Teacher Chapter- Article 15
PSRP Chapter- Articles VIII and VIII-A
By Cynthia Sjoquist- BTU Field Representative
Over BTU’s 80+ years, our union has negotiated more than TWENTY types of leave! Your contracts are here to protect your right to these leaves but it can be overwhelming. This is a quick breakdown of the more widely used leave types: some practical applications, processes and your entitlement, as well as a list of all leaves in both contracts. If you have questions about any of these Leaves, please email me at csjoquist@baltu.com. This article will also briefly look at BCPSS Board Attendance Policy, and–while not a direct part of the contract–explain how your contracted rights to due process can protect you if you run into attendance issues.
TYPES OF LEAVE:
Sick Leave (15.2 and VIII.F): Accrued Sick Leave Days are for care of your personal illness, injury, care of a child, or for the birth of a child.
- Tenured Teacher Chapter members = 15 Sick Leave Days/SY
- Probationary Teacher Chapter Members = 10 Sick Leaves Days/SY
- PSRPs= 13 Sick Leave Days/SY
- Teacher Chapter Members can accrue up to 315 Days. There is no limit to the amount of time PSRP members can accrue.
- Sick Leave Bank (15.4 and VIII. G): Members must reenroll every year. By joining the Sick Bank, members agree to donate one of their Accrued Sick Leave Days. In the event that a member is out for an extended period and exhausts their accrued leave, they are eligible to apply, for up to 30 days.
- Sick Leave Conversion (15.3 and VIII.F.13): Accrued Sick Leave Days may be converted into cash. For every four days of accrued sick leave, a member is entitled to one day of cash while keeping the remaining three as Sick Leave. This happens before Christmas Eve every year.
Personal Business Leave (15.6 and VIII.K): One Personal Business Day/SY. Three Personal Business Days that can be charged to members accrued Sick Time per SY. Requests must be submitted at least two days in advance (except where circumstances prevent it) and cannot be unreasonably denied.
Job Related Injury (15.5)/Accidental Injury (VIII.L): Members who sustain an injury as a result of an accident connected to their job duties will be placed on Job Related/Accidental Injury Leave with NO LOSS of pay. Such a leave will extend until the member has been released for work by their doctor for UP TO one year.
Religious Holidays (15.15 and VIII.I): Two Days with pay for religious observance. Additional days may be taken with loss of pay OR by using Personal Business Days.
Bereavement Leave (15.16 and VIII.A): Four Days with pay for the loss of parent, grandparent, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother, sister, husband, wife, child or grandchild (including those in this group who are step, half-blood or foster relations) or another member of the immediate household. One Day for any family member not listed above.
Other types of leave include:
- Maternity Leave/ Maternity Disability (VIII.B)
- Field Trips (15.7
- Other Leaves of Absence without Pay (15.8 and VIII.R)
- Sabbatical (15.9 and VIII.U)
- Professional Meetings (15.10 and VIII.W)
- Matrimony (15.11 and VIII.C)
- Military Spouse (15.12
- Family/Parental Leave (15.13 and VIII.Q)
- Birth of a Child (VIII.J)
- Graduation (15.14 and VIII.O)
- Education Leave (VIII.P)
- Funeral of a Faculty Member (15.17 and VIII.E)
- Military Leave(15.18 and VIII.D)
- Jury Duty/Civil Leave (15.20 and VIII.M)
- Leave for BCPSS/Union Service (15.21)
- Paid Leaves of Absence (VIII.N)
- Communicable Disease (15.1 and VIII. H)
- Leave for Office of Human Capital Examinations (VIII.X)
- Political Leave (VIII.Y)
- Building Representative Leave (VIII.Z)
- Vacations (VIII-A)
IMPORTANT NOTE: An employee that misses more than 60 days will receive an Effective/Proficient Evaluation score for the year.
Attendance Policy Breakdown
You have the right to Due Process. When applied to the Attendance Policy this means all actions must be followed, in order before moving to the next action.
Absences
|
Occasions |
Action |
Looks Like |
|
3 |
Oral Caution |
Meeting with Admin, possible note to file stating “verbal warning” |
|
5 |
Written Caution |
Meeting with Admin, Signed Letter to File, Copy to BTU |
|
7* |
2nd Written Caution |
Meeting w/Admin, Signed Letter to File, Copy to BTU, Copy to North Ave |
|
>7* |
Discipline |
Meeting with Human Capital, Recommendation up to termination |
* 8 occasions for 12 Month Employees
Records of occasions are kept for the length of the contract. (10 or 12 months, not calendar year)
For every 60 consecutive work days of perfect attendance, one occasion will be dropped.
Lateness
|
Occasions |
Action |
Looks Like |
|
3 |
Oral Caution |
Meeting with Admin, possible note to file stating “verbal warning” |
|
5 |
Written Caution |
Meeting with Admin, Signed Letter to File, Copy to BTU |
|
7 |
2nd Written Caution |
Meeting w/Admin, Signed Letter to File, Copy to BTU, Copy to North Ave |
|
>7 |
Discipline |
Meeting with Human Capital, Recommendation up to termination |
Records of Lateness occasions are kept for half of the contract (5 or 6 months).
IMPORTANT NOTE: Not All Leaves are Occasions!
You should not be charged an occasion for any of the following Leaves:
- Personal Leave
- Personal Business Charged to Sick
- Jury Duty/ Court Witness
- Bereavement
- Educational Leave
- Admin Leave
- Sabbatical
- Religious Holidays
- FMLA
- Graduation
- Matrimony
- Job Related Injury
One illness = One occasion