(a) A leave of absence for more than thirty (30) calendar days in any calendar year may be granted provided the request meets requirements of Section 2121.50 (Leave of Absence Without Pay).
(b) When a leave of absence for more than thirty (30) calendar days is granted, the employee shall not be entitled to be returned to the position from which the leave was granted, but will be placed in an open position in the same class or in a class at the same salary group provided a vacancy exists, except in the case of a leave of absence for the purpose of securing job related educational experience, in which case the employee shall be returned to the Division from which the leave was granted. The exceptions to this provision are as follows: an employee who is on an industrial injury leave and in the City program with the Program Physician will be entitled to return to his/her position when determined to be physically able to return to work in their classification; or an employee who is on a leave pursuant to the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 will be entitled to return as provided therein.
If an employee elects to go on Worker's Compensation pursuant to Section 2121.99(e), (Injury Pay), the City may fill that position after thirty (30) calendar days.
(c) In no case shall a leave of absence be granted for a period of more than one (1) year, except as otherwise provided herein.
(d) An employee on an approved leave of absence for more than thirty (30) calendar days in any calendar year shall not receive hospitalization-surgical-drug prescription benefits during the period of such leave, however, the employee may arrange to prepay through the office of the City Auditor the premiums necessary to continue the employee's hospitalization-surgical- drug prescription benefits in force during the period of time exceeding thirty (30) days the employee is on leave. Life insurance benefits will be maintained during said period. The exceptions to this are a leave pursuant to the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 or an industrial injury leave as provided in this agreement.