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Employee Leave DEFINITIONS FAMILY The term "immediate family" shall include: Spouse. Son or daughter, including a biological, adopted, or foster child, a son- or daughter-in-law, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child for whom the employee stands in loco parentis. Parent, stepparent, parent-in-law, or other individual who stands in loco parentis to the employee. Sibling, stepsibling, sibling-in-law. Grandparent and grandchild. Any person residing in the employee's household at the time of illness or death. For purposes of the Family and Medical Leave Act, the definition of "family" includes only spouse, parent, and child. FAMILY EMERGENCY The term "family emergency" shall be limited to disasters and life-threatening situations involving the employee or a member of the employee's immediate family. WORKDAY A "workday" for purposes of accumulation, use, or recording shall mean the number of hours per day equivalent to the employee's usual assignment, whether full-time or part-time. STATE PERSONAL LEAVE - RATE OF ACCRUAL Each employee shall earn state personal leave at the rate of one-half workday for each 18 workdays of employment, up to the statutory maximum of five workdays annually. TYPES OF STATE PERSONAL LEAVE The Board requires employees to differentiate between uses of personal leave: DISCRETIONARY To be taken at the individual employee's discretion, subject to limitations set out below. NON- DISCRETIONARY To be used for the same reasons and in the same manner as state sick leave accumulated prior to May 30, 1995. USE OF DISCRETIONARY LEAVE REQUEST FOR LEAVE A written request for use of discretionary personal leave shall be submitted to the immediate supervisor or designee in advance in accordance with administrative regulations. The reasons for which personal leave may be used shall not be limited by the District. In deciding to approve personal leave, however, the supervisor or designee shall consider the effect of the employee's absence on the educational program, as well as the availability of substitutes. DURATION OF LEAVE Discretionary personal leave may not be taken for more than three consecutive days, except in extenuating circumstances as determined by the Superintendent. SCHEDULE LIMITATIONS Except in extenuating circumstances as determined by the Superintendent, discretionary leave shall not be allowed on the day before a school holiday, the day after a school holiday, days scheduled for end-of-semester or end-of-year exams, days scheduled for state-mandated assessments or for District achievement tests, nor professional or staff development days. ADDITIONAL LOCAL LEAVE All employees shall earn an additional five workdays of local leave per school year, at the same rate as state personal leave. ACCUMULATION OF LOCAL LEAVE Local leave shall accumulate to a maximum of 15 workdays and may be used before state personal leave. USE OF LOCAL LEAVE Local leave shall be used according to the terms and conditions of state personal leave. ORDER OF LEAVE Employees shall be charged leave as used even if a substitute is not employed. For purposes of personal illness, illness in the immediate family, family emergency, or death in the immediate family, the employee shall be permitted to choose the type of available paid leave to be used. Leave used shall be recorded in increments of half days and whole days. Employees shall be charged leave as used even if a substitute is not employed. Any leave taken for which leave balances are insufficient shall result in a deduction from the employee's paycheck commensurate with the amount of leave taken. AVAILABILITY Paid leave for the current year shall be available for use at the beginning of the school year. Paid leave shall not be approved for more workdays than have been accumulated in prior years plus those to be earned during the current year. When an employee who has used more leave than he or she has accumulated ceases to be employed by the District, the cost of the unearned leave days shall be deducted from the employee's final paycheck. MEDICAL CERTIFICATION An employee absent more than five consecutive workdays because of personal illness or illness in the immediate family shall submit medical certification of the illness. Medical certification shall be made by a health care provider as defined by the Family and Medical Leave Act. TEMPORARY DISABILITY Any full-time employee whose position requires educator certification by the State Board for Educator Certification or by the District shall be eligible for temporary disability leave. The maximum length of temporary disability leave shall be 180 calendar days. COURT APPEARANCES Absences for court appearances related to an employee's personal business shall be deducted from the employee's leave or, at the option of the employee, shall be taken as leave without pay. FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE For purposes of an employee's entitlement to family and medical leave, the 12-month period shall be measured forward from the day an individual employee's first family and medical leave begins. CONCURRENT USE OF LEAVE The District