Extended Leave Programs

Supporting You Through Life's ChangesStafford County Public Schools is committed to supporting our employees through significant life events and periods of medical necessity. We understand that circumstances may arise requiring an extended absence from work, and our goal is to ensure you have the resources and information needed to navigate these situations with peace of mind. This section provides essential details about the leave programs available to you, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which provides job protection for certain family and medical reasons, and the VRS Hybrid Short-term Disability benefits, which offer income replacement for eligible employees enrolled in the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) Hybrid Retirement Plan when they are out for more than 5 consecutive days for their own illness or maternity leave.

When FMLA is Required

FMLA leave is a requirement for employees who must be absent from work for more than five (5) consecutive work days due to a qualifying serious health condition. This applies to absences taken for:

Your Own Serious Illness: A medical condition that prevents you from performing the essential functions of your job.
Caring for an Eligible Family Member: This includes a spouse, child, stepchild, natural parent, adoptive parent, foster parent, step-parent, or parent-in-law with a serious health condition.
Childbirth or adoption
Qualifying exigency military leave

Key Features of FMLA

Job Protection, Not Paid Leave: FMLA's core benefits are that it protects your benefits and guarantees you will be restored to your original job or an equivalent position upon your return from leave. FMLA itself is not a paid leave program.
Using Paid Leave Concurrently: If you have accrued paid leave (such as sick, personal, or vacation leave), you are required to use that time to receive income during your FMLA absence.
- If you have sufficient paid leave, your FMLA period will be paid.
- If you have no paid leave, or once your paid leave is exhausted, your FMLA time will be unpaid.
Concurrently Running: FMLA is an overarching protection that runs concurrently with other types of related leave and benefit programs, such as VRS Short-term Disability, Parental Leave.

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA): For additional information and/or questions, please email Michelle Miller at millerml1@staffordschools.net.

Requirement for Hybrid VRS Employees (Short Term Disability)

Full-time, contracted employees who are members of the VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan and whose personal medical absence (including maternity leave) exceeds five (5) consecutive work days are required to apply for and coordinate both FMLA and VRS Hybrid Short-term Disability. This ensures you receive both the federally mandated job protection (FMLA) and the applicable state-provided income replacement benefit (VRS Short-term Disability).

Regulation 4803R: Authorized Leaves (VRS Hybrid Disability Leave Benefits)

For questions or more information, contact

Kimberly O'Grady
Benefits Specialist
📞 (540) 658-6592
📧 ogradykf@staffordschools.net

In This Section

Extended Leave Programs

When FMLA is Required

Key Features of FMLA

Requirement for Hybrid VRS Employees (Short Term Disability)

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