REMINDER: NKESC Leave Guidelines
October 27, 2008
The following was taken directly from the 2008-2009 NKESC Personnel Handbook:
Classified employees will be granted leave based upon their work agreement (hereby known as the "Leave Package.") By definition, the length of the work unit equals the number of hours specified in an employee’s work agreement. The number of units granted will be based upon an employee’s FTE as specified in their work agreement. (For identification purposes, this leave will be listed in the HR Portal as "Personal Leave.") For example, a full-time employee would receive up to 120 hours or 15 days of leave. Length of work unit equals work agreement hours per day. Number of work units equal FTE based upon 188 days or 1504 hours.
Unused (Personal)leave will be carried for subsequent years use as sick leave only. Accumulated sick leave in excess of 480 hours will be eligible for buy-back at a rate established annually by the Board of Directors.
The Board may grant unpaid leave at their discretion.
• Each employee shall submit a leave request for consideration to their respective administrative supervisor for approval.
• Leave buy-back payments shall be made no later than June 30 of the respective fiscal year.
• Package leave days must be used prior to using accumulated sick leave
In no case does the administration of NKESC wish to place our staff members in harm's way. Every individual should, in case of inclement weather, consider the degree to which they can travel safely.
3. LEAVE WITHOUT PAY: When you are absent from duty and have exhausted all earned leave, or have been denied the use of earned leave, you will use Leave Without Pay (LWP). Using LWP may result in your being frozen on the salary schedule. Certified staff should consult their negotiated agreement.
4. PROFESSIONAL LEAVE: When you are required by your administrative supervisor to attend a job related function/workshop, we will use the following criteria to determine the hours you are paid.
Travel time from Oakley will be allowed according to the following schedule:
Hays 1.5 hours Lawrence 5.5 hours
Salina 3 hours Garden City 1.5 hours
Wichita 5 hours Hutchinson 4 hours
Topeka 5 hours Dodge City 2.5 hours
Kansas City 6.5 hours Parsons 6.5 hours
Denver 4.5 hours Manhattan 4 hours
Colorado Springs 4 hrs Emporia 5.5 hours
At the discretion of the Administrative Supervisor, staff may be allowed to leave their regular work site in time to reach their scheduled destination by 5 p.m.
If a staff member cannot leave work early enough to reach that destination by 5 p.,., then that staff member will only be allowed the scheduled number of travel hours after the time they leave work.
For example, a staff member begins work at 8 a.m. and leaves work at 3 p.m. headed to Kansas City. The staff member has to stop in Salina for supper and to visit family and does not arrive in Kansas City until 11:30 p.m. The staff member might appear to be “on the clock” from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. This will not be allowed. The staff member would be paid only for the time they worked at their regular work site through 3:00 p.m. and the 6.5 additional hours for travel time. Thus giving them a 12.5 hour day, rather than a 14.5 hour day.
NON-MANDATORY TRAVEL: Staff shall not be paid (or earn compensable time) for more than their daily contracted hours.
5. FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE PLAN: Family and medical leave, as required by federal law, shall be granted for a period of not more than 12 weeks during a 12-month period. For purposes of this policy, a 12-month period shall be defined as a fiscal year beginning on July 1 and ending the following June 30. Spouses employed by the district may only take an aggregate of 12 weeks of leave for a birth or adoption of a child or to care for a child with a serious health condition.
Leave is available because of (1) the birth of a son or daughter of the employee and to care for the son or daughter; (2) the placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care; (3) the need to care for a spouse, son, daughter or parent of the employee because of a serious health condition; or (4) a serious health condition of the employee that prevents the employee from performing the job functions. (Leave for reason 1 or 2 must be taken within 12 months of birth or placement.)
The leave shall normally be unpaid leave. However, if the employee has any paid vacation, personal, sick or disability leave that is available for use because of the reason for the leave, the paid leave shall be used first and counted toward the annual family and medical leave. The Executive Director or his/her designee will notify the employee of the beginning date of family and medical leave and the amount of the employee's accrued paid leave designated as family and medical leave.
The employee is eligible for family and medical leave upon completion of 12 months of service in the district and employed at least 1250 hours during the preceding year.
During the period of any unpaid family and medical leave the Board shall continue to pay the employer's share of the cost of group health benefits in the same manner as paid immediately prior to the leave. Any employee portion of the cost shall be paid by the employee to the clerk of the Board on the payroll date or other time as the employee and Executive Director may agree. The Board may terminate group health coverage if the employee payment is not received within 30 days of the due date.
When leave is foreseeable, the employee shall give written notice 30 days in advance. If leave is not foreseeable, notice will be given as soon as practicable.
Upon the employee providing notice of need for leave, the employer will notify the employee of:
a. the reasons that leave will count as family and medical leave,
b. any requirements for medical certification,
c. employer requirements of substituting paid leave,
d. requirements for premium payments for health benefits and employee responsibility for repayment if employer pays employee share,
e. right to be restored to same or equivalent job,
f. any employer required fitness-for-duty certifications.
Family leave (reasons 1 or 2) may not be used intermittently or on a part-time basis without the prior approval of the Executive Director.
The Executive Director may require an instructional employee to continue leave until the end of a semester if the leave begins more than five (5) weeks before the end of a semester, lasts more than three (3) weeks and the return would occur during the last three (3) weeks of the semester.
If the leave is for a reason other than the employee's serious health conditions, the Executive Director may require an instructional employee to continue leave until the end of a semester, if:
1. the leave begins in the last five (5) weeks of a semester, will last more than two (2) weeks and the return to work would occur in the last two (2) weeks of a semester, or
2. the leave begins in the last three (3) weeks of a semester, and lasts more than five (5) days.
6. ORIENTATION ATTENDANCE: During NKESC scheduled inservice(s) of which you are required to attend (i.e. orientation, collaboratives, etc.) no personal or vacation time will be granted.
7. OTHER LEAVES: Other leaves are available with administrative and/or board approval, i.e.
Sabbaticals, Religious, Military, Jury Duty, and Disability other than illness. If you have specific questions, please contact the Executive Director.
If you have any questions about this leave policy, please call
Ann Rath, 785-672-3125, ext. 112
or your Administrative Supervisor:
Dan Thornton, ext 110
Kathy Kersenbrock-Ostmeyer, ext. 111
Kurt Brown, ext. 120 or
Keva Scheib, ext. 160