shall require employees to use family and medical leave concurrently with paid leave and with temporary disability leave, if applicable. COMBINED LEAVE FOR SPOUSES If both spouses are employed by the District, family and medical leave for the birth, adoption, or placement of a child, or to care for a parent with a serious health condition may be limited to a combined total of 12 weeks as determined by the needs of the District. INTERMITTENT LEAVE FOR CHILD CARE Use of intermittent family and medical leave shall be permitted for the care of a newborn child or upon the adoption or placement of a child with the employee. CERTIFICATION OF ILLNESS Upon request for family and medical leave for the employee's serious health condition or that of a spouse, parent, or child, the employee shall provide medical certification of the illness or disability. MEDICAL RELEASE The employee's request for reinstatement shall be accompanied by medical certification of the employee's ability to perform essential job functions. TEACHER REINSTATEMENT A teacher desiring to return to work at or near the conclusion of a semester shall be reinstated in accordance with the END-OF- TERM LEAVE section in HISD Policy DEC(LEGAL). FAILURE TO RETURN If, at the expiration of the family and medical leave, the employee is able to return to work but chooses not to do so, the District shall require reimbursement of the employee benefits contribution made by the District during the period in which such leave was taken as unpaid leave. WORKERS' COMPENSATION An employee absent because of a job-related injury or illness shall be assigned to family and medical leave, if applicable. PAID LEAVE OFFSET The employee shall inform the appropriate administrator whether he or she chooses to use available paid leave. Any paid leave used shall be offset against workers' compensation wage benefits. SICK LEAVE BANK PURPOSE The purpose of the sick leave bank is to provide additional sick leave days to members of the bank in the event of an unexpected critical illness, surgery, or a temporary disability due to an injury. The sick leave bank also is to provide additional sick leave days when a member of the employee's immediate family or a relative for whom the member employee is the major caregiver has suffered a catastrophic illness or injury. Days may be requested from the bank only after the member has exhausted all available state and local leave days. Employees who receive vacation days must also exhaust all those days. DEFINITION Sick leave days from the bank are those days granted to a member who through an unexpected extended critical illness, a surgery, an injury, or other temporary disability due to injury, or because of the illness or injury of an applicable family member, is unable to perform the duties of his or her position. MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY All full-time District personnel in positions normally requiring 10, 11, or 12 months of service per year shall be eligible for membership. "Full-time employees" shall be defined as those employees who are classified as full time by the District. Teachers and paraprofessionals working at least 50 percent of the regular school day shall also be eligible for membership. PROCEDURES FOR JOINING THE SICK LEAVE BANK To join the sick leave bank, the following shall apply: Any employee who is eligible to join the sick leave bank may do so by contributing three days of available local or state leave. An employee desiring to join during the current school year must be able to earn at least three days from the time of his or her employment until the completion of his or her total number of days of work at the end of the school year. The enrollment period for current employees and new employees hired prior to the opening of the school year shall be July 1 through September 30. All professional, contractual employees who join the bank within the enrollment period are eligible for membership beginning with the first official day of work. To be eligible for membership, a classified or auxiliary employee shall have been employed 90 calendar days prior to membership. All new personnel employed after the enrollment period must be able to earn at least three days of local or state sick leave during the current school year to be eligible for membership. New noncontractual personnel employed after the enrollment period must be employed a minimum of 90 calendar days prior to being eligible to join the bank. New professional contractual personnel employed after the enrollment period are eligible to join immediately after they begin their work. Such personnel must join within 90 days of beginning employment. Employees desiring to join the bank shall complete the membership application form and submit it to the business manager. The business manager shall verify the employee's eligibility and upon approval of the application, send it to the payroll department in the finance office. CONTRIBUTION OF DAYS As described above, to become a member of the bank, an employee must contribute three days from his or her available local or state leave for the school year in which membership begins. These days shall be subtracted