Pregnancy and pregnancy related issues. For purposes of absence due to illness, injury, or death in the employee’s immediate family, immediate family shall be defined to include bona fide members of the employee’s household and /or spouse, parent, child, mother- or father-in-law, sister, brother, grandparents, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, or any relative who is dependent upon the employee. Stepchildren, stepparents, xxxxxx children and xxxxxx parents shall also be considered immediate family for this purpose. There may be other situations where medical necessity exists and will be considered by the Superintendent. Death of a relative or close friend not included in the above may be considered by the Superintendent or leave chargeable to sick leave will be authorized for one (1), two (2), or more days if the situation appears to warrant such leave. Decisions regarding “immediate family” rest with the Superintendent or his/her designee. Sick leave notification form must be completed for any day or part of day used. The form must include a signed statement justifying usage of sick leave for one of the reasons stated above. Days of absence authorized under this provision shall be deducted from the sick leave accumulation. One and one-fourth (1-1/4) days of sick leave shall be granted full time employees for each completed month of employment up to fifteen (15) days per year. Unused sick leave may be accumulated up to three hundred thirty-nine (339) days total accumulation. Employees who have accumulated their maximum number of sick leave days will have their sick leave credited at the end of the school year. Should an employee have absences due to illness of more than the total accumulated sick leave, such employee, unless employed on an hourly basis, will be granted an advancement of sick leave to a maximum of five (5) days if requested. For any staff member remaining on contract the next school year, the use of sick leave shall be charged against the staff member’s normal accumulating sick leave so that no loss in pay results. (If the employee should resign, be placed on leave of absence, or become deceased before this advancement of sick leave has been earned back, such unearned sick leave days shall be deducted from adjusted final pay or claim shall be made against the employee or his estate.) Deductions of sick leave due will be in one half (½) day blocks as follows: 0-2 hours, no deduction; over two (2) hours up to four (4) hours, one half (1/2) day; over four (4) hours, one
