VACATION - HOLIDAYS - PERSONAL LEAVE
The Board shall determine the amount of vacation, holidays, and personal leave that will be allowed on an annual basis for licensed staff.
Vacation for full-time regular licensed staff members who work 260 days a year, unless the staff member’s individual contract indicates otherwise, shall be 20 days.
The vacation may be taken during the school year provided the vacation will not disrupt the operation of the District. The staff member must submit a vacation request to the Superintendent, who shall determine whether the request will disrupt the operation of the District. In the case of the Superintendent's request, the Board shall make the determination.
Full-time regular licensed staff member’s who work 260 days a year will be allowed a maximum of 3 days of personal leave to accomplish personal business that cannot be conducted outside the work day. It shall be within the discretion of the Superintendent to grant personal leave. Application for personal leave must be made at least seven school days prior to the requested leave date.
Regular full-time licensed staff members who work 260 days a year will be allowed 6 holidays per year. It shall be within the discretion of the Board to set the holidays annually.
Licensed staff members who work during the school academic year, whether full-time or part-time, shall have time off in concert with the school calendar. In addition, such staff members may have 3 personal leave days to accomplish personal business that cannot be conducted outside the work day. It shall be within the discretion of the Superintendent to grant personal leave.
It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent to make a recommendation to the Board annually on vacations, holidays, and personal leave for licensed staff members.
SICK LEAVE
Licensed staff members shall be granted 10 days of sick leave in their first year of employment. Each year thereafter, one additional day of sick leave will be granted to licensed staff members up to a maximum of 20 days. "Day" is defined as one work day regardless of full-time or part-time status of the staff member. A new staff member shall report for work at least one full work day prior to receiving sick leave benefits. A returning staff member will be granted the appropriate number of days at the beginning of each fiscal year.
Sick leave may be accumulated up to a maximum of 105 days for licensed employees.
Should the sick leave occur after or extend beyond the sick leave accumulated allowance, the staff member may apply for disability benefits under the group insurance plan. If the staff member does not qualify for disability benefits, the staff member may request a leave of absence without pay.
Evidence may be required regarding the mental or physical health of the employee when the administration has a concern about the staff member’s health. Evidence may also be required to confirm the staff member’s illness, the need for the illness leave, the staff member’s ability to return to work, and the staff member’s capability to perform the duties of the staff member’s position. It shall be within the discretion of the Board or the Superintendent to determine the type and amount of evidence necessary. When a sick leave will be greater than three consecutive days, the staff member shall comply with the board policy regarding family and medical leave.
POLITICAL LEAVE
The Board will provide a leave of absence to licensed staff members to run for elective public office. The Superintendent shall grant a licensed staff member a leave of absence to campaign as a candidate for an elective public office as unpaid leave.
The licensed staff member will be entitled to one period of leave to run for the elective public office, and the leave may commence within 30 days of a contested primary, special, or general election and continue until the day following the election.
The request for leave must be in writing to the Superintendent at least 30 days prior to the starting date of the requested leave.
JURY DUTY LEAVE
The Board will allow licensed staff members to be excused for jury duty unless extraordinary circumstances exist. The Superintendent has the discretion to determine when extraordinary circumstances exist.
Staff members who are called for jury service shall notify their direct supervisor within 24 hours after notice of call to jury duty and suitable proof of jury service pay must be presented to the District. The staff member will report to work within one hour on any day when the staff member is excused from jury duty during regular working hours.
Licensed staff members will receive their regular salary. Any payment for jury duty shall be paid to the District.
MILITARY SERVICE LEAVE
The Board recognizes licensed staff members may be called to participate in the armed forces, including the National-Guard. If a licensed staff member is called to serve in the armed forces, the staff member shall have a leave of absence for military service until the military service is completed.
The leave shall be without loss of status or efficiency rating and without loss of pay during the first 30 calendar days of the leave.
UNPAID LEAVE
Unpaid leave may be used to excuse an involuntary absence not provided for in other leave Board policies. Unpaid leave for licensed staff members must be authorized by the Superintendent.
The Superintendent shall have complete discretion to grant or deny the requested unpaid leave. In making this determination, the Superintendent shall consider the effect of the staff member’s absence on the education program and District operations, length of service, previous record of absence, the District’s financial condition, the reason for the requested absence, and other factors the Superintendent believes are relevant to making this determination.
If unpaid leave is granted, the duration of the leave period shall be coordinated with the scheduling of the education program, whenever possible, to minimize the disruption of the education program and District operations.
Whenever possible, licensed staff members shall make a written request for unpaid leave 14 days prior to the beginning date of the requested leave. If the leave is granted, the deductions in salary shall be made unless they are waived specifically by the Superintendent.
It is the desire and hope that all vacations for licensed staff members must be taken during non-contract time. Research shows that best teaching takes place when students have qualified/consistent instruction. Licensed staff must use designated school vacations and non-contract days for special family events and vacation.
The District understands not all such times can be handled under one blanket policy. If deviations from the above are necessary, the following guidelines will be used by the Board in making its decision.
- Consideration of such leave would only be once every five years after the staff member’s first three years of District service.
SICK LEAVE BANK
To be used by eligible teachers in the event of a catastrophic illness, accident, or serious family illness as defined in Article VIII in the Agreement.
Establishment – A Sick Leave Bank will be established for the use of teachers who elect to participate. Use of Sick Leave Bank days will commence on the day of sickness, injury, or serious family illness as defined in Article VIII in the Agreement of the eligible teacher and continue until he/she is eligible for employment. The Sick Leave Bank year will be the contract year.
Participation – Participation in the Sick Leave Bank will be on a voluntary basis. Each participating individual teacher’s contribution will be made in the form of a one-time contribution of one (1) day of sick leave from his/her current year’s allocation. The days contributed to the Bank becomes the property of the Bank and will not be returned to the teacher, except under Paragraph 5 below.
Enrollment – Enrollment will take place during the opening workshop but in no case later than September 10 and will entitle the enrolling teacher to membership until revoked in writing by the teacher. Enrollment shall consist of signing the Leave Bank Enrollment Form in Appendix Schedule C and forwarding them to the Superintendent’s Office. The Enrollment Form indicates the year of coverage and authorizes the transfer of one day of sick leave to the Bank.
Unused Days in Sick Leave Bank – Assets of the Bank will accumulate. The following year’s Bank will consist of days carried over from the previous year. By September 30 of each year, the Board will provide the Association with verification of the Bank’s total number of days for the current year as well as the previous year’s usage of Bank days.
Use of Sick Bank Leave Days – An eligible teacher must request in writing to the Superintendent that he/she wishes to withdraw days from the Bank to a maximum of 20 days in a contract year. An eligible teacher is one who has elected to participate in the Sick Leave Bank in a timely manner and who has exhausted his/her personal sick leave (in the event of the teacher’s illness or accident) without being eligible for long term disability (under Article V: Insurance in the Handbook), worker’s compensation (under Article V: Insurance in the Handbook), and/or social security disability. In the event of serious family illness, the eligible teacher must have exhausted all personal leave options.
Payback of Leave Days Used – Sick leave days will no longer be paid back as the Bank has accumulated a sufficient number of days to cover needs. If the Bank falls below a future agreed upon minimum number of days, then teachers will be required to donate an additional day.
Sick Leave Bank Committee - A committee consisting of one WCEA member from each building and the Superintendent will be responsible for administration of the Sick Leave Bank.