PERSONAL TIME OFF

The following personal time off with pay will be provided to full-time professional employees. Regular part-time professional staff employees will receive these leaves on a pro rata basis. This policy does not apply to temporary or substitute staff members unless otherwise noted.

PTO – Professional staff employees whose assignments call for 12 months of full-time employment will receive 12 days of personal time off. Professional staff employees whose assignments call for 11 months of full-time employment will receive 11 days of personal time off. Professional and Classified staff employees whose assignments call for full-time employment only during the regular school term will receive 10 days of personal time off. Unused personal time off will be cumulative to 90 days. Absences will be reported hourly.

Staff members who are ill are encouraged to stay home to promote healing and reduce the risk of infecting others, especially during a pandemic or other significant health event. In the event of a pandemic or other significant health event, schools may be closed to all staff and students or just students. If schools are closed only to students, staff members are expected to work regular schedules or use appropriate leave.

A district employee may not use leave during the period the employee receives Workers’ compensation for time lost to work-related incidents.

Bereavement Leave

A maximum of three (3) days may be used in any school year for bereavement purposes. Use of these days will be charged to personal leave and if insufficient personal leave is available, to sick leave. 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, 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 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 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).

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.