Paid Sick Leave

Certificated staff whose assignments call for full-time employment will be entitled to ten (10) days of sick leave. Unused sick leave will be cumulative to ninety (90) sick leave days. Unpaid leave shall not be considered sick leave for any purpose.

Absences may be charged against sick leave for the following reasons:

1. Illness, temporary disability or permanent disability of employee. The Board reserves the right to require a physician's certification attesting to the illness or disability of the claimant and/or inclusive dates of the employee's incapacitation if the absence is for more than ten (10) consecutive days. FMLA health certification procedures apply to FMLA-qualifying absences, even if such absences are paid sick leave.
2. Illness, injury or death of a member of the immediate family.*
3. Illness, injury or death of other relatives or close friends, with permission granted by the Superintendent.

A District employee shall not be entitled to use sick days during the period the employee receives Workers' Compensation for time lost to work-related accidents.

Any certificated employee who is a member of the Public School Retirement System shall remain a member during any period of leave under sick leave provisions of the District or under Workers' Compensation. The employee shall also receive creditable service credit for such leave time, if the employee makes contributions to the system equal to the amount of contributions which he/she would have made had he/she been on active service status.

All full-time certificated personnel who terminate their employment, effective at the end of the year, or upon death of the employee, will be reimbursed at the rate of $40 per day for any unused sick leave days.  To qualify for these benefits, certificated personnel must have been employed by the district for at least five (5) consecutive years immediately preceding the date of termination of their employment. Benefits for part-time certified staff will be based on the same proportion of the day worked at the time of termination (i.e., a two-hour per day employee would receive 25% of the qualifying benefit).  This reimbursement will be paid as a separate payment at the time of the employee's final check of the school year.  

Any certified employee who accumulates more than the maximum number of sick leave days allowed (90) shall be reimbursed at the rate of $20 per day for each day exceeding the maximum.  This reimbursement will be made on a separate payroll cycle in August.  

Personal Leave

Two (2) days of paid personal leave per school year will be allowed for certificated employees who are eligible for paid sick leave. Personal leave days that are unused at the end of each school year will convert to accumulated sick leave.

Absences may be charged against personal leave for the following reasons:

1. Tax investigation
2. Court subpoena
3. Wedding or graduation of a member of the immediate family.*
4. Observance of a religious holiday which is normally observed by persons of the employee's faith. Additional unpaid leave shall be granted for this purpose if reasonably necessary.
5. Conduct of business of such a nature that it cannot be performed on a Saturday, Sunday or before or after school hours.

Leave will not be granted for an employee due to adverse weather conditions.

The use of personal days during the following times is discouraged and will only be granted at the discretion of the building administrator:

1. During the month of August, May and June;
2. On days immediately preceding or following a school holiday; and
3. On "in-service" days scheduled for non-certificated personnel of the district.

Except in cases of emergency, it is expected that requests for leave will be made in writing to the designated administrator at least 48 hours in advance of the time leave is requested. The administrator will respond promptly to the employee's written request. Approval of a personal day shall be subject to the availability of a substitute.

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. Employees called for jury selection or service on a jury will not be requested or required to use annual vacation, personal leave, or sick leave 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 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 up to one hundred twenty (120) hours of military leave in each federal fiscal year.  Additional military leave shall be without pay, except as required by federal and state law. Any person entitled to military leave shall only be charged military leave for any hours which the person would otherwise have been required to work had it not been for such military leave at a minimum of one hour and additional charges will be in multiples of one hour.

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.

Domestic/Sexual Violence Victim Leave (See Policy and Regulation 4322).

Professional Leave

Teachers may be granted professional leave upon the approval of the Superintendent/designee. Professional leave must be arranged well in advance and is not considered personal leave.

* 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.