WASATCH SCHOOL DISTRICT Policy Orig. Date: 02/24/2000. Policy and Responsibility Revision Date: None

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1 Background: Purpose: During the negotiation sessions for the contract, the discussions included the possibility of developing a sick leave bank for members of the certified staff. The committee began to meet after January 1999 toward the development of this policy. The intent of the sick bank is to provide a bridge to long-term disability and provide an employee additional paid sick leave when a catastrophic illness or disability occurs requiring extended hospitalization, treatment or home confinement of the employee beyond what has been accumulated in his/her sick and personal leave accounts to cover catastrophic situations. Participants in the Sick Leave Bank: Employees who wish to join the sick leave bank will donate a minimum of one (1) day or maximum of three (3) days into the bank on/or before September October 1 st, of the contract year. The bank will accumulate up to 1,500 days. No more days will be added to the bank until the bank is depleted to 500 days, except for those days donated by new members. If the bank is depleted to 500 days, all members will donate one (1) day per year until the bank is back to 1,500 days. New employees who wish to join the sick leave bank must do so within 15 days of their beginning date of employment. Membership will be continuing unless written notification of intent to drop from membership is received by the District Office within 15 working days after the beginning before September 1 st of the employee's contract year. Dropping of membership will not entitle the employee to previously donated days. The sick leave bank is created and maintained for all members of the licensed certificated staff without membership in the Wasatch Education Association as a prerequisite to participation. Eligibility and Benefits: Employees who are active participants in the sick leave bank program are eligible to draw upon the bank in situations where illness or injury to themselves, their spouse, their dependent children or elderly parents living within their immediate household requires the employee to be away from work longer than the number of days that they have accumulated in their personal leave accounts. Before an employee can draw upon the sick leave bank, he/she must have used all paid leaves (sick and personal). An injury or illness does not qualify for coverage through the sick leave bank unless it will require the employee to be absent for a minimum of five (5) consecutive days. Each 1 of 1

2 request to the sick leave bank from an individual employee requires an additional absence of at least five (5) consecutive days when the request is based on a different illness or injury. Medical Appointments: Medical appointments after the employee has returned to work that are associated with the illness or injury that qualified for relief through the sick leave bank may be covered by the provisions of this program if approved by the Sick Leave Bank Committee. Accessing the Benefit/Maximum Usage: Active participants in the program will access the benefit by making formal application for consideration through the Director of Human Resources sick bank committee. The HR Director committee may require evidence including, but not limited to, a doctor's statement before approval is granted. Maximum withdrawal from the bank is sixty (60) days per request to be reviewed each fifteen (15) days. Additional days -must be requested by submitting a new application to the sick leave bank committee. An individual employee is limited to a maximum of one hundred twenty (120) days of paid leave through the sick leave bank during any one given contract year or until the time the employee qualifies for long-term disability. A majority vote of the members of the Sick Leave Bank Committee is necessary to approve an application for benefits. All applicable sections will be pro-rated for part-time employees. Request can be submitted before the employee runs out of accumulated leave. An employee who withdraws sick leave from the bank will not be required to pay back those days except as a regular contributing member to the bank. Excessive Demands Upon the System: If the demand for days exceeds the balance in the sick leave bank, the Sick Leave Bank Committee will be permitted to request additional days from the participating employees. Those who have not donated the maximum of three days will be the first employees given the opportunity to donate. Employees who have donated the maximum of three (3) days will be given the second opportunity to donate. If a shortage is still present, donations may be requested of all other employees. Perpetuation of the Sick Leave Bank: If, at any time in the future, the program is dissolved, the Sick Leave Bank Committee will be responsible for proposing to the Board a method for the distribution of the days in the bank to those who are or have been participants. Sick Leave Bank Committee: 2 of 2

3 Limitations: The sick leave bank is considered to be an employee's program permitted by the district. Decisions associated with the program are made by the Sick Leave Bank Committee. The decision of the Sick Leave Bank Committee is considered to be final unless accusations of discrimination and/or inconsistency in the administration of guidelines are made. Appeals based on these issues are to be made directly to the Director of Human Resources President of the Wasatch Education Association who will be responsible for the development of a hearing panel. The Sick Leave Bank Committee is composed of four individuals. Three licensed certificated individuals are to be appointed by the Director of Human Resources and the President of the Wasatch Education Association (or an election by licensed certificated personnel) while the other members will be the Director of Human Resources and the Business Administrator for the School District. ALL members terms will be three (3) year staggered terms, except the HR Director and Business Administrator. The committee will determine whether or not the employee is in a catastrophic situation. The Human Resource Director Sick Leave Bank Committee is responsible for administering the program in the way consistent with established guidelines, accepting applications for consideration, reviewing applications, determining eligibility, and communicating the program to the staff including the yearly solicitations for donations. The district office will maintain attendance records of complete donations and withdrawals when provided a signed authorization from each individual employee. 1. The committee will also determine whether an individual has committed any violations of the sick leave policy. Should it be determined that a member is drawing sick bank days fraudulently, he/she shall be required to repay all fraudulently obtained funds and membership from the sick bank shall be terminated immediately. 2. Readmission to the sick bank after fraudulently obtaining days must be approved by the committee after a period of three (3) years. 3. No employee will be allowed to draw from the Sick Leave Bank and another district program simultaneously. 4. Under this policy, elective surgery is not eligible for Sick Leave Bank days. 5. Abuse of the policy will result in suspension of the benefit. Board of Education: The Board retains the authority to authorize the program on a yearly basis including the review of any changes in the rules and regulations governing the program. The Board also may require a 3 of 3

4 yearly report on the status of the program including both donations and employee utilization. The Board is concerned about equal, consistent treatment of participants regardless of their affiliation with the Association. Discrimination against nonmembers would place the continuation of this program in jeopardy. 4 of 4

5 WASATCH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT CATASTROPHIC SICK LEAVE BANK DONATION FORM Name Social Security Number School or Department Position Full time or Part time I have read the guidelines regarding the catastrophic sick leave bank and agree to donate one, two, or three days (please indicate choice) of my allotted sick leave to the bank each year beginning with the fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter until revoked by me in writing. I understand the provisions governing contribution and use of the sick leave bank. This form must be completed and returned to the District Office no later than September 1 of the current contract year than 30 days after the beginning of the employee's contract year. Employees who submit forms after the deadline are not eligible to participate for that contract year. If I apply for leave from the sick leave bank, I authorize the District Office to disclose my leave history to the Sick Leave Bank Committee. I also authorize my health care professional to discuss medical information including diagnosis and physical capacities with representatives of the Sick Leave Bank Committee if it becomes necessary. This authorization is valid until I give written notice that I no longer desire to participate in the sick leave bank. Signature Date Committee Use Only: Received Correspondence Granted Date Denied Date Committee Member Signature: 5 of 5

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7 REQUEST FOR SICK LEAVE BENEFITS from the Wasatch County School District's Sick Leave Bank I, a member of the Wasatch County School District's Sick Leave Bank, do hereby request a grant from the bank due to the conditions and circumstances described below. The approximate number of days requested is. I understand that before applying for days from the bank, all my available unused sick and personal leave must be used. My signature below certifies that to the best of my knowledge, I have met all requirements for benefits from the sick leave bank. Date of illness/accident Last day at work Last day of use of all accumulated leave Number of sick leave bank days granted previous to this request, including other school years _ Give a description of illness or accident related to the request for sick leave bank benefits: (Use additional sheet if necessary) Signature Date Deliver to Wasatch County School District s Human Resource Director Business Administrator 7 of 7