from the member's local or state leave record. All days donated become the property of the District sick leave bank. All donations shall remain in force and shall not be returned even upon cancellation of a membership. To rejoin the bank after cancellation of membership, an employee must again donate three days. For bank purposes, the school year shall be from September 1 through August 31. If a member uses three or more days from the bank during this period, he or she shall be required to donate an additional three days the following school year (September through August) in order to have continuing membership in the bank. If the member uses fewer than three days, he or she shall donate the number of days actually used. If the bank falls below two times the number of participating members on September 30, continuing participants must contribute one extra day on October 1. If it falls below one times the number of members, he or she must contribute two days. Participants who join in September shall donate a maximum of three days for the current school term. A member who terminates his or her employment with the District forfeits membership in the bank at the effective date of termination. An employee who resigns from a dual position and is rehired without a break in employment shall retain membership. An employee on an approved leave of absence shall retain membership in the bank and shall not be required to donate additional days upon return from the leave. GRANTING OF SICK LEAVE DAYS FROM THE BANK Conditions known to exist by the employee on or before the date of joining the sick leave bank shall not be covered under provisions of the sick leave bank until one year from the date of enrollment. This waiting period is waived for new employees at their first opportunity to join the bank. As noted above, sick leave days from the bank shall be granted only after the member has exhausted all available state and local leave days. Employees who receive vacation days must also exhaust all those days. Days from the bank shall be granted only for unexpected extended critical illness, for surgery, for normal or complicated pregnancies, or for critical injury which necessitates an absence from work for five consecutive days or longer. Sick leave bank days shall be granted only for absences from working days and shall not be granted for holidays, vacation days, or other such days for which the member is not paid. The maximum number of sick leave bank days that may be granted to an employee during the calendar year (September 1 through August 30) shall be 30 days. If a member who has received less than 30 days from the sick leave bank returns to work and then is ill again with the same or different illness, he or she may apply to the sick leave bank for additional days needed, the total not to exceed 30 days per year. Each separate illness applied for must meet the criteria established by the sick leave bank board. A member shall only be reimbursed for the amount actually docked. Reimbursement shall be made only in the member's regular payroll check after the sick leave board's approval of requested days. All unused sick leave days in the bank at the end of the school year (August 31) shall be carried over to the next school year (September 1 through August 31). A contributor shall lose the right to use the benefits of the bank by: Termination of employment in the District. Cancellation of participation by the member on the proper form at any time. Being on approved leave of absence. Having already been granted days for illness related to alcohol and/or chemical substance abuse. The sick leave board reserves the right to evaluate individual extenuating circumstances to determine eligibility for granting days from the sick leave bank. PROCEDURE FOR APPLYING FOR SICK LEAVE BANK DAYS Should the member have an unexpected critical illness or an injury necessitating the need for additional days after all available vacation and state and local leave days have been used, the member may submit a request for days from the bank. A member who requests days from the bank must submit to the executive officer within 30 workdays after returning to duty, forms containing the following information: A statement signed by the member attesting to the fact that the condition which necessitated the request for days from the bank was unknown to the employee at the time he or she became a member of the bank. Completion of the attending physician's statement which includes: Identification of the nature of illness and/or extent of the injury. Date of initial onset of this particular condition. Statement from the physician that the condition is not a preexisting condition. This statement is waived for new employees at their first opportunity to join the bank. Anticipated days, if any, for follow-up examinations. The appropriate forms are available from the office of the business manager. The board of directors may refuse to consider an application that does not contain the required information. If a member is critically ill and unable to file an application for sick leave days from the bank, the school principal, immediate supervisor, or department head