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R 4320 Personnel Leave

Paid Time Off (PTO)

The Board of Education grants annual leave days based on employees full or part time status. (Policy 4310)  These days may be used for sick, personal, or for personal business that cannot be transacted in non-work hours. 

PTO leave may be used for illness of the staff member or the staff member's immediate family. Immediate family is defined as spouse, parent, grandparent, child, sibling, daughter or son-in-law, grandchild, or non-family residing within the staff member's home. The Superintendent/designee may request a physician's statement regarding an absence and/or verification that the employee may return to work.

PTO leave cannot be used for work stoppages or financial gain.  Employees desiring to use leave days for extended, non-medical/illness absences must provide a written request to the superintendent at least one week in advance or at the earliest opportunity.  The superintendent/principal has the right to deny any request for leave that does not conform to the policy or would cause a hardship to students or staff.

Leave days in excess of 3 consecutive work days or extending a scheduled school vacation must be approved, in advance, by the superintendent.  Employees desiring leave days for extended, non-medical absences in excess of 3 consecutive work days, must provide a written request to the superintendent/principal at least one week in advance or at the earliest opportunity.  In the event an employee is granted personal leave in excess of 3 consecutive work days, the employees will forfeit pay at the rate of the employee’s daily pay rate for each day beyond the limit of 3 consecutive work days.  This deduction will be taken from the employee’s next paycheck.  Annual leave days will not be deducted for the days in which the employee pays a penalty.  Leave days may be taken in conjunction with bereavement leave.  If leave is medical related and documentation is provided from a medical professional stating the employee may not return to work beyond the 3 days, staff members may use more than 3 consecutive days without forfeiting pay.

Bereavement Leave

Up to 5 days paid leave will be granted if a death occurs in the immediate family of the employee or employee’s spouse and will not be charged against the employee’s paid leave time within a school year. At the exhaustion of five days of bereavement leave, the employee may use accrued leave (PTO time or vacation).   Bereavement leave is available only upon the death of a member of the employee's immediate family, as that term is defined in the sick leave regulation. Bereavement leave is not accumulative.

Leave for Jury Duty

Employees called for jury duty, for participation in the jury selection process, or subpoenaed to testify in a civil or criminal proceeding will be granted leave with pay. Employees will receive their normal pay less any jury or witness fees received. Employees called for jury selection or service on a jury will not be requested or required to use annual vacation, PTO for time required in such civic service.

Military Leave

An employee who is a member of the National Guard, or an organized military service of the United States, and who is required by laws of the United States or the State of Missouri to report for military duty, including training, shall be eligible for a grant of military leave.

Application for military leave shall be made in advance, as soon as practicable after the employee becomes aware of his/her obligation to report and immediately upon the employee's receipt of official notice to report. A copy of the official orders must be added to the leave application. The Superintendent/designee must approve the application. Emergency mobilization orders shall be dealt with on an individual basis.

The District recognizes that employees who receive notice to report for duty typically are not provided with discretion as to when to report. However, whenever an employee has a choice as to when to report for military duty, the employee's military leave shall be arranged during periods in which school is not in session. When the employee is given a choice as to when to report for duty, the Superintendent/designee may request that the employee seek a change in military orders if such a change appears to be in the best interest of the District.

Employees shall receive leave with pay for the first fifteen (15) calendar days of military leave in each federal fiscal year. Additional military leave shall be without pay, except as required by federal and state law.

Each employee shall furnish a copy of the employee's military payroll voucher to the Superintendent/designee within thirty (30) days of the employee's return to regular assignment so that the necessary salary adjustments can be made.

Employee eligibility for reinstatement after military duty is completed shall be determined in accordance with federal and state laws.

Leave of Absence

Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent/designee and the approval of the Board, an employee of the District may be granted a leave of absence for non-Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) child care, education, or other good cause. Such leave is renewable upon written request for one additional year only. Application for leave is to be made in writing to the Superintendent/designee via Principal/supervisor and must include the period for which the leave is requested and the reasons for the request. The period should be set to least disrupt the education of students. Requests for leave for an entire school year should normally be made in writing before March 1 of the preceding year.

If leave is approved by the Board, the employee is not paid for the period of the leave. Insurance benefits may be continued by the employee by making all payments to the Payroll Office, one month in advance.

Whenever a leave of absence has been granted by the Board to the end of the school year, the employee must notify the Superintendent in writing by the first day of March of an intention to resume his/her position at the beginning of the next school year. Failure to notify the Superintendent/designee of such intention will be regarded as a resignation.

Upon completion of an approved leave, provided proper notification is given, a teacher will be re-employed by the District unless placed on involuntary leave of absence if tenured; or, if notified of nonrenewal of contract by April 15 if a probationary teacher.

If desired, and whenever feasible, the employee will be placed on the same or equivalent position to the one held prior to the approved leave.

NOTE: Leave of absence without pay under the provisions of this regulation does not apply as service towards tenure for probationary teachers.

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Board Approved Date: September 21, 2021
Last Updated: October 2016