5.1 Vacation
5.2 Sick Leave
5.3 Sick Leave to Vacation Conversion
5.4 Sick Leave Cancellation
5.5 Military Leave
5.6 Jury and Witness Duty Leave
5.7 Leave without Pay
5.8 Leave For Office Closings

5.1

Vacation

Employees earn vacation at the rate of ___________ hours per month. These hours can be used as soon as they are earned.

District employees must submit a written request for vacation to the CEED. Approval is subject to the maintenance of adequate office support.

A maximum of ___________ accumulated hours of vacation may be carried over into a subsequent year with approval of CEED. (Note: This is normally limited to twice the yearly entitlement.)

Unused vacation hours will be paid to the employee upon leaving employment with the district.

Note: It is suggested that vacation be given on an hourly basis and made available as earned. Example: 80 hours per year or 10 days are earned at the rate of 6 2/3 hours per month. Employees working less than full time can have the benefit pro-rated. Most counties limit vacation to staff working at least half time. The number of days per year may increase over time (5th year - 15 days, 10th year - 20 days, etc.).

Sick Leave

Employees earn sick leave at the rate of ___________ hours per month. Sick days can be used as soon as they are earned.

Note: It is suggested that sick leave be given on an hourly basis and available as earned. Example: 144 hours per year or 18 days are earned at the rate of 12 hours per month. Employees working less than full time can have sick leave benefit pro-rated. Most counties limit sick leave to staff working at least half time.

Uses of Sick Leave:

1. Employees may use accrued sick leave for personal illness, bodily injuries, and other medically related disabilities including pregnancy.
2. Sick leave used for scheduled medical and dental appointments is deducted per actual time used with a 1-hour minimum.
3. The CEED may request an employee to provide a physician's release to return to work following an extended leave. The CEED may also request a physician's verification for any extended sick leave used/requested.
4. Pallbearer, funeral leave, and emergency leave. Not to exceed three days for each occurrence for immediate family. Not to exceed one day outside immediate family. Not to exceed 5 days per calendar year for the care of and necessary attention to ill or injured members of the employee's immediate family. Note: all such time is charged to the extent of available accrued sick leave. Immediate family is defined as and limited to employee's spouse, children (foster, step, grand), parents(foster, step, grand), brothers/sisters (foster, step), aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and corresponding relatives of the employees spouse. (Note: This is a very broad interpretation of "immediate family". It is based on the fact that this leave is seldom abused, and the productivity of an employee with this need in the work place is diminished.)
5. Employees are permitted to use available compensatory time, and/or vacation leave in lieu of sick leave when they so request. When a holiday occurs during an employee's paid sick leave, the employee's sick leave account shall not be charged for the holiday.

Sick Leave to Vacation Conversion

Employees who have a minimum of 30 days (240 hours) of accumulated sick leave, and who do not use sick leave for a full calendar month may (example) elect to have 4 hours added to their earned vacation leave in lieu of adding 12 hours of sick leave to their earned sick leave balance. A maximum accumulation of converted hours should be established. (ISU's maximum is 96 hours.)

5.4

Sick Leave Cancellation

Separation from employment with the district will cancel all accumulated sick leave.

Note: It is possible to limit sick leave accumulation. If this is done, the Council may want to look at making a Long Term Disability plan available.

5.5

Military

The district will conform to the terms and conditions of the Military Service Act of 1967 and the 1968 amendments.

5.6

Jury and Witness Duty Leave

When an employee is required to report for jury duty or as a witness in court in connection with the employee's officially assigned duties on a regularly scheduled work day, he/she is excused with pay. The district will retain any fees paid excluding mileage and meals.

Employees who have not been subpoenaed or whose attendance is not part of their duties, must use vacation or leave without pay to attend such hearings.

5.7

Leave Without Pay

Leaves of absence without pay may be granted to an employee for reasons and periods of time considered proper by the CEED and reported to Council..

5.8

Leave for Office Closings

Employees who are unable to get to work because of road conditions caused by weather may count the absence against their accrued vacation hours but are expected to report to their supervisor.

In the event that the CEED closes the office for weather or mechanical reasons, the employee's absence will not be charged against vacation hours.