Approximately 1 month before your due date (or earlier if you are experiencing complications), you must contact the Benefits Department at (469)752-8138 or benefits@pisd.edu. We will help you with the maternity leave process.

If you are enrolled in a TRS-ActiveCare Blue Cross Blue Shield medical plan, you have access to maternity and family planning support, as well as additional coverage for electric breast pumps and lactation counseling.

Please review this flyer to learn how to take advantage of the various services available to you.

The maternity leave packet will contain the forms you need to submit, which are not due until after your maternity leave begins. The packet will also contain a blank form that you can take to the hospital for your doctor to complete after you deliver.

If both parents are PISD employees and are eligible for FML, then the FML time off for bonding is limited to a combined total of 12 weeks and runs concurrently with any other leave. Please contact us for assistance in determining the dates of your leave.

We encourage you to decide ahead of time which medical plan will cover the baby, because it's important to provide the correct insurance information to the hospital. If the hospital sends claims to the wrong insurance company, it can cause unnecessary difficulties with getting your claims paid.

If you decide to add the baby to your TRS-ActiveCare medical plan, please contact the PISD benefits department as soon as possible after the birth (no need to wait for the baby's SS#), to request the Change Form.  The Change Form must be signed and returned to our office within 31 days after the birth. Change Forms submitted after the 31-day enrollment window will be denied.

During your recovery period, your absences must be recorded as "Personal Illness". Once your recovery period is over, any further absences must be recorded as "Unpaid Leave", unless you plan to use any remaining state personal leave.

If you do not receive a paycheck or if your paycheck is insufficient, you will receive an invoice for any premiums which are due. You will have 30 days in which to make payment. If payment is not received by the due date stated on the invoice, your health plan benefits will be canceled. If your medical, dental, or vision benefits are canceled while you are on FML, you may request to reinstate the coverage and resume premium payments when you return to work after your FML.

If you were covered by the disability insurance plan before you became pregnant, then it should pay your maternity leave claim. Benefits would be based on the lower of the coverage you had at the time you became pregnant or the time your claim begins. Instructions for submitting a claim will be included with your maternity leave packet.

No, you may not perform any job duties on campus or at home while on leave, nor can your supervisor require you to do so. This might include grading papers, preparing lesson plans, supervising classes or athletic events, attending PDH training or parent/teacher conferences, and other job duties. When your leave is foreseeable, your campus may require you to make advance lesson plans or other preparations to be used during your absence.

Yes. The recovery period does not skip over holidays, weekends, or summer months, because your physical recovery is continuing whether or not you are scheduled to be at work.

At that time, the process for termination of employment must begin (see policy DEC(Local) Expiration of Available Leave), or you may choose to resign. You will be offered COBRA for any health plan benefits you have. If you are able to return to work in the future, you may apply for reemployment with the District at that time.

Please contact the benefits office to discuss your specific situation. If you have worked for PISD less than 1 year, you may submit a request to your supervisor to use any accrued leave you may have.  If you have worked for PISD more than 1 year and are eligible for FML, you may choose to take FML at the beginning of the school year or anytime within the first year after the birth.  FML may be unpaid unless you have saved up eligible accrued leave to use during this time.