PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT A. The Board of Education agrees to pay the actual tuition costs of courses taken by a teacher at accredited colleges or universities up to three courses per two (2) year fiscal periods from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2008 and July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2010 respectively, except as follows:
1. No teacher may be reimbursed for courses taken during the first year of teaching in Vineland.
2. Teachers taking courses in the second and third years of employment in Vineland will not receive remuneration until tenure has been secured. The remuneration will then be retroactive and will be paid to the teacher in a lump sum within sixty (60) days after the teacher has secured tenure.
3. All courses must be pre-approved by the Superintendent or his designee subject to the following requirements:
(a) A teacher must provide official documentation that he/she has obtained a grade of B or better;
(b) Reimbursement shall be paid only for courses directly related to teacher’s teaching field which increase the teacher’s content knowledge and are related to the teacher’s current certification, as determined by the Superintendent or his/her designee in his/her sole discretion; no reimbursement shall be paid for courses leading to a post graduate or professional degree in a field other than education or teaching. Further, effective September 1, 2010, all newly hired teachers shall not be eligible for reimbursement until they are tenured, and they shall not be eligible for retroactive reimbursement upon gaining tenure for courses taken prior to being tenured.
(c) The maximum total payments to be made by the Board shall not exceed $130,000.00. Courses shall be applied for no earlier than the following dates: Summer Session - April 1 Fall/Winter Session - June 1 Spring Session - October 1 Courses must, as set forth hereinabove in this sub-article 18.A.3, be pre-approved by the Superintendent or his designee, prior to the teacher commencing the course(s); and
(d) Teacher taking courses shall sign a contract requiring them to reimburse the Board for all tuition paid for a course if the teacher shall voluntarily leave the employ of the Board within one (1) full school/academic year of completion of said course, except that reimbursement shall not be required when the teacher shall voluntarily leave the employ of the Board due to a significant, documented life change.
4. Tuition reimbursement costs shall be a sum not to exceed the actual cost of college credits charged in an accredited public State college/University of the State of New Jersey.
B. When the Superintendent initiates in-service training courses, workshops, conferences and programs designed to improve the quality of instruction, the cooperation of the Vineland Education Association will be solicited. Notwithstanding the above, the initiation of in-service training courses, workshops, conferences and programs shall be determined solely at the discretion of the Board.
C. One professional leave day may be granted to a teacher upon request, according to the following guidelines:
1. The professional day may be for attendance at a workshop, seminar or visit to another school for the expressed purpose of self professional improvement for the job.
2. The request shall arrive in the office of the Superintendent of Schools at least ten (10) working days prior to the date requested and shall be reviewed by the immediate supervisor prior to submission. The Board reserves the right to deny a professional leave day before or immediately following a holiday or on a day which by its nature suggests a hardship for providing a substitute.
3. No more than two teachers from any one elementary school or from any one department in the secondary schools may be granted a professional leave for a given day.
4. The teacher may be required to submit a report to the Superintendent of Schools, Assistant Superintendent, supervisor (s), principal and staff regarding the activity of the professional day.
5. Costs incurred by the teacher for the professional day authorized under this Section shall be the teacher’s responsibility.
6. A maximum of 90 professional leave days may be authorized for the school year which shall be apportioned as follows: elementary, 35; grades seven and eight, 20; and high school, 35.
D. If the Board initiates a teacher’s attendance at a professional workshop, seminar or visit, the expenses shall be the responsibility of the Board. Further, this day shall not be subtracted from the 90 professional leave days granted to teachers of the Association.
E. The Board agrees to pay the full cost of courses taken by secretaries related to skills and knowledge improvement when such courses are required and approved by the Board.
F. The Board and the Association agree that it is important to communicate when developing and implementing current and future learning technologies, including but not limited to distance and on-line learning.
