DHE

Created:  4 September, 2015

Modified: 18 November 2020

Adopted: 9 December 2020

Modified: 12 July 2023

Modified: 11 October 2023

Modified: 8 November 2023

Employee Leave and Pay policies    

NOTE:  This is not a negotiated policy

 

DEFINITIONS AND PROCEDURE

LICENSED EMPLOYEES shall include, certified teachers, other certified school personnel, building administrators, and the Superintendent of Schools.

NON-LICENSED EMPLOYEES shall be all school district staff other than LICENSED EMPLOYEES.

 

LICENSED EMPLOYEES

BENEFITS

FULL TIME

Licensed employees working full-time (defined as five full school days each week through the school year) are entitled to thirteen (13), eight (8) hour days of PTO leave with full pay.

Full time licensed employees will also be eligible for retirement contributions to the Utah Retirement Systems (URS) and health/dental insurance benefits.

THREE QUARTER TIME

Licensed employees working three quarter time (defined as equal to or greater than 20 hours scheduled per week) are entitled to prorated PTO leave calculated as “average weekly hours scheduled”/40*amount of leave given to a full time employee (based on average daily hours scheduled).

Three quarter time licensed employees will be eligible for retirement contributions to the Utah Retirement Systems (URS).

Licensed employees scheduled over 30 hours or more per week will be eligible for prorated health/dental insurance benefits.  Licensed employees working less than 30 hours per week will not be eligible for health/dental insurance benefits.

PART TIME

Licensed employees working part time (defined as less than 20 hours scheduled per week) are not eligible for leave, retirement, or health/dental insurance benefits.

 

PAY RATE LEVELS

Licensed employees' salaries will be determined annually based on the appropriate salary schedule approved by the Board.

Beginning licensed employees will be placed on level 1 of the applicable salary schedule and will advance one level each year they are employed. Salary schedules will be approved by the board annually.  Licensed employees, new to the district with qualified experience in the position for which they are employed, will be placed on the salary schedule according to policy DHCD.     

Teachers hired without a degree or at least an associate level license will not advance on the salary schedule until they earn a license.Licensed employees may also increase their salary through additional coursework or if assigned additional workload.  Additional assignments that qualify for additional salary will be listed on the salary schedule approved by the board annually.

Licensed employees beginning after January 1 of the previous year will not be eligible to advance a step for the following fiscal year.

 

INSURANCE BENEFITS

All eligible employees (as defined above) will qualify to receive health/dental insurance as approved by the board each year.  Insurance offered that is over and above what the district has agreed to cover for the school year may be purchased at the employee's expense through a payroll deduction.

Eligible employees may request in writing to receive “in-lieu of insurance” payments or prorated “in-lieu of insurance” payments if they choose not to participate in the district insurance program.  In-lieu of insurance payments will be paid out over the employees contracted year.  The Superintendent on an individual basis upon written request can make exceptions to this payment schedule.

 

NON-LICENSED EMPLOYEES

BENEFITS

FULL TIME – 12 MONTH EMPLOYEES

Non-licensed employees working full-time 12 months per year (defined as forty hours per week) are entitled to thirteen (13), eight (8) hour days of PTO leave with full pay.

Non-licensed employees working full-time 12 months per year (defined as forty hours per week) are entitled to vacation leave according to the following schedule, with full pay:

Years of Service                  Days of Vacation

            1-9                                         10

            10-19                                     15

            20+                                         20

Vacation leave does not accrue.  Any vacation days that are not used during the year are lost and do not carry over.  Vacation leave will not be paid out under any circumstances.  Employees beginning mid-year or leaving before the end of the year will be allocated prorated leave.

FULL TIME – 9 MONTH EMPLOYEES

Non-licensed employees working full-time 9 months per year (defined as forty hours per week) are entitled to thirteen (13), eight (8) hour days of PTO leave with full pay.

Full time employees will also be eligible for retirement contributions to the Utah Retirement Systems (URS) and insurance benefits as determined annually by the Board.

THREE QUARTER TIME – 12 MONTH EMPLOYEES

Non-licensed employees working three quarter time (defined as over 30 hours scheduled per week) are entitled to prorated PTO leave calculated as “average weekly hours scheduled”/40*amount of leave given to a full time employee.

Three quarter time non-licensed employees will be eligible for retirement contributions to the Utah Retirement Systems (URS) and the same benefits offered to full time employees, but on a ¾ prorated amount.

THREE QUARTER TIME – 9 MONTH EMPLOYEES

Non-licensed employees working three quarter time (defined as over 30 hours scheduled per week) are entitled to prorated PTO leave calculated as “average weekly hours scheduled”/40*amount of leave given to a full time employee.

Three quarter time non-licensed employees will be eligible for retirement contributions to the Utah Retirement Systems (URS) and the same benefits offered to full time employees, but on a ¾ prorated amount.

PART TIME EMPLOYEES

Non-licensed employees working part time (defined as less than 30 hours scheduled per week) and hired after July 1, 2013 are not eligible for leave, retirement, or insurance benefits.

