Sabbatical Leave 1. Upon written application, not later than April 1 of any school year, a unit member who meets the following qualifications shall be granted a sabbatical leave.
2. All applications for sabbatical leave will be reviewed by a committee consisting of three (3) representatives to be named by the Superintendent, and three (3) representatives to be named by the Association President. The committee shall consider, among other qualifications, the following:
a. The proposed program of the applicant as related to professional graduate study, travel, writing, or research.
b. The value of the proposed program to the Pickerington Schools, its pupils, and the individual applicant.
c. The applicant’s total length of service with Pickerington Schools.
3. In order to be eligible for a sabbatical leave, a unit member must have been employed in the Pickerington School District for at least five (5) years.
4. Unit members requesting such leaves must accompany their applications with detailed plans for the proposed use of their sabbatical leaves. Within ninety (90) days after the expiration of his/her leave, the unit member will make a written report to the Superintendent detailing the use, which was made of his/her leave. If the leave was granted for graduate study, the unit member will present to the Superintendent a transcript from the university or college attended.
5. Unit members approved for a sabbatical leave will be notified of their approval by May 15th, or as soon thereafter as possible. A unit member on a sabbatical leave shall be given an employment contract for the year of leave and shall be entitled to a salary equal to the difference between their previous salary and the salary of the substitute teacher replacing them while on sabbatical leave.
6. As a condition of being granted a sabbatical leave, a unit member must agree to return to the Pickerington Schools for a period of one (1) year upon returning from leave. Failure to do so shall require the unit member to refund to the Board all payments received from the Board for sabbatical leave purposes during the leave period. Such refund shall be made within a four (4) month period beginning with the first full month said unit member was to have returned to duty. Such time limit may be extended by agreement of both parties.
7. Unit members on sabbatical leave shall be given full experience credit on the salary schedule and credit for seniority purposes for the period of the leave and shall return to their same or to a similar position as they held at the time the leave commenced.
8. A bargaining unit member on sabbatical leave may maintain health, life, and dental insurance benefits during the period of leave. Any member desiring continuation of such benefits must notify the Treasurer not less than thirty (30) days prior to the commencement of the leave and pay to the Treasurer an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of the total monthly cost of the insurance not less than ten (10) days in advance of the time that the Board premium payment is due.
9. Any bargaining unit member who purchases retirement credit for the portion of their salary forfeited during the sabbatical leave will pay to STRS both the employee and employer share of retirement contributions.
10. All such sabbatical leaves shall be granted in conformity to the provisions of Section 3319.131 of the Ohio Revised Code.
Special Leave The Employer, in any one year, may grant to an Employee:
(a) special leave without pay for such a period as it deems circumstances warrant;
(b) special leave with pay for reasons other than those covered by 19.02 to 19.11 inclusive, for such period as it deems circumstances warrant.
Annual Leave 17.1 An employee shall be entitled to four weeks annual leave for each twelve months’ service with the Company, exclusive of public holidays. Annual leave accumulates monthly on a pro rata basis.
17.2 The annual leave entitlement for each part time employee shall be calculated pro rata according to the ordinary hours he or she actually works.
17.3 The time of giving and taking of leave shall be by mutual arrangement between the Company and the employee concerned.
17.4 The Company may direct an employee to take annual leave during any shut down, including any such shut down over the Christmas and New Year period, provided the employee has an accrued annual leave balance that will at least cover the period of the shut down.
17.5 The Company may direct an employee to take up to a quarter of his or her total accrued annual leave entitlement if the employee’s accrued annual leave entitlement exceeds 8 weeks.
17.6 Payment for annual leave shall be made at the relevant minimum rate of pay in clause 19 – Minimum wages, plus a loading of 17.5 per cent on that rate of pay.
17.7 The Company may allow annual leave to be taken by an employee before the right thereto has accrued due.
17.8 An employee has no entitlement to the payment of the loading, when annual leave is taken wholly or partly in advance, until an entitlement accrues due and the loading is then payable in respect of the period of such leave and is calculated on the relevant minimum rate of pay in clause 19 – Minimum wages, payable at the accruing of the entitlement.
17.9 Where leave has been granted to an employee before the leave has accrued due, the Company may deduct the balance of the payment to the employee for that leave period from whatever remuneration is payable to him or her upon the cessation of employment.
17.10 An employee whose employment is terminated by the Company or who lawfully leaves the employment shall be entitled to a pro rata payment calculated on his or her relevant minimum rate of pay in clause 19 – Minimum wages, for the period in respect of which annual leave has not been taken, provided that the loading in clause 17.6 shall only be paid in respect of paid out annual leave for employees who have been employed for a minimum 12 months with the Company.
FMLA Leave The Board agrees to comply with the Family and Medical Leave Act and agrees that any policy adopted to implement the FMLA shall in no way reduce or adversely impact any other provision of this Agreement.
Casual Leave (a) Employees may be granted casual leave with pay to a maximum of two (2) hours for the following purposes:
