Service Credit  advanced study,  work experience,  teacher exchange programs, or  approved educational travel. 2. You are on disability or sick leave, as allowed by your employer’s sick leave policy. This is true only if you are not already receiving a pension benefit from TRF Hybrid, 3. You are on maternity or paternity leave, 4. You are on adoption leave. Creditable service will be granted in periods of ½ year when you are on a leave of absence. Service credit for pregnancy or adoption leave is limited to 1 year per occurrence. The amount of service granted for a sabbatical, professional improvement leave, or for sick leave is the lesser of:  The length of the leave; or  The length of the period of re-employment following the leave.  (For sick leave, an exception is made to this rule in the event the leave is taken immediately before retirement. In that case, the full amount of sick leave may be added even though you have not returned to employment.) You should consult with your employer about any leave and ask your employer to contact INPRS about how a leave will affect your creditable service and eligibility. A leave of absence does not qualify as a bona fide separation from service. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) You may also receive credit for up to 12 weeks of leave taken during a 12-month period under Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) (29 USC 2601, et seq.). Leave is considered only for vesting and for the purpose of determining eligibility and not for calculating benefits if the FMLA is for some reason other than those listed in the Leave of Absence and the 1/7th Rule. Other Paid Leaves During a paid leave of absence, you and your employer are required to make contributions. Employer contributions are not required if you are in the TRF Pre ‘96 plan. Other Granted Leaves As a member of TRF Hybrid, the following apply: • As stated in IC 20-28-10-1, a school corporation may grant a teacher a leave of absence not to exceed 1 year for the types of leaves outlined in this section. • The school corporation may grant consecutive leaves to a teacher and may grant partial compensation for a leave in the amount the school corporation determines. • The teacher has the right to return to a teaching position for which the teacher is certified or otherwise qualified under the rules of the State board. Work in a Federally Supported Educational Project In each case of a member requesting a leave of absence to work in a federally supported educational project, the Board must determine that the project is educational in nature and serves state citizens who might otherwise be served by the public schools or state educational institutions. The Board will make this determination for a 1-year period, which is later subject to review and reapproval. Teachers' Retirement Fund Hybrid Plan Member Page 18 of 47 Handbook Effective: 07/01/2024