ADOPTION
An employee may be granted a paid leave of absence, not to exceed a total of ten (10) consecutive calendar days, in the case of the employee adopting a child or children. Such paid leave days shall be charged to the employee’s accrued sick leave. If both husband and wife are employees, each shall have the opportunity to use this policy. Employees who are eligible for unpaid leave for the adoption of a child under the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act will be granted leave in accordance with the FMLA and Board policy. If both a husband and a wife are eligible for family and medical leave and are employed by the District, such leave for adoption will be limited to a combined total of twelve (12) weeks during a twelve-month period. If the adoption is that of a newborn, and the employee is the designated primary caregiver, the Superintendent may grant additional paid leave of absence, not to exceed a total of thirty (30) consecutive days from the date of birth.
ABSENCE WITHOUT PAY
Absence without pay may be authorized by the superintendent and principal for purposes considered urgent, necessary, or unique. For such absences, deductions from the employee's salary will be made in accordance with the school district's pay deduction regulations. An involuntary absence where prior notice was not possible may be excused by the superintendent. The employee shall make a leave request as soon as possible to request approval for such absence. Other absences than those herein provided for, or failure to follow the foregoing regulations, may be deemed to be neglect of duty and may be sufficient grounds for dismissal.
ABSENCE WITHOUT PAY (VACATION TRAVEL) - LICENSED EMPLOYEES ONLY
The superintendent may approve an absence of 1 to 5 days for an unusual opportunity for vacation travel if the following criteria are met:
- Requests will be allowed for up to a maximum of 5 days per three year period. The number of days utilized may range from one to five for any one request; however, regardless of the number of days requested, no more than two requests per three year period may be approved.
- Part-time employees may apply for "like" days if all other criteria have been met (i.e. up to five one-half days by a staff member currently teaching one-half time).
- Personal leave must be utilized in conjunction with or to extend an approved Absence Without Pay leave.
- Requests will be submitted to the superintendent through the building principal or supervisor.
- Failure to follow the foregoing regulations, may be deemed to be neglect of duty and may be sufficient grounds for dismissal.
JURY DUTY
The Board will allow employees to be excused for jury duty unless extraordinary circumstances exist. The superintendent has the discretion to determine when extraordinary circumstances exist. Employees who are called for jury service will notify the direct supervisor within twenty-four hours after notice of call to jury duty and suitable proof of jury service pay must be presented to the school district. The employee will report to work within one hour on any day when the employee is excused from jury duty during regular working hours. Licensed employees will receive their regular salary. Any payment for jury duty will be paid to the school district.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE - LICENSED EMPLOYEES ONLY
The Board of Directors may grant a leave of absence to licensed employees without pay providing the following stipulations are adhered to:
- Written requests for leaves, stating reasons and duration, are to be submitted to the board.
- Only one trimester, two trimesters, one full school year or two full school years leave requests will be considered (with the exception of No. 9 stated below).
- Two-year leaves of absence will be considered only for teachers planning to teach abroad. In the event said teacher's situation changes and he/she plans to return following one-year absence, written notice of this intent must be received by the board on or before March 1 prior to the contract year.
- To qualify for a first leave of absence a teacher must have five or more years of experience in the Forest City Schools before consideration will be given.
- One leave of absence will be granted during each ten year period of employment. A leave of absence does not constitute a portion of the succeeding ten year period of consecutive employment. The second leave of absence may not be taken until ten consecutive years of employment have elapsed since the first leave of absence.
- Full year, two year, and first trimester applications must be submitted on or before the deadline for returning contracts for the ensuing school year (April 15 or 21 days following issuance). Leave requests for the second trimester only must be submitted on or before the Regular October Board Meeting.
- Final approval will not be granted until a suitable, temporary replacement is contracted.
- Upon return the board agrees to reemploy said teacher in the same position or, if that position has been abolished, a position assigned by the Board. Salary schedule placement will not be interrupted.
- In cases involving illness, the above guidelines may be waived by the board.
MILITARY LEAVE
The Board recognizes employees may be called to participate in the armed forces, including the national guard. If an employee is called to serve in the armed forces, the employee will have a leave of absence for military service until the military service is completed. The leave is without loss of status of efficiency rating, and without loss of pay during the first thirty calendar days of the leave.
PERSONAL LEAVE
Licensed Employees
Two days of personal leave per school year will be granted for licensed employees. Notification will be submitted to the superintendent through the building principal. The administration may limit the number of employees leaving on the same day to the number of available substitutes. At the end of the school year any unused days shall be reimbursed at a rate approved in the Master Contract between the employee’s licensed bargaining unit and the Board. The cost of the substitute for the two days taken will be borne by the school district. Approval of Personal Leave requests are based on the assumption that the employee’s personal business is of a nature that cannot be done outside the school day. Though a reason is not required on the request, the Board trusts that employees will follow this guideline.
Classified Employees
Classified employees working less than 260 days per year and ineligible for vacation days are allowed two day of personal leave per year. Classified employees working 260 days per year and eligible for vacation days are allowed one day of personal leave per year. Personal leave may be used to attend to matters of a personal nature, subject to operation requirements. Requests are to be submitted to the superintendent through the building principal or support staff director.
Employees who do not use their full entitlement of days during the year will automatically be paid out at the prevailing hourly rates in June.
PATERNITY LEAVE
An employee may be granted a paid leave of absence, not to exceed a total of ten (10) consecutive calendar days, in the case of the employee becoming a father. Such paid leave days shall be charged to the employee’s accrued sick leave. Employees who are eligible for unpaid leave for the birth of a child under the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act will be granted leave in accordance with the FMLA and Board policy. If both a husband and a wife are eligible for family and medical leave and are employed by the District, such leave for adoption will be limited to a combined total of twelve (12) weeks during a twelve-month period.
POLITICAL LEAVE
The Board will provide a leave of absence to employees to run for elective public office. The superintendent will grant an employee a leave of absence to campaign as a candidate for an elective public office as unpaid leave. The employee will be entitled to one period of leave to run for the elective public office, and the leave may commence within thirty days of a contested primary, special, or general election and continue until the day following the election. The request for leave must be in writing to the superintendent of schools at least thirty days prior to the starting date of the requested leave.
PROFESSIONAL LEAVE
Professional purposes leave may be granted to employees for the purpose of attending meetings and conferences directly related to their assignments. Application for the leave must be presented to the superintendent 30 days prior to the meeting or conference.It is within the discretion of the superintendent to grant professional purposes leave. The leave may be denied on the day before or after a vacation or holiday, on special days when services are needed, when it would cause undue interruption of the education program and school district operations, or for other reasons deemed relevant by the superintendent.
VACATIONS AND HOLIDAYS - SEE POLICY 409.1
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
