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Personal Leave Basics: Frequently Asked Questions

The following frequently asked questions pertain to the contractual provisions governing personal leave at Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).

How many personal leave days do I receive each year? How many can I carry over and accrue each year?
The chart below provides the number of personal leave days granted, carried over, and accrued each year by bargaining unit.

 

Number of Personal Leave Days That May Be Granted Per Year

Number of Personal Leave Days That May Be Carried Over from Year to Year

Number of Personal Leave Days That May Accrue Each Year

MCEA

3

2

5

SEIU

4

2

6

MCAAP/MCBOA

5

1

6

Do employees lose unused personal days?
No. Each of the negotiated agreements with MCEA, SEIU, and MCAAP/MCBOA have language that governs how unused personal days are handled annually. Any unused personal days that exceed the number of days that may carry over a balance (see chart above) are transferred into sick leave at the end of the school year.

I received extra personal days this year. Will I lose them if I don’t use them by the end of the school year?
No. The provisions governing personal leave also apply to the additional personal leave provided to certain employees in this year’s Memorandum of Understanding. 

Can a principal or supervisor deny personal leave?
Yes. If school operations cannot be sustained due to excessive leave requests, a request for personal leave can be denied.

  • MCEA—Personal leave will be granted unless the immediate supervisor determines that adequate provisions for continuing the school program are insufficient. Favorable consideration will be given if advance notice is given and a substitute is secured, provided an inordinate number of requests have not been submitted for the same date or testing requirements necessitate the presence of certificated staff.
  • SEIU—Personal leave, if granted, should be used only to conduct personal business of a nature that cannot be scheduled on any nonduty day. Personal leave will be granted only when the immediate supervisor determines that adequate provisions for continuing the instructional/operational program(s) can be made.
  • MCAAP/MCBOA—Personal leave will be granted only when the immediate supervisor determines that adequate provisions for continuing the instructional/operational program can be made.

To learn more about personal leave, review the association contracts on the Association Relations web page.