This bill amends the Code of West Virginia to allow educators in both the public school system and higher education to donate leave to employees utilizing maternity leave. It introduces a definition for "maternity leave," specifying it as leave taken by a pregnant woman to care for their child, in accordance with existing law. The bill also outlines the process for transferring leave, ensuring that donor employees can voluntarily contribute their accrued personal leave to a designated receiving employee who may require additional time off due to a catastrophic medical emergency or maternity leave.

Additionally, the bill mandates that county boards and higher education institutions establish leave donation programs, detailing the conditions under which leave can be transferred. It emphasizes that employees cannot be coerced into donating leave and sets forth rules for the administration of the leave donation process, including the verification of the receiving employee's need for leave. The provisions aim to support educators during maternity leave while maintaining the integrity of the leave donation system.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-4-10f, 18B-7-14