shall initiate the application form upon receiving a request from the family. An applicant may be required at any time to undergo a medical review by a second-opinion physician chosen by the sick leave bank board, at the expense of the District, upon approval of the business manager. GOVERNING COMMITTEE The governing committee, which will approve or disapprove all requests for sick leave bank days, shall be called "The Hereford ISD Sick Leave Bank Board of Directors" (sick leave bank board). COMPOSITION OF THE SICK LEAVE BANK BOARD Members of the bank who have been employed by the District for at least three consecutive years are eligible for appointment to the sick leave bank board. A total of 13 members shall serve on the sick leave bank board and shall be appointed in the following manner: One teacher from each primary and intermediate school One teacher from the Stanton Special Program One teacher from the junior high school Two teachers from the high school One representative from classified personnel One representative from administration One chairperson (an ex-officio, nonvoting member) TERM OF OFFICE Members shall serve staggered two-year terms. The term of the office shall run from September to August. A member may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SICK LEAVE BANK BOARD The duties and responsibilities of the sick leave bank board are as follows: At the first meeting of the year for the newly appointed members, the sick leave bank board shall select from its group a chairperson, vice chairperson, and secretary. Each application for sick leave bank days shall be reviewed individually by the sick leave bank board in a called meeting. A quorum shall consist of at least five members. A member may be requested to appear before the board to substantiate his or her case. The sick leave bank board shall determine the number of days approved, up to 30 days, and reserves the right to approve, disapprove, or modify the days requested. A member may appeal the decision of the board by writing a letter to the executive officer requesting to appear in person before the board of directors. Vacancies that arise during the school year on the sick leave bank board are filled by appointment by the Superintendent or designee. The business manager or designee shall serve as the executive officer of the sick leave bank board and shall process all approved sick leave days for members. Discussion of individual cases brought before the sick leave bank board is confidential. A breach of confidentiality could result in removal from the sick leave bank board. DEFINITION OF IMMEDIATE FAMILY For purposes of the sick leave bank, immediate family shall include and be limited to the employee's spouse and to any children of the employee who meet all of the following criteria: Live with the employee. Have not turned 25. Are full-time students. To apply for sick leave days, the member must follow the procedures set out above at GRANTING OF SICK LEAVE DAYS FROM THE BANK and PROCEDURES FOR APPLYING FOR SICK LEAVE BANK DAYS. All policy provisions pertaining to the use and issuing of sick leave bank days shall be applied to the use of such days for the illness or injury of a family member. Additional provisions that pertain to use of the bank for the illness or injury of family members are as follows: The bank shall provide sick leave days to a member only after he or she has experienced loss of three days of salary. The maximum number of days that may be granted to an employee for use with the sickness or injury of a family member is 15 days per occurrence, with a maximum of 30 days per school year. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Return to Top of Page                 Wellness Program ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Wellness resources are linked only as a convenience. Information, services, products, and vendors mentioned are not endorsed by the Hereford ISD. HISD is not responsible for contents on external sites or servers. Information for Women who are Pregnant or Planning a Pregnancy (5 KB) Beat the Texas Heat (27 KB) - Here are some suggestions to help you conquer the summer temperatures. The Truth About Depression (29 KB) - provided by United Behavioral Health, the district's Employee Assistance Program and mental health services administrator An Apple a Day (9 KB) - It really can keep the doctor away! Promoting Hand Hygiene (8 KB) - Guidelines from the CDC. Walk Across Texas - program developed by the Texas Cooperative Extension, The Texas A&M University System MedlinePlus®  - from the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, gathers health information by topic, allows easy access to medical research literature, provides a database of drug information and an illustrated medical encyclopedia (some information gathered by this site may be copyrighted) healthfinder® - developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as your guide to reliable health information (healthfinder® does not endorse any information supplied by others or any specific product or service.) The National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC) - a Federal health information and