Consistent contact with students and coworkers is necessary for an optimal learning environment and an effective working environment. Therefore, consistent attendance is an essential duty of any employee’s position. While some absences are unavoidable, when an employee is routinely tardy, frequently absent or is absent for an extended period of time, the learning environment and district operations are negatively impacted. 

Employees may be disciplined or terminated for excessive absences or tardiness, which includes situations where employees come to work late, leave early or abandon their duties without permission from a supervisor. Unless authorized by the board or the superintendent or otherwise authorized by law, an employee’s absence or tardiness will be considered excessive or unreasonable in any of the following circumstances:

1. The absence is for a reason not granted as paid or protected leave under Board policy or law
2. The absence results in the employee exceeding the amount of leave granted by the Board.
3. The employee fails to appropriately notify the district of an absence as soon as possible after the employee knows he or she will be absent (commonly called No-Call, No-Show).
4. The employee does not provide the district complete and accurate information about the absence, does not respond to request for information, or does not provide documentation related to the absence as requested or required.
5. The employee does not first obtain permission to be absent for the appropriate supervisor when required to do so.
6. The absence is for any reason other than the one given for the absence.
7. The employee has failed to comply with the District’s policies or regulations on short and/or long term leaves, as well as specific building protocols.

Even if the absence or tardiness is authorized by the Board or the superintendent, if the absence or tardiness occurs for a reason not granted as paid leave under Board policy or if it exceed the number of days the employee has been granted under a designated leave, the employee’s salary will be docked. Violation of the policy constitutes misconduct and may result in the loss of unemployment benefits if a claim is filed. 

Employees will not be disciplined to or terminated for absences qualifying for protection under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) or other applicable law.  

Failure to Contact the District

If an employee without an employment contract is absent from work, does not contact his or her supervisor, and does not respond to attempts by the district to contact the employee, the district will assume the employee has resigned his or her employment with the district and will consider the position vacant.

If an employee with an employment contract is absent from work, does not contact his or her supervisor, and does not respond to attempts by the district to contact the employee, the district will send a letter and any other appropriate communication to the employee stating that if the employee does not contact the district, the district will assume that the employee has voluntarily resigned from his or her position with the district or that the District will seek termination of the employee’s position. If the employee still does not contact the district, the district will assume that the employee has resigned and will consider the position vacant or will initiate termination proceedings in accordance with law. 

The district may share with potential employers seeking information about a former employee the fact that the employee failed to contact the district or resign.  

Paid Leave

Contracted and non-contracted twelve-month employees will have (8) days of sick leave per fiscal year and four (4) personal days. All other contracted and non-contracted employees will have six (6) days of sick leave per school year and four (4) personal days. All leave may be used in accordance with Regulation 4320. Unused sick leave may be accumulated up to one hundred eighty (180) days.

Employees who meet Missouri Public School Retirement guidelines and are eligible to receive retirement benefits immediately after retiring from the District will be reimbursed for unused sick leave up to one-hundred (100) days.  Contracted employees would be reimbursed at current substitute teacher pay per day and non-contracted employees would be reimbursed at fifty percent (50%) of current substitute teacher pay per day.

Tenured teachers leaving the district for reasons other than retirement will be reimbursed for unused sick leave up to one-hundred (100) days if written notice is received by the Superintendent on or before April 1. Reimbursement to be equal to one-half current substitute teacher pay per day.

Hallsville R-IV

March 2021