(a) (1) Every classified employee employed five days a week by a school district shall be entitled to 12 days leave of absence for illness or injury and such additional days, in addition thereto, as the governing board may allow for illness or injury, exclusive of all days the classified employee is not required to render service to the school district, with full pay for a fiscal year of service.

(2) A classified employee, employed five days a week, who is employed for less than a full fiscal year is entitled to that proportion of 12 days leave of absence for illness or injury as the number of months the classified employee is employed bears to 12 and the proportionate amount, consistent with this formula, of such additional days, in addition thereto, authorized by the governing board for classified employees employed five days a week for a full fiscal year of service.

(3) A classified employee employed less than five days per week shall be entitled, for a fiscal year of service, to that proportion of 12 days leave of absence for illness or injury as the number of days the classified employee is employed per week bears to five and is entitled to the proportionate amount, consistent with this formula, of such additional days, in addition thereto, authorized by the governing board for classified employees employed five days a week for a full fiscal year of service. When such persons are employed for less than a full fiscal year of service this and the preceding paragraph shall determine that proportion of leave of absence for illness or injury to which they are entitled.

(4) Pay for any day of absence described in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, shall be the same as the pay which would have been received had the employee served during the day. Credit for leave of absence need not be accrued before taking such leave by the employee and such leave of absence may be taken at any time during the year. However, a new employee of a school district shall not be eligible to take more than six days, or the proportionate amount to which the employee may be entitled under this section, until the first day of the calendar month after completion of six months of active service with the district.

(b) If the employee does not take the full amount of leave allowed in any year under this section the amount not taken shall be accumulated from year to year with such additional days as the governing board may allow.

(c) The governing board of each school district shall adopt rules and regulations requiring and prescribing the manner of proof of illness or injury for the purpose of this section. Such rules and regulations shall not discriminate against evidence of treatment and the need therefor by the practice of the religion of any well-recognized religious sect, denomination, or organization.

(d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to a school district or districts, governed by the same governing board, in which the combined average daily attendance of all school districts is in excess of 250,000, provided those school districts maintain sick leave policies not less than those in effect in those school districts on January 1, 1961.

(e) This section shall apply to school districts that have adopted the merit system in the same manner and effect as if it were a part of Article 6 (commencing with Section 45240) of this chapter.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 920, Sec. 9. (SB 913) Effective January 1, 2023.)