Professional Practice Professional practice varies with the range of duties and responsibilities appropriately assigned to the position (as outlined in 19.2 to 19.5)
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.
Ethical Practices 25.1. The Company, their respective employees, agents and their consultants and each other person acting for, or on behalf of, the Company, has complied with the United Kingdom Bribery Act, 2010 (the “UKBA”), FCPA, Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (the “PCA”) and all other Applicable Laws regarding illegal payments and gratuities (collectively with the UKBA, PCA and the FCPA referred as the “Improper Payment Laws”). The Founders and/or the Company, are not under investigation with respect to and have not been given notice of, any violation of any Improper Payment Laws applicable to the Business of the Company, as presently conducted or as has been conducted.
25.2. Neither the Company nor any of the Company’s directors, officers, employees or agents have, directly or indirectly, made, offered, promised or authorized any payment or gift of any money or anything of value to or for the benefit of any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in FCPA), foreign political party or official thereof or candidate for foreign political office for the purpose of (i) influencing any official act or decision of such official, party or candidate, (ii) inducing such official, party or candidate to use his, her or its influence to affect any act or decision of a foreign governmental authority, or (iii) securing any improper advantage, in the case of (i), (ii) and (iii) above in order to assist the Company or any of its affiliates in obtaining or retaining business for or with, or directing business to, any person.
25.3. Neither the Company nor any officer, director, agent or employee purporting to act on behalf of the Company or any other related party has at any time, directly or indirectly:
(i) made, provided or paid any unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses to any candidate for political office, or failed to disclose fully any such contributions in violation of any Applicable Law;
(ii) made any payment to any local, state, federal or any other type of governmental officer or official, or other person charged with similar public or quasi-public duties, other than payments required or allowed by Applicable Law (including without limitation, the FCPA, as amended);
(iii) made any payment to any agent, employee, officer or director of any entity with which the Company or any other related party does business for the purpose of influencing such agent, employee, officer or director to do business with the Company or any Related Party;
(iv) engaged in any transaction, maintained any bank account or used any corporate fund, except for transactions, bank accounts and funds which have been and are reflected in the normally maintained books and records of the Company and/or any other related party;
(v) violated any provision of the FCPA, as amended;
(vi) violated any provision of the UKBA, as amended;
(vii) violated any provision of PCA, as amended; or
(viii) made any payment in the nature of criminal bribery or any other unlawful payment.
25.4. Neither the Company nor any of its directors, officers, employees or agents have made or authorized any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment of funds or received or retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation.
25.5. Neither the Company, or to the Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors or employees are the subject of any allegation, voluntary disclosure, investigation, prosecution, or other enforcement action related to the FCPA or any other anti-corruption law (collectively, “Enforcement Action”)
Personnel Practices Section 1. The parties agree to establish a Labor-Management Committee to consult on personnel practices. The Committee will consist of five (5) representatives selected by the County and five (5) representatives by the SEIU Local 721. The Chief Executive Officer will designate a representative from CEO/Employee Relations and Department of Human Resources who have authority to resolve issues. The Committee will meet quarterly and consult on County-wide personnel practices including, but not limited to, performance evaluations, appraisals of promotability, grievance, arbitration, appeal processes, and resolution and payment of awards.
Section 2. Dignity and Professionalism in the Workplace
1. The Union and Management are committed to working together to ensure a healthy and professional work environment free from emotional and psychological abuse and intimidation and to promote dignity for all workforce members.
2. The Union and Management agree to work together to develop a training program open to managers and SEIU Local 721 represented employees through the Workforce Development Program, the Million Dollar Training Fund and/or other sources of funding designated to promote dignity, prevent and reduce intimidation and other forms of emotional and psychological abuse in the workplace and create awareness of its negative impact.
3. Labor and Management are committed to working together to address complaints of intimidation and other forms of emotional and psychological abuse in the workplace in a timely manner.
4. The County Department of Human Resources is committed to working with the Union to develop policy to promote dignity and respect at the workplace and to prevent intimidation and other forms of emotional and psychological abuse in the workplace.
Section 3. Communication through County E-mail Recognizing that e-mail is a standard medium of business communication, the County will meet with representatives of the Union to consider the feasibility of communication with bargaining unit members through their County e-mail addresses. This workgroup will complete its work within 60 days of the Board of Supervisors’ approval of the MOU. The workgroup will present recommendations to the Board of Supervisors for any policy changes.
Section 4. Education Based Discipline Education-Based Discipline (EBD) is offered when an employee must serve a suspension from duty as a result of some type of policy violation, but rather than serving the suspension days at home with a loss of pay, some or all of those days can be substituted for a relevant training class or classes. Participation in the program is voluntary for the employee. The Personnel Practices Committee defined in Section 1 will meet to discuss expansion of EBD to all departments in the County.
STANDARDS OF MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS In performing its obligations hereunder, during the term of this ESA, the Competitive Supplier shall exercise reasonable care to assure that its facilities are prudently and efficiently managed; that it employs an adequate number of competently trained and experienced personnel to carry out its responsibilities; that it delivers or arranges to deliver a safe and reliable supply of such amounts of electricity to the Point of Delivery as are required under this ESA; that it complies with all relevant industry standards and practices for the supply of electricity to Participating Consumers; and that, at all times with respect to Participating Consumers, it exercises good practice for a Competitive Supplier and employs Commercially Reasonable skills, systems and methods available to it.
Working Environment The Parties agree that a safe and clean working environment is essential in order to carry out work assignments in a satisfactory manner. It will be the Employer's responsibility to ensure that all working areas and Employer-owned vehicles are maintained in a safe and clean condition.
Internal Practices To make Business Associate’s internal practices, books and records relating to the use and disclosure of PHI received from County, or created or received by Business Associate on behalf of County, available to County or to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in a time and manner designated by County or by the Secretary, for purposes of determining County compliance with the HIPAA regulations.
Management of Special and Technical Environment Each certificated support person demonstrates an acceptable level of performance in managing and organizing the special materials, equipment and environment essential to the specialized programs.
AUTHORITY TO PRACTICE The CONTRACTOR hereby represents and warrants that it has and will continue to maintain all licenses and approvals required to, conduct its business, and that it will at all times conduct its business activities in a reputable manner. Proof of such licenses and approvals shall be submitted to the COUNTY upon request.
Payroll Practices All payments, benefits or other compensation under this paragraph 4 shall be paid in accordance with normal payroll practices as in effect on the Termination Date, except as provided in subparagraph (h) hereof, and subject to required payroll withholdings over the course of the period provided for within the applicable subsection above.
