Glenbard Township High School District 87
Policy 5:250
Personnel
Leaves of Absence
Any Glenbard High School District #87 employee covered by a negotiated labor contract will be subject to the labor contract and not Policy 5:250 as it relates to their leave categories.
Sick and Bereavement Leave
Each full-time staff member is granted 15 days sick leave each school year at full pay. Unused days are allowed to accumulate to 180 days.
Sick leave is defined in State Law as personal illness, quarantine at home, or serious illness or death in the immediate family or household, or birth, adoption, or placement for adoption.
As a condition for paying sick leave after 5 days absence for personal illness or 30 days for birth or as the Board or Superintendent deem necessary in other cases, the Board or Superintendent may require that the staff member provide a certificate from; (1) a physician licensed in Illinois to practice medicine in all of its branches, (2) a chiropractic physician licensed under the Medical Practice Act, (3) an advanced practice nurse who has a written collaborative agreement with a collaborating physician that authorizes the advanced practice nurse to perform health examinations, (4) a physician assistant who has been delegated authority by his/her supervising physician to perform health examinations, or, (5) if the treatment is by prayer or spiritual means, a spiritual adviser or practitioner of the staff member's faith. The
Board shall pay the expenses incurred by such staff member in obtaining such certificate, if it requires a certificate during a leave of less than 3 days.
The use of paid sick leave for adoption or placement for adoption is limited to 30 days unless a longer leave is provided in an applicable collective bargaining agreement. The Superintendent may require that the employee provide evidence that the formal adoption process is underway.
Sabbatical Leave
Sabbatical leave may be granted in accordance with The School Code.
Personal Leave
Staff members are granted two personal leave days per year. A personal leave day is defined as a day to allow personal time to conduct personal business (but not vacation, travel, or work stoppage), which is impossible to schedule at a time other than during a school day. Any unused personal leave day in a school year will be credited to the cumulative sick leave.
The use of a personal day is subject to the following conditions:
1. Except in cases of emergency or unavoidable situations, personal leave requests should be
submitted to the Building Principal 3 days in advance of the requested date.
2. No personal leave days may be used immediately before or immediately after a holiday unless
the Superintendent grants prior approval.
3. Personal leave may not be used in increments of less than one-half day.
4. Personal leave days may not be used during the first and/or last 5 days of the school year.
5. Personal leave days may not be used on in-service and/or institute training days.
Leave of Absence Without Pay
The School Board may grant a leave of absence without pay to staff members who have rendered satisfactory service and desire to return to employment in a similar capacity at a time mutually consistent with the District's needs as determined by the School Board.
Each leave of absence shall be of the shortest possible duration required to meet the leave's purpose consistent with a reasonable continuity of instruction for students.
Child-Rearing Leave
The School Board shall grant a staff member's request for a non-paid, child-rearing leave, not to exceed the balance of the school year plus one additional school year (but in no event shall such leave exceed 3 semesters), provided the request complies with this policy. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a staff member from using sick days as provided in this policy.
A staff member must request a child-rearing leave by notifying the Superintendent in writing no later than 90 days before the requested leave's beginning date. The request should include the proposed leave dates. The leave shall end before a new school year begins or before the first day of school after winter recess.
Subject to the insurance carrier's approval, the staff member may maintain insurance benefits at his or her own expense during a child-rearing leave.
A staff member desiring to return before the leave's expiration will be assigned to an available vacancy for which the staff member is qualified, subject to scheduling efficiency and instruction continuity.
Leaves for Service in the Military and General Assembly
Leaves for service in the military, National Guard, and General Assembly, as well as any re-employment rights, shall be granted in accordance with State and federal law. A staff member hired to replace one in military service or in the General Assembly does not acquire tenure.
School Visitation Leave
An eligible staff member is entitled to 8 hours during any school year, no more than 4 hours of which may be taken on any given day, to attend school conferences or classroom activities related to the staff member’s child, if the conference or activity cannot be scheduled during non-work hours. Staff members must first use all accrued vacation leave, personal leave, compensatory leave, and any other leave that may be granted to the staff member, except sick and disability leave.
Leaves for Domestic Violence
Any staff member may take unpaid leave from work who: (1) is a victim of domestic or sexual violence, or (2) has a family, or household member who is a victim of domestic or sexual violence whose interests are not adverse to the employee as it relates to the domestic or sexual violence. The unpaid leave allows the employee to seek medical help, legal assistance, counseling, safety planning, and other assistance without suffering adverse employment action.
The Victim’s Economic Security and Safety Act governs the purpose, requirements, scheduling, and continuity of benefits, and all other terms of the leave. Accordingly, an employee is entitled to a total of 12 work weeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period. Neither the law nor this policy creates a right for an employee to take unpaid leave that exceeds the unpaid leave allowed under, or is in addition to the unpaid leave time permitted by, the federal Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. § 2601, et. seq)
LEGAL REF.: 20 ILCS 1805/30.1 et seq. 105 ILCS 5/24-6, 5/24-6.1, 5/24-6.2, 5/24-6.3, 5/24-13, and
5/24-13.1. 820 ILCS 147/1 et seq. 820 ILCS 147/15. Victims’ Economic Security and
Safety Act, P.A. 93-591
CROSS REF.: 5:180 (Temporary Illness or Temporary Incapacity); 5:185 (Family and Medical
Leave); 5:330 (Sick Days, Vacation, Holidays, and Leaves)
ADOPTED: December 8, 1997
REVIEWED: January 14, 2008
REVISED: February 11, 2008
REVIEWED: January 11, 2010
REVISED: February 22, 2010
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