Opinion ID: 403610
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Statutory and Administrative Procedure for Teachers' Leaves of Absence for Illness.

Text: 4 According to Principe's testimony and Board Rule 4-44, when a principal has reason to believe that a teacher has a health problem which may impair his or her efficiency, the principal may send a letter to the Department of Personnel requesting that the General Superintendent schedule a health examination for the employee. If the District Superintendent agrees to the request, a form letter is prepared for the Superintendent's signature. When signed, the letter is then sent to the employee directing him or her to appear for a health examination. If the Board's Medical Director, who is responsible for these health examinations, determines that the employee does not meet the medical standard for teaching, the Director reports the results to the Department of Personnel. The Department then notifies the employee by a form letter of the result of the examination. If the employee failed to meet the medical standard for teaching, the form letter requests the employee to execute an illness leave of absence and to contact the Board's office to arrange another health examination if he or she wishes to obtain reinstatement. The form letter also states: 5 Please be advised that if you fail to request an illness leave of absence within ten business days from the date of this letter, it will be recommended that your services be terminated in accordance with State Statute. 6 The procedure for removal of a tenured teacher for cause is governed by the Illinois School Code, Ill.Rev.Stat. ch. 122, § 34-85 (1975), which provides, inter alia, an opportunity for a hearing prior to removal with resort to judicial review. 7 Board Rule 4-33 governs the duration of teachers' leaves of absence for illness. Any teacher who is granted a leave of more than five school months is required to pass a health examination by a medical examiner selected by the Board's General Superintendent prior to reinstatement. If the teacher fails the health examination, he may request an additional medical opinion as provided by Board Rule 4-19. Rule 4-19 allows the teacher to request an additional medical opinion within ten days from the notice of having failed the Board's examination. If the two medical opinions are in disagreement, a third medical opinion is obtained in the same manner and the majority opinion of the examiners is final. 8