(a) During each school year, when a person employed in a position requiring certification qualifications has exhausted all available sick leave, including all accumulated sick leave, and continues to be absent from his or her duties on account of illness or accident for an additional period of five school months, whether or not the absence arises out of or in the course of the employment of the employee, the amount deducted from the salary due him or her for any of the additional five months in which the absence occurs shall not exceed the sum that is actually paid a substitute employee employed to fill his or her position during his or her absence or, if no substitute employee was employed, the amount that would have been paid to the substitute had he or she been employed. The school district shall make every reasonable effort to secure the services of a substitute employee.

(b) For purposes of subdivision (a):

(1) The sick leave, including accumulated sick leave, and the five-month period shall run consecutively.

(2) An employee shall not be provided more than one five-month period per illness or accident. However, if a school year terminates before the five-month period is exhausted, the employee may take the balance of the five-month period in a subsequent school year.

(c) The governing board of every school district shall adopt a salary schedule for substitute employees. The salary schedule shall indicate a salary for a substitute for all categories or classes of certificated employees of the district.

(d) Excepting in a district the governing board of which has adopted a salary schedule for substitute employees of the district, the amount paid the substitute employee during any month shall be less than the salary due the employee absent from his or her duties.

(e) When a person employed in a position requiring certification qualifications is absent from his or her duties on account of illness for a period of more than five school months, or when a person is absent from his or her duties for a cause other than illness, the amount deducted from the salary due him or her for the month in which the absence occurs shall be determined according to the rules and regulations established by the governing board of the district. The rules and regulations shall not conflict with rules and regulations of the State Board of Education.

(f) Nothing in this section shall be construed so as to deprive any district, city, or city and county of the right to make any reasonable rule for the regulation of accident or sick leave or cumulative accident or sick leave without loss of salary for persons acquiring certification qualifications.

(g) This section shall be applicable whether or not the absence from duty is by reason of a leave of absence granted by the governing board of the employing district.

(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 30, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1999.)