occupied prior thereto.
Every employe while on such leave of absence shall be considered to be in regular full-time daily attendance in the position from which the leave was taken during the period of said leave, for the purpose of determining the employe's length of service and the right to receive increments as provided by law.
Every person on leave of absence shall retain the right to make contributions as a member of either the State Employees' Retirement Fund or the Public School Employees' Retirement Fund and continue his or her membership therein in whichever system he currently holds membership.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent any person on leave of absence from receiving a grant for further study from any institution of learning.
The Trustees of the Thaddeus Stevens State School of Technology, the Scotland School for Veterans' Children, and the Scranton State School for the Deaf shall have the right to make such regulations as they may deem necessary to make sure that employes on leave shall utilize such leave properly for the purpose for which it was granted, requiring reports from the employe or employes on leave in such manner as they may deem necessary.
(5.1 amended Nov. 20, 1979, P.L.463, No.96)
Compiler's Note: Section 7 of Act 50 of 2009 provided that section 5.1 is repealed insofar as it is inconsistent with Act 50.
Compiler's Note. Section 14 of Act 57 of 1997 provided that a statutory reference to the Thaddeus Stevens State School of Technology, referred to in this section, shall be deemed to be a reference to the Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
Compiler's Note: Section 6(e) of Act 105 of 1996 provided that, notwithstanding the transfer of the Scotland School for Veterans' Children from the Department of Education to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs under Act 105, section 5.1 shall remain in full force and effect insofar as it relates to teachers at the Scotland School for Veterans' Children.