Temporary Disability Benefits & Leaves of Absence

Leaves of Absence

The Disability Management Office manages temporary disability leaves for employees with accepted or delayed claims. An employee’s claims examiner makes the determination for a claim’s status (Accepted, Delayed, Denied).

The California Family Rights Act (CFRA) Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protected leave periods runs concurrently with a workers’ compensation temporary disability leave.

If an employee’s claim is delayed or denied and they are unable to report to work, they will be placed on a leave of absence.

If an employee reaches maximum medical improvement (MMI) / permanent and stationary (P&S) status and they are unable to report to work, they will be referred to the ADA Coordinator to begin the disability interactive process and file for non-industrial medical leave or leave of absence. 

If an employee is not otherwise entitled to temporary disability benefits and they are unable to report to work, they will be referred to the ADA Coordinator to begin the disability interactive process and file for non-industrial medical leave or leave of absence. 

Temporary Disability (TD) Benefits and Payroll

The Disability Management Office will ensure the appropriate payroll coding is entered based on the employee’s classification and the status of their claim.

Certificated Staff

For an accepted workers’ compensation claim, Certificated staff receive six months of paid industrial accident or illness leave (UESF and UASF contracts). The labor agreements provide for one year of paid leave benefits for pre-1993 and pre-1994 hires, respectively. Paycode WC is used.

Once an employee's industrial accident and illness leave benefits have been exhausted, an employee’s accrued sick leave benefits are paid which are used at a prorated rate to supplement temporary disability benefits (Ed Code § 44984). Paycod SP is used.

After accrued sick leave benefits are exhausted, employees are paid extended sick leave benefits for five months (100 service days), less a sub dock (Ed Code § 44977). Paycode SP continues to be used.

During the period an employee is paid their full pay, workers’ compensation temporary disability benefits are “included” in the employee’s pay. A W-2 adjustment will be made at the end of the calendar year in order to reduce an employee’s taxable earnings by the temporary disability calculated as part of their pay.

Paraprofessional Staff

For an accepted workers’ compensation claim Paraprofessional staff receive sixty (60) work days of paid industrial accident or illness leave (Ed Code § 45192).

Once an employee's industrial accident and illness leave benefits have been exhausted, an employee’s accrued sick leave benefits (Ed Code § 45191) are paid to supplement a temporary disability check paid by the school district's third party workers' compensation claims administrator, Athens Administrators.

After accrued sick leave benefits are exhausted, extended sick leave benefits are then used to supplement the temporary disability payment. Ed Code § 45196 provides for 100 working days of paid sick leave, less the number of working days an employee was paid using accrued sick leave, at 50 percent of the employee’s regular pay. Paycode WX continues to be used.

During the period an employee is paid their full pay, workers’ compensation temporary disability benefits are “included” in the employee’s pay. A W-2 adjustment will be made at the end of the calendar year in order to reduce an employee’s taxable earnings by the temporary disability that was calculated as part of their pay.

Classified (Civil Service) Staff

For an accepted workers’ compensation claim Civil Service Staff receive a temporary disability (TD) check from Athens Administrators, but at the same time can opt to use sick (and vacation) hours to supplement their TD check.

Please note that an employee is assumed to opt-in for supplementation. When an employee does not supplement a check is not issued by SFUSD, and therefore an employee’s regular payroll deductions have to be paid directly by the employee.

Additional notes for Civil Service Staff:

If the period of time an employee misses from work is fewer than 15 calendar days, the work days that are included in the first three calendar days are paid as sick days, and are not paid in temporary disability benefits.

If an employee misses the remainder of the workday that they are injured to seek medical treatment, they are paid for the full day as working. If they do not seek medical treatment that day they must use sick time to be paid the remainder of the day. If an employee seeks initial medical treatment following the injury date, sick time must be used in order to be paid.

Substitute Staff

For an accepted workers’ compensation claim, employees will receive a temporary disability check from Athens Administrators.

SFUSD Student Interns

For an accepted workers’ compensation claim, SFUSD student interns paid by SFUSD will receive a temporary disability check from Athens Administrators. 

SFUSD student interns who are not paid by SFUSD or who do not receive a paycheck from SFUSD should refer to the School-to-Work Accident Coverage forms. SFUSD personnel, like a principal or supervisor, need to complete Part A of the claim form; then, the form is given to the student to complete Part B and submit the form.