CERTIFICATED STAFF LEAVES AND ABSENCES
CERTIFICATED STAFF LEAVES AND ABSENCES
The Governing Board will provide a plan for considering leaves and
absences for its staff members in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code
and Governing Board policies. A leave of absence is a period of extended
absence from duty by a staff member, for which written request has been
made and formal approval has been granted by the Governing Board.
Compensation, if any, during leaves of absence will depend upon the type
of leave. Deductions will be made in salaries for absence in accordance
with regulations developed by the administration and approved by the
Governing Board.
When group insurance policy permits, an employee may continue to
participate in Governing Board-approved insurance programs, provided
that the employee pays the entire premium for these benefits.
A staff member will terminate his/her affiliation with the Governing
Board if, at the expiration of the specified period of leave, he/she
declines the position that is offered to him/her. An employee will be
granted the same contract status held on the date on which his/her leave
began when he/she returns to duty if his/her contract has not expired
during the period of the leave of absence.
[Adoption date: June 21, 2001]
LEGAL REFS: ORC 124.39
3313.20; 3313.211
3319.08; 3319.09; 3319.13; 3319.131; 3319.14; 3319.143
CROSS REF.: GBR, Family Medical Leave
File: GCBD-R
CERTIFICATED STAFF LEAVES AND ABSENCES
Sick Leave
The Governing Board recognizes its statutory duty to pay employees of
this district in full for days on which they are absent from work for
reasons of personal disability or pregnancy, and illness, injury or
death in the employee's immediate family.
All employees of the Educational Service Center eligible for sick leave
shall receive 15 such sick leave days annually at the rate of one and
one-quarter a month. Unused sick leave shall be cumulative up to 235
days. Regular part-time employees shall be entitled to sick leave in
proportion to the time actually worked.
The Governing Board shall accept by transfer the accumulated sick leave
up to 235 days that any new employee has acquired in another position of
public service in Ohio, provided that the last termination of such
service shall have been within the last 10 years.
New employees shall be credited with five days sick leave in advance
that shall be part of the fifteen days that can be accumulated for the
year.
Use of Sick Leave
Sick leave may be used for the following purposes and must have the
approval of the Superintendent and/or his/her designee:
1. For absence of the employee due to personal illness, injury,
pregnancy, or exposure to a contagious disease that could be
communicated to other employees or to students.
2. For absence of the employee due to illness or injury of someone in
the employee's immediate family. In this section the immediate family is
defined is the employee's spouse, parents, brother, sister, son or
daughter or other blood relative if permanently residing in the
employee's residence.
3. For absence due to death in the immediate family of an employee. In
this section the immediate family of an employee is defined as the
spouse, father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, grandmother,
grandfather, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, or
sister-in-law and any other relative of the employee as approved by the
Superintendent. Three days may be granted. The Superintendent may grant
additional days as determined by the family relationship and the
circumstances surrounding the death.
Verification of Sick Leave
An employee requesting use of sick leave shall complete an application
for leave form.
The Governing Board shall consider the filing, by an employee, of any
willfully false statement concerning the cause of duration of an absence
as grounds for suspension or dismissal.
Eligibility for Sick Leave
No day of absence shall be considered to be a sick leave day on which
the employee has engaged in or prepared for other gainful employment,
has participated in a concerted work stoppage, or has engaged in any
activity which would raise doubts regarding the validity of the sick
leave request.
Records of Sick Leave
The personnel records of the Center shall show the attendance of each
employee, and such days as that employee may be absent shall be recorded
with the reason for such absence noted. A record shall be made of the
unused sick leave days accumulated by each employee.
Retirement
Upon retirement an employee may be compensated a portion of his/her
unused sick leave in accordance with Governing Board policy on severance
pay.
The Governing Board shall provide for leaves of absence, in accordance
with law and the policies of this Governing Board, for all employees
whose absence from duties will be required for a foreseeable event of
disability such as childbirth or surgery. Such provisions shall be
governed by consideration for the health of employees, the need for
continuity in classroom instruction and school operations, and the
maintenance of a qualified staff.
The Governing Board reserves the right to specify the point at which
such leave shall commence, the length of time for which leave shall
continue after the disabling event and the conditions of pay during such
leave. The Governing Board shall require disclosure of anticipated
disability and the continuing certification of an employee's fitness to
perform duties thereafter.
Maternity Leave
1. The total amount of sick leave to be used for pregnancy shall be as
follows:
A. Sick leave shall begin when the employee presents, to the
Superintendent, a statement from a physician declaring the need for the
leave.
B. Sick leave shall cease when the employee presents, to the
Superintendent, a statement from a physician declaring the employee to
be ready to resume work.
2. Child Care - Extended Leave
A. If request is made in writing 30 days prior to childbirth, employees
will be granted a leave of absence without pay due to pregnancy
The leave of absence will not extend beyond the current school year in
which it is given and in which childbirth takes place
A pregnancy-child care leave request shall not extend a limited contract
beyond its current time.
B. If complications arise and an extension of leave of absence is
requested through a doctor's statement, it will be reviewed by the
Governing Board.
