Association Days The Association shall be provided a total of twenty-two (22) days during the school year of released time to conduct Association business with a maximum of seven (7) used on any given day. Requests for Association days shall be made in writing and, when at all possible, at least three (3) days prior to such leave and shall be submitted to the Superintendent or his/her designee. The Association shall assume any expense incurred by the hiring of a substitute teacher.
Sick Bank (1) A “Sick Leave Bank” shall be established. The purpose of said bank shall be to aid only unit members whose sick leave accumulation has been exhausted and who suffer prolonged absence from (a) a disabling condition, (b) an accident which causes disability; and (c) disability arising from pregnancy by providing additional paid sick leave for extreme hardship cases due to personal illness and/or personal injury shall not be for casual use.
(2) No qualified unit member shall be permitted to use more than 93 days from the Sick Leave Bank.
(3) Each unit member may contribute a total of two (2) days from his/her sick leave accumulation to the Sick Leave Bank. If a pre-tenure teacher elects this option, he/she shall be permitted to use no more than fifteen (15) days from the Sick Leave Bank for each year of service.
(4) All donations to the Sick Leave Bank will be voluntary.
(5) All days not used in a year will be retained in the Sick Leave Bank.
(6) If all the donated days are used during a given school year, the Bank shall be declared open and additional donations of a maximum of two (2) days by each tenured unit member may be made.
(7) Unit members using sick leave days from the Bank will not have to replace those days.
(8) No days may be donated to a specific individual, nor may they be donated to teachers exclusively in a certain school.
(9) A unit member withdrawing from membership in the Bank shall not be allowed to withdraw contributed days.
(10) Procedure for processing requests for Sick Bank days:
(a) The unit member requesting Sick Bank days shall obtain from the Association or from the Human Resources Department a copy of the SEA Sick Bank Request form.
(b) The unit member shall submit a completed Request form, including a completed Physician Statement, to the Human Resources Department who will promptly provide a copy to the Association. SEA approval is assumed unless SEA informs the Human Resources Department of its concerns regarding the request within three (3) days of receipt.
(c) The Human Resources Department shall review the Request form for completeness. If the form is incomplete, the unit member and the Association will be notified. If any additional information is needed to process the Request form, the unit member and the Association shall be notified and the unit member shall be asked to comply.
(d) The Human Resources Department shall promptly review and respond to the completed Request form. If approved, the unit member and the Association shall be notified in writing of such approval. If approval is denied, the unit member and the Association shall be notified in writing that the Sick Bank Committee will be convened to review the request. The unit member may be required to submit additional information for the consideration of the committee.
(e) The unit member and the Association will be notified in writing of the decision of the Sick Bank Committee. Should the committee refer the unit member to an independent Medical Review Officer (MRO), the unit member shall be notified in writing and can decline, forfeiting the use of the Sick Bank. (This provision shall not impact the right of the Board to require an employee to submit to an Independent Medical Examination (IME) at Board expense as permitted by applicable law).
(11) A committee consisting of two unit members selected by the SEA, three persons designated by the Board, and the Human Resources Director who shall act as the non- voting chairperson, shall be established to set up guidelines, review implementation, and update procedures. The Sick Leave Committee shall:
(a) Require a doctor’s certificate regarding the illness and/or injury and its specific impact on the ability of the employee to perform job responsibilities;
(b) Consider the nature, seriousness; and projected duration of the illness and/or injury related to the ability of the employee to perform job responsibilities; and
(c) Consider the applicant’s prior record of sick leave use.
(12) The granting of any sick leave days from the Sick Leave Bank shall be made by majority vote of the committee members present and voting. In case of a tie vote, the case shall be referred to the Medical Review Officer (MRO).
(a) The unit member shall be notified to submit all medical documentation from the unit member’s treating physician(s) to the MRO. The MRO shall be a licensed physician, appointed by agreement of both parties, for the duration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, subject to reappointment by agreement of both parties. The medical documentation submitted shall detail the seriousness and nature of the illness or injury involved related to the ability of the employee to perform job responsibilities. The MRO shall confirm the seriousness and nature of the illness or injury related to job responsibilities utilizing said medical documentation;
(b) If the MRO is unable to confirm the seriousness and nature of the illness or injury related to the ability to perform job responsibilities from the medical documentation as provided above, said MRO may conduct or send the employee to have an Independent Medical Examination (IME). A licensed physician shall perform the IME with expertise in the field of the illness or injury presented, to confirm the treating physician's report. The decision of the MRO, or the IME, shall be binding and final and not subject to the grievance procedure outlined in this Agreement.
(c) Nothing contained herein shall preclude a resubmission to the MRO based upon additional medical documentation.
(d) Individuals are subject to continuing review by the MRO, to confirm the seriousness of the illness or injury. The MRO shall have the discretion to discontinue leave benefits under this provision if he/she determined that the individual is capable of returning to work.
(13) In the event that the parties cannot agree upon the selection of said MRO, the Board and the Association shall submit the matter to binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA).
(14) The costs of the MRO, the IME (if needed), and Arbitrator shall be borne equally by the Board and the Association.
(15) The Superintendent, in his/her sole discretion, may authorize the use of additional sick leave days from the Bank to any member who has exhausted the maximum days set forth in paragraphs 2 and 3 above. The Superintendent shall notify the Human Resources Director of his/her decision to authorize sick leave above the caps set forth in paragraphs 2 and 3 above. The decision of the Superintendent shall be final and not subject to the grievance procedure contained in this Agreement.
(16) In no case shall any unit member receive days from the Bank when absent due to a work-related injury.
(17) The Board will annually supply the SEA with statistics regarding the status of the Bank, number of participants, number of days, number of unit members taking from the Bank, number of days remaining in the Bank, etc.
