I. PURPOSE

To establish policies and guidelines relating to pregnancies of police officers.

II. NOTIFICATIONS

Whenever a police officer becomes pregnant and receives medical confirmation to that effect, she is required to report her pregnancy to her commander.

III. ASSIGNMENT DURING PREGNANCY

A. Pregnant employees are eligible for temporary limited-duty assignments as available and as appropriate to their physical capabilities and well-being.

1. Pregnant employees thall be permitted to continue working on regular duty or limited-duty assignments as long as they present monthly physician certificates or until such time as a physician recommends that work be curtailed.

B. Where appropriate temporary limited-duty assignments are unavailable, pregment employees may pursue other forms of medical, disability or Family Leave (FMLA) as provided by State or Federal law.

C. On a monthly basis, pregnant employees shall submit physician's medical certificates that document:

1. The empoyee's physical ability to perform the present assigned dutieis, and

2. The phusician's appraisal that they type of work being performed will not injure the employee or her expected child, and

3. Any recommended duty restrictions or modifications.

D. The commander may, at any time during the employee's pregnancy, refer her to the County Physician to make a detrmination as to whether the employee is physically fit to continue to perform her assigned duties.

E. It is within the discretion of the County Physician, with the concurrence of the officer's attending physician, to determine if the employee is fit to continue her duties.

IV. LEAVE OF ABSENCE

A. Should the County Physician, with the concurrence of the officer's attending physician, determine that the officer is physically unfit to continue her assigned duties, she shall be placed on leave of absence status.

B. Upon being placed on voluntary or involuntary leave of absence status, the officer shall be entitled to:

1. Any accumulated sick leave.

2. Any accumulated vacation.

3. Any accumulated compensatory time.

C. When all vacation leave, sick leave and compensatory time are exhausted, the officer shall upon application and approval continue on leave of absence without pay.

D. Provided she assumes the full expense, the officer shall not be excluded or disqualified from participating in any group benefit while on leave of absence without pay.

V. RETURN TO DUTY

A. Upon giving birth or termination of pregnancy, the officer shall have the right to return to work once her attending physician approves her return and/or the County Physician determines that she is physically fit to return to either regular or restricted duty.

B. In any event, the officer must return to work no later than 12 months from the date of delivery or other termination of pregnancy.

WAYNE G. CARVALHO
CHIEF OF POLICE

(Amended: 11-16-98)