Full-time staff members will be allowed sick leave for temporary disabilities as follows:
- First year of employment, 10 days
- Second year of employment, 11 days
- Third year of employment, 12 days
- Fourth year of employment, 13 days
- Fifth year of employment, 14 days
- Sixth and subsequent years, 15 days
Over and above first through sixth year, at board discretion, up to 20 days.
Beyond the fifth year of employment 15 days are granted cumulative to one hundred five (105) days. The above amounts apply only to consecutive years of employment in the Forest City Community School District. For all new hires after July 1, 2013 the granted cumulative leave will be ninety (90) days.
Sick leave benefits are restricted to accumulated sick leave days earned by the individual staff member. Should the personal illness occur after or extend beyond the accumulated sick leave allowance the employee will be allowed a leave of absence without pay for the time period the employee is disabled (see Policy 404.6).
The employee shall notify the superintendent or his designee as soon as the necessity for taking sick leave becomes known to the employee. The employee may continue to work as long as he/she is physically able.
The employee, while taking sick leave under these provisions, shall keep the superintendent, or his designee, informed of the duration of the disability and the expected date of return to duty. When deemed necessary the Board of Education may require a staff member to submit a statement from an attending physician as to the temporary disability. The employee should return to work as soon as a physician determines the individual is capable of performing the work. A signed release from your doctor listing any restrictions may be required by your supervisor before you may return to work after an extended sick leave.
The employee who is unable to work because of personal illness or temporary disability and who has exhausted all sick leave available shall be granted a leave of absence without pay for the duration of such illness or temporary disability through the end of the school year. Insurance coverage shall be continued at the negotiated rate until the insurance policy anniversary date for employees who have exhausted all sick leave and have been placed on leave without pay.
MATERNITY LEAVE
For the individual employee who has a pregnancy condition the individual employee may take up to twelve (12) consecutive calendar weeks of Personal Illness Leave with pay (restricted to accumulated sick leave days earned by the individual staff member). Any number of days used during the twelve (12) weeks not covered by accumulated sick leave may be covered by Family and Medical Leave without pay. The total combination of days taken must be consecutive days. The weeks listed above will commence at birth.
QUARANTINE
Days may be deducted from accumulated sick leave for the employee to be in quarantine if required by regulations implemented by the Department of Public Health, unless the required quarantine is a direct result of personal travel. If an employee chooses to travel and upon return from their trip is forced to quarantine, paid days sick leave will not be allowed. Instead employees may use their personal days or unpaid leave.
CRITICAL FAMILY ILLNESS / BEREAVEMENT
Employees may also use days from accumulated sick leave to attend to the illness or provide care during a required quarantine of a child or spouse. When leave days are required due to the critical illness and/or bereavement of the death of a relative, sick leave days may be utilized. Also, when the presence of a staff member is necessary to attend the funeral of a friend or act in the capacity of pallbearer, days missed may be used under this policy.
Legal Reference:
29 U.S.C. §§ 2601 et seq.
Pub.L. 116–127
29 C.F.R. §§ 825; 826.
Iowa Code §§ 20; 29A; 55; 85; 216; 279.40; 607A.
Whitney v. Rural Ind. School District, 232 Iowa 61, 4 N.W.2d 394 (1942).
Bewley v. Villisca Community School District, 299 N.W. 2d 904 (Iowa 1980).
Cross Reference:
401.9 Employee Political Activity
403.2 Employee Injury on the Job
409.3 Employee Family and Medical Leave Series
409.6 Drug & Alcohol Testing Program Series
706.3 Pay Deductions Series
Approved: 6-14-21
Reviewed: 5-9-23
Revised: 5-9-23