Association Grievance A grievance, as defined in Section 7.1, relating to occurrences actually involving at least three (3) nurses or arising under the Association Representative article, may be initiated by the Association at Step 2 of the above-mentioned procedure by the filing of a written grievance, signed by a representative of the Association, within 35 calendar days from the date of occurrence. Such grievance shall describe the problem and the contract provisions alleged to have been violated.
Association President The President of the Association has the right to visit schools. The President will coordinate the visits with the offices of the principals in order to facilitate the purpose of this visit. Visits that are made to solve special problems of teachers will be arranged in advance by notifying the office of the principal.
Association Leaves 1. The Board will provide the Association President or their designee with forty (40) days of paid release time during the course of the school year in order to conduct Association Business. The Association shall reimburse the Board for the cost of any substitute required as the result of any such released time which exceeds forty (40) days during the course of the school year.
2. The following provisions were not bargained and have been included for informational purposes only:
a. Because of the many responsibilities imposed on the President of the Association, and in order to enhance the quality of instruction in the classes taught by him or her and maintain continuity, the Board will provide the building to which the President is assigned with a full-time aide who is also a certified substitute teacher.
b. The building principal and the President will work out a mutually agreed upon schedule for the use of the aide.
c. The presence of this aide will not be used to justify absences in excess of those authorized by the terms of this Agreement.
ASSOCIATION RIGHTS A. Representatives of the Association may make announcements during faculty meetings.
B. Representatives of the Association may make announcements on all school building systems, before or after the student day, regarding meeting times and locations, and reminders of Association deadlines.
C. The Association shall have access to the Board Policy Book on the District’s website.
D. The Association President shall be sent copies of the agenda, minutes, and any other attachments for each board meeting prior to that meeting.
E. The Association shall be granted the right to use teacher mailboxes for any and all communications. No other teacher union shall be given this right.
F. Association representatives may meet with employees during the workday, providing the visit does not interfere with class instruction.
G. The Association shall be granted, at no cost, the right to use the district’s facilities to conduct Association business at reasonable times.
H. The Association shall receive free copies of the financial reports of the district.
I. The Association shall be given time on the first teacher day of each new school year for the purpose of making appropriate Association announcements.
J. The Association shall have the use of bulletin boards in all employee workrooms and lounges, the use of the PA system to make necessary announcements, and the right to make Association statements at Staff/Faculty Meetings, and be provided time at each regular Board Meeting to address the Board.
K. The Association shall be granted paid leave in the total amount of three (3) days to represent teacher interests. The Association President shall notify the Superintendent three (3) days in advance of the person/s who will be using Association Leave and the date/s on which it will be taken.
L. Any employee elected to serve in a State (OEA) or National (NEA) office shall be given an unpaid leave of absence with no loss of seniority. Upon returning to the district, the employee shall be placed into a similar position to that they held prior to the leave and will be placed on the appropriate pay level they should receive based on their experience and educational background.
M. The Association shall be provided bulletin board space in a place readily accessible to and normally frequented by all teachers in the District for posting official notices and other official materials relating to Association activities.
Association Dues The District agrees to deduct Association dues from the paycheck of each employee who individually and voluntarily authorize dues deductions. Employees’ authorizations will be in writing in a form agreed upon by the Association and the District. Said deduction shall be in nine substantially equal amounts during the school year beginning on or after October 15 of the corresponding school year. A schedule of deductions shall be provided to employees on or about September 1st. Authorizations shall continue from year to year unless revoked by the employee in writing prior to July 1 of any year. Dues deducted from employees’ wages will be transmitted to the Association following each corresponding payroll deduction. The Association will annually certify to the Superintendent the amount of Association dues. The following shall also apply:
A. The Association shall provide payroll at District’s Business Office, dues deductions covered under this paragraph by October 1 of the contract year in which the deduction applies for all existing members as of said date, otherwise the employees' previous year deductions shall continue in force for the entire contract year unless terminated by the employee by the dates set forth herein. Deductions for any new employee hired prior to the date of said report shall also be included in the report.
B. The form in which the Association reports union dues for existing membership must include, at minimum, employee name, social security number, and total unions dues to be deducted for the corresponding contract year. The report shall list employees alphabetically by last name.
C. The form in which the Association reports union dues for new members must include, at minimum, employee name, social security number, total unions dues to be deducted for the corresponding contract year, and signed employee authorization.
D. The District payroll office shall make changes to union dues not more than once in any contract year. However, union dues to individual employees may be adjusted as necessary due to changes in employment status with proper notification and reporting from the Association as outlined herein. If an employee elects to become a member after the Association Dues are submitted by the Association, the employee shall be responsible for paying any additional fees directly to the Association.
E. The District shall provide the Association a list of all support staff covered under the collective bargaining agreement upon request of the Association, but not more than once per month.
Association Leave The Association shall be allowed to use up to 5 days of leave each school year for use by teachers who are officers or agents of the Association. The Association shall reimburse Unified School District 434 for the loss of use of the teacher taking such leave by paying the daily cost of a substitute teacher. The Association shall notify the Superintendent not less than 5 calendar days in advance of using such leave.
Association Establishment and all other capital and operational expenses of the Association.
Association Membership In accordance with applicable laws, the Employer/Appointing Authority shall not discriminate against, interfere with, restrain or coerce an employee from exercising their right to join or not to join the Association, or participate in an official capacity on behalf of the Association, which is in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. The Association shall not discriminate against, interfere with, restrain or coerce an employee from exercising the right to join or not to join the Association, and will not discriminate against any employee in the administration of this Agreement because of non- membership in the Association.