Dependent Care Assistance Program The County offers the option of enrolling in a Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) designed to qualify for tax savings under Section 129 of the Internal Revenue Code, but such savings are not guaranteed. The program allows employees to set aside up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) of annual salary (before taxes) per calendar year to pay for eligible dependent care (child and elder care) expenses. Any unused balance is forfeited and cannot be recovered by the employee.
Volunteer Peer Assistants 1. Up to eight (8)
Office Visits (other than Preventive Care Services) This plan covers office and clinic visits to diagnose or treat a sickness or injury. Office visit copayments differ depending on the type of provider you see. This plan covers physician visits in your home if you have an injury or illness that: • confines you to your home; or • requires special transportation; and • because of this injury or illness, you are physically unable to travel to the provider’s
Medical Care Leave An Employee who is unable to make the necessary arrangements for maintenance of personal health care outside of scheduled work time, shall be granted time off with pay. Such time off shall not exceed sixteen (16) working hours per calendar year. Hours in excess of sixteen (16) hours per calendar year shall be deducted from the Employee's sick leave accumulation.
CONDITIONS FOR EMERGENCY/HURRICANE OR DISASTER - TERM CONTRACTS It is hereby made a part of this Invitation for Bids that before, during and after a public emergency, disaster, hurricane, flood, or other acts of God that Orange County shall require a “first priority” basis for goods and services. It is vital and imperative that the majority of citizens are protected from any emergency situation which threatens public health and safety, as determined by the County. Contractor agrees to rent/sell/lease all goods and services to the County or other governmental entities as opposed to a private citizen, on a first priority basis. The County expects to pay contractual prices for all goods or services required during an emergency situation. Contractor shall furnish a twenty-four (24) hour phone number in the event of such an emergency.
Cardiac Rehabilitation This plan covers services provided in a cardiac rehabilitation program up to the benefit limit shown in the Summary of Medical Benefits.
Special Parental Allowance for Totally Disabled Employees (a) An employee who:
(i) fails to satisfy the eligibility requirement specified in subparagraph 17.05(a)(ii) solely because a concurrent entitlement to benefits under the Disability Insurance (DI) Plan, the Long-term Disability (LTD) Insurance portion of the Public Service Management Insurance Plan (PSMIP) or via the Government Employees Compensation Act prevents the employee from receiving Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan benefits, and
(ii) has satisfied all of the other eligibility criteria specified in paragraph 17.05(a), other than those specified in sections (A) and (B) of subparagraph 17.05(a)(iii), shall be paid, in respect of each week of benefits under the parental allowance not received for the reason described in subparagraph (i), the difference between ninety-three per cent (93%) of the employee's rate of pay and the gross amount of his or her weekly disability benefit under the DI Plan, the LTD Plan or via the Government Employees Compensation Act.
(b) An employee shall be paid an allowance under this clause and under clause 17.05 for a combined period of no more than the number of weeks during which the employee would have been eligible for parental, paternity or adoption benefits under the Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan, had the employee not been disqualified from Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan benefits for the reasons described in subparagraph (a)(i).
Rehabilitative Employment (a) During a period of total disability under this plan, a disabled employee may engage in rehabilitative employment in which case the benefit from this plan will be reduced by 50% of the employee's rehabilitative employment income that exceeds $50 per month. The benefit from this plan will be further reduced by the amount that remuneration from rehabilitative employment plus the benefit from the L.T.D. plan exceeds 75% of the employee's basic wage at date of disability.
(b) Rehabilitative employment shall mean any occupation or employment for wage or profit or any course or training that entitles the disabled employee to an allowance, provided such rehabilitative employment has the approval of the employee, and his doctor in consultation with the underwriter of the L.T.D. plan.
(c) Rehabilitative employment will be deemed to continue until such time as the employee's earnings from rehabilitative employment exceed 75% of his straight time earnings at date of disability but in no event for more than twenty-four (24) months from the date rehabilitative employment commences.
Industrial Relations Training Leave Union Delegate/Employee Representative shall have access to industrial relations training in accordance with Appendix E hereof.