referral service that provides a gateway to women's health information from other government agencies, public and private organizations, and consumer and healthcare professional groups MyPyramid.gov  - from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has tools to help you customize your eating plan, understand food labels, and learn about the food pyramid     Return to Top of Page               Compensation & Benefits ___________________________ COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: SALARIES, WAGES, AND STIPENDS       MINIMUM SALARY The District shall pay each classroom teacher, full-time librarian, full-time counselor certified under Education Code Chapter 21, Subchapter B, or full-time nurse not less than the minimum monthly salary, based on the employee's level of experience, as specified in Education Code 21.402 and 19 TAC 153.1021. A classroom teacher, full-time librarian, full-time counselor certified under Education Code Chapter 21, Subchapter B, or full-time nurse employed by the District in the 2000-01 school year is, for as long as the employee is employed by the District, entitled to a salary that is at least equal to the salary the employee received for the 2000-01 school year. Education Code 21.402(d); 19 TAC 153.1021, 153.1022 PLACEMENT ON SALARY SCHEDULE The Commissioner's rules determine the experience for which a teacher, librarian, counselor, or nurse is to be given credit in placing the teacher, librarian, counselor, or nurse on the minimum salary schedule. The District shall credit the teacher, librarian, counselor, or nurse for each year of experience, whether or not the years are consecutive. Education Code 21.403(c), 19 TAC 153.1022 EMPLOYEES FORMERLY ON CAREER LADDER As long as a teacher or librarian is employed by the same school district, the teacher or librarian is entitled to: Placement on the minimum salary schedule at the step above the step on which the teacher would otherwise be placed, if the teacher or librarian received a career ladder supplement for level two of the career ladder on August 31, 1993; or Placement on the minimum salary schedule at the step two steps above the step on which the teacher would otherwise be placed, if the teacher or librarian received a career ladder supplement for level three of the career ladder on August 31, 1993. Education Code 21.403(d) VALID CERTIFICATE An educator, as defined in Education Code 5.001(5), who does not hold a valid certificate may not be paid for teaching or work done before the effective date of issuance of a valid certificate. Education Code 21.053(b) MINIMUM WAGE Employees not exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act shall be paid minimum wage and receive compensation for overtime under the conditions specified in the act. 29 U.S.C. 206, 207 WAGE AND HOUR RECORDS The District shall maintain and preserve payroll or other records for nonexempt employees containing the information required by the regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act. 29 CFR 516.2 SUPPLEMENTAL COMPENSATION Each year, the state shall deliver to each district state funds in an amount, as determined by the Teacher Retirement System, equal to: The product of the number of full-time active employees employed by the District, other than in the capacity of professional staff, multiplied by $500 or a greater amount as provided by the General Appropriations Act; and The product of the number of part-time active employees employed by the District, other than in the capacity of professional staff, multiplied by $250 or a greater amount as provided by the General Appropriations Act. If an active employee is not covered by a cafeteria plan of the District, the TRS supplement shall be paid to the active employee as supplemental compensation in addition to the rate of compensation that: The District paid the employee in the preceding school year; or The District would have paid the employee in the preceding school year if the employee had been employed by the District in the same capacity in the preceding school year. An employee who is covered under the District's cafeteria plan may choose to receive the TRS benefit as supplemental compensation. [See CRD] ELIGIBILITY A member of the professional staff of the District, as defined by TRS rule, is not eligible to receive the state supplement. An employee is not eligible to receive the state contribution until the 90th day after the date the employee is employed. Insurance Code 1580.051; 34 TAC 41.42(d) ATTENDANCE SUPPLEMENT The District shall not deny an educator a salary bonus or similar compensation given in whole or in part on the basis of educator attendance because of the educator's absence from school for observance of a religious holy day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Tax Code 11.20. Education Code 21.406 PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE INCENTIVES A performance incentive awarded to a principal under Education Code 21.357 shall be distributed to the principal's school. The campus level committee shall determine the manner in which the performance incentive shall be used. Education Code 21.357(c) Return to Top of Page