2022 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 70. Schools
§70-509.12. Employee leave of absence.
A. A school district board of education may approve a request from a school district employee for a leave of absence to hold office as an officer, director, trustee, or agent of a national, statewide, or school district employee association. The employee requesting the leave shall provide the school district superintendent with proof of election and proof of the term of office for the national, statewide, or school district employee association. Proof of election shall include but not be limited to certification by the national, statewide, or school district employee association of the date of the election and the results of the election. Board of education approval for leave requested pursuant to this section shall have definitive beginning and end dates.
B. Leave granted pursuant to this section shall be leave without pay. The school employee on leave shall not be entitled to maintain any benefits granted by the school district regardless of whether the benefit is paid by the employee on leave or the association for which the person is serving as an officer, director, trustee, or agent.
C. During the leave period, the school employee's position with the school district shall be maintained without advancement on the minimum salary schedule adopted pursuant to Section 5-141 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes and with no accrual of sick leave, personal business leave, or personal leave. The employee on leave shall not accumulate service credit within the Teachers' Retirement System of Oklahoma. Following the term of leave granted pursuant to the provisions of this section, the employee granted leave may return to his or her former position or a comparable position.
D. A school district employee granted leave pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be prohibited from accessing school district office space.
E. If a national, statewide, or school district employee association that serves as a school district employee organization established pursuant to Section 509.2 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes fails to comply with the provisions of this section, the school district board of education shall no longer recognize the organization as a representative of employees.
Added by Laws 2022, c. 135, § 1.