C. If child care extended leave is used, it is the employee's
responsibility to convert his/her hospitalization coverage to a direct
payment plan that shall be carried at his/her cost.
3. Adoption Leave
A. If the request is made in writing (preferably 30 days) prior to the
adoption, employees will be granted a leave of absence without pay.
The leave of absence will not extend beyond the current school year in
which it is given and in which the adoption takes place.
An adoption leave request shall not extend a limited contract beyond its
current time.
B. If adoption leave is used, it is the employee's responsibility to
convert his/her hospitalization coverage to a direct payment plan that
shall be carried at his/her cost.
Personal Leave
The Governing Board shall, pursuant to the provisions of this rule,
provide for an employee's absence for personal necessity.
The Governing Board reserves the right to specify within the limits of
law, the manner of proof of personal necessity, the type of situations
in which such leave will be permitted and the total number of days which
may be used in any school year for personal leave.
Up to three full days of personal leave with pay may be used if approved
by the Superintendent or his/her designee each contract year by
full-time employees.
Up to two of the personal days may be unrestricted as to the reason for
usage. However, all other provisions of this policy, as listed and found
below, apply to the use of unrestricted days. In addition, unrestricted
days shall not be granted during the first or last two weeks of school.
Restricted personal days may be used for personal obligations that are
necessary and compelling which involve family events, business
transactions or legal actions that cannot be scheduled after work hours,
subject to the following conditions:
1. Request shall be in writing on a prescribed form that will state
reason;
2. Request shall be presented to the Superintendent at least three
school days in advance; except in the event of an emergency;
3. Day(s) shall not be used preceding or following legal holidays or
scheduled breaks unless expressly authorized by the Superintendent;
4. Day(s) shall not be used in an unprofessional manner so as to project
a poor image of the employee to the schools or communities;
5. Number of persons granted personal leave for any one day will be
limited to the demands of the Educational Service Center as determined
by the Superintendent;
6. Scheduled daily assignments shall be adjusted by the employee and
confirmed by the Superintendent in advance of the day requested.
Un-requested Leaves Of Absence
The Governing Board reserves the right to place an employee on
un-requested leave of absence for physical or mental disability to
perform assigned duties.
In the case of an employee who, in the opinion of the Superintendent, is
unfit to perform his/her duties by reason of physical or mental
condition, the employee will be offered the opportunity for a hearing
which shall be conducted in accordance with law governing termination
hearings.
If an employee fails to overcome the Superintendent's recommendation or
fails to request an appearance before the Governing Board within the
time allowed, the Governing Board shall order the employee to submit to
an appropriate examination by a physician or institution of the
employee's choice and at the employee's expense, provided such physician
or institution has been approved by the Governing Board.
If, as a result of such examination, the employee is found to be unfit
to perform assigned duties, the employee shall be placed on leave of
absence until proof of recovery, satisfactory to the Governing Board, is
furnished.
Should an employee refuse to submit to the examination requested by the
Governing Board and the employee has exercised his/her rights under the
provisions hereinabove set forth, such refusal shall subject the
employee to disciplinary action which action may include the institution
of procedures for a termination of contract.
Jury Duty
State law does not exempt teaching staff members.
Should an employee be called for jury duty he/she shall report same to
the Superintendent. Employees called for jury duty shall be permitted to
serve and will not be penalized in any way for doing so. They will
receive full pay if they endorse the check received from the court or
pay the amount shown on their record slip less travel allowance.
Employees must submit to the Superintendent a record from the county of
the number of days served.
Military Service
The Governing Board recognizes that military service rendered by an
employee in the defense of our country or in maintaining preparedness,
is a service benefiting all citizens.
Any newly employed employee placed on the salary guide shall be credited
with one year of service for each year of military service to a maximum
of five.
The Governing Board reserves the right to specify certain conditions for
the granting of military leave or training leaves of absence.
Requests for military leave shall be made to the Superintendent at least
two weeks in advance of impending military service.
For purpose of seniority and placement on the salary guide, years of
absence in the armed service of the United States or the auxiliaries
thereof shall be counted as though teaching services had been performed
during that time.
Each employee must notify the Governing Board of his/her intention to
resume employment no less than 30 days before the beginning of the
semester, and shall present to the Governing Board evidence of an
honorable discharge or a discharge under honorable conditions.
Request for military leave of absence shall be made to the
Superintendent at least 2 weeks in advance of absence. Request may be
made by those employees who are members of the Ohio Defense Corp., Ohio
National Guard, Ohio Naval Militia, U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. Naval
Reserve, U.S. Air Force Reserve, U.S. Marine Corp. Reserve, or other
organizations affiliated with the reserves or on an order by the
Governor of Ohio. Any employee on such leave for no more than 31 days
per year shall receive full compensation during the period of leave and
shall accrue seniority status during the period of his/her leave.
Employees shall make every effort to schedule their period of training
when school is not in session.
If the period of training occurs during a school session, the employee
shall provide the Superintendent with the name of his/her supervisor in
the reserves or the militia so that arrangements may be discussed to
alter such service date.
(Approval date: June 21, 2001)
[Revised: June 15, 2006]
|
