Policy No. 5445 Voluntary Sick Leave Bank - Classified

 Voluntary Sick Leave Bank - Classified

1. Method for Establishing the Sick Leave Bank ("Bank"):
   1. The Board and the Association will cooperate in establishing and maintaining a Sick Leave Bank.
   2. For the purpose of the Bank, a year will be defined as starting on the date of the employee's first application to the bank.
   3. Membership in the Bank is automatic. An employee wishing to opt out must give written notification by September 10th of the contract year to the Payroll Department. An employee will not be eligible to apply to the Sick Leave Bank if they choose not to contribute.
   4. One [1] day of sick leave will be deducted from each participating contract classified employee when the balance of the Bank has dropped below the required amount of 250 days or equivalent hours. New members may be added at any time and one [1] sick leave day will be donated by them upon enrollment.
   5. An additional day will be deducted from each participating employee when the balance in the Bank reaches 250 days or equivalent hours, or less.
   6. An employee wishing to opt out from participation in the Bank must give written notification by September 10th of the contract year. An employee withdrawing from membership in the Bank will not be able to withdraw any sick days which such employee has previously contributed.
2. Committee to Review and Approve Requests:
   1. The Sick Leave Bank Committee ("Committee"), as set forth below, is to review and approve all requests. Written requests, accompanied by a letter from the attending physician certifying that the employee is unable to fulfill his/her employment obligation and explaining medical reasons thereof, must be submitted before the first of the month to the Committee. These requests will be reviewed at the monthly Executive Board Meetings.
   2. Members of the administration may express opinions and make suggestions; however, only representatives of the Association may vote on approvals.

   Sick Leave Bank Committee	Administration (No Vote)
   The Committee consists of the President, President Elect, and a representative from each of the following areas: (1) Child Nutrition; (2) Custodial; (3) Transportation; (4) Secretarial; (5) Maintenance; and (6) Paraprofessional/Aid	Business Administrator, Director of Human Resources, and the Supervisor (of employee requesting leave).

   1. A classified employee applying for sick leave bank days must have used at least 25 consecutive leave days (with any combination of personal illness, vacation, unrestricted, or leave without pay) prior to their request.
   2. Should an employee find that they can return to work temporarily on an intermittent or limited basis only, they may request additional sick leave days if:
      1. They have been released by their attending physician to return to work on a restricted, part-time, basis and provide appropriate documentation of such, and
      2. Their return has been approved by Human Resources and scheduled with their supervisor.
   3. Employees will be allowed to borrow a maximum of seventy-five (75) days from the bank per year. A re-evaluation may be required after the initial twenty-five (25) days and employees may be asked to provide documentation of a disability from their attending physician.
   4. The Committee will be able to study the sick leave usage of employees who request days from the Bank. If there is substantial evidence that the employee has abused his/her sick leave, the Committee may deny the request for days from the Bank.
   5. An employee who withdraws sick leave days from the Bank will not be required to replace such days except as a regular contributing member to the Bank.

C.Sick leave days can only be withdrawn from the Bank for an employee's "Personal Illness or Injury". This illness or injury of a major proportion resulting in disability or absence from work for an extended period of time.

D.A quorum of five (5) members shall be present in order for the Committee to conduct Bank business.

E. The Committee will have the authority to consider special or exceptional circumstances, as such requests may be received, and to approve for allocation from the Bank such hours as are determined to be fair and appropriate for said requests.

F. Employees who received days from the Bank and then immediately terminate their employment with the District either by resignation, termination, or receiving long-term benefits, will reimburse the bank for the days provided to the extent their remaining accumulated personal illness and personal leave days permit.

G. Should an employee's employment status change, for any reason, from benefited to unbenefited, any unused Bank days would be forfeited.

POlicies Page