Part time employees eligible for retirement benefits under a prior policy will be eligible to continue the retirement benefits.

 

PAY RATE LEVEL

Non-licensed employees’ salaries will be determined annually based on the salary schedule approved by the Board.

Beginning licensed employees will be placed on level 1 of the applicable salary schedule and will progress based on board approved annual step changes.

Non-licensed employees that change positions to a new salary schedule will begin at step 1 of the new applicable salary schedule, unless the board specifically approves the individual to transfer salary schedules at or below their current step.

Former district employees that are rehired for a position on the same salary schedule will be placed on the level with a wage that is as close to, but not greater than their departing wage.  Consideration will be given for additional years of service outside of Wayne County School District.

Employees new to the district, with qualified experience in the position for which they are employed, will be placed on the salary schedule according to policy DHCD.

Non-licensed employees beginning after January 1 of the previous year will not be eligible to advance a step for the following fiscal year.

The above provisions will not be interpreted to restrict the Board from granting higher or lower placement on the salary schedule to new or returning employees when, on the advice of the Superintendent, recruiting conditions require an exception.

 

LONGEVITY CLAUSE

Note:  This Longevity clause does not apply to employees hired after July 1, 2013.

All non-licensed employees working less than thirty (30) hours per week, who have worked in the district for five (5) or more years, and have no other leave, shall receive upon retirement remuneration in lieu of vacation days.  To receive such remuneration, the employee must be (1) of legal retirement age or (2) qualifies for immediate retirement under the provisions of the Utah State Retirement guidelines) or (3) is eligible for the retirement step on their particular salary schedule.  Remuneration will be provided as per the following schedule:

Years of Service                              Days accumulated

            5-10                                        2 days per year

            11-15                                     3 days per year

            16-20                                     4 days per year

            21-25                                     6 days per year

            26+                                         7 days per year

These days may accumulate up to a maximum of 120 days, and will be paid upon retirement at a rate of $60 per day for total accumulated days.

Partial Payout:

Employees who choose to retire early, or leave district employment may be eligible for “partial payout” at the time they leave the district.  Employees only qualify for longevity clause partial payout after a minimum of 5 years of service in the district under the following schedule:

Years of Service                              Days earned/ % payout / days paid

            5-10                                        20 days @ 25% = 5 days

            11-15                                     35 days @ 50% = 17 days

            16-20                                     55 days @ 75% = 41 days

            21-25                                     85 days @ 75% = 64 days

 26-28                                     113 days @ 75% = 85 days

            29+                                         Full Payout

 

INSURANCE BENEFITS

All eligible employees (as defined above) will qualify to receive health/dental insurance as approved by the board each year.  Insurance offered that is over and above what the district has agreed to cover for the school year may be purchased at the employee’s expense through a payroll deduction.

Eligible employees may request in writing to receive “in-lieu of insurance” payments or prorated “in-lieu of insurance” payments if they choose not to participate in the district insurance program.  In-lieu of insurance payments will be paid out over the employees contracted year.  The Superintendent on an individual basis upon written request can make exceptions to this payment schedule.

Leave policies applicable to both licensed and unlicensed employees

EMPLOYEE ABSENCES

In the case of absence, it is the employee’s responsibility to notify their supervisor as soon as possible.  It is recommended that notice be given at least 48 hours in advance, except in cases of emergency.  Requested leave for the day before or after a holiday will be subject to the approval of the requesting employee’s supervisors.  “Holidays” shall be defined for purposes of this policy as those days designated as holidays in the adopted school calendar or otherwise defined as holidays by District policy. 

No leave days shall be granted on Parent Teacher Conference days unless there is an unavoidable family emergency.  If an absence is required on a Parent Teacher Conference day, the teacher shall provide an alternative means to meet with students’ parents.

Employees are expected to attend all scheduled professional development, therefore, no leave days will be granted on professional development days that have been scheduled, approved and adopted in advance on the yearly school calendar, unless there is an unavoidable family emergency.  Employees choosing to miss scheduled professional development will be subject to administrative discipline.  An employee may appeal to his/her supervisor at least 48 hours in advance for permission to be absent from the professional development.  No personal leave days will be granted when a licensed employee is absent from scheduled professional development days.  Absences from these days will result in a pay reduction for that day.

If more than three (3) consecutive working days are requested for other than medical care, the request will need to be pre-approved by the employee’s supervisor. 

Substitutes

1. All absences must be reported to and approved by the principal or supervisor.
2. It is the responsibility of the employee with approval of the Principal or Supervisor, to arrange for a “District Approved” substitute.
3. In case of a genuine emergency, the Principal or Supervisor will arrange for the substitute.
4. Personal leave may be delayed or denied if an approved substitute is unavailable, or the Principal or Supervisor judge that the leave will create a hardship on the students or other employees of the district

Eligible employees can take unpaid leave under the FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act).  The FMLA entitles eligible employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave.

The Superintendent, in case of extenuating circumstances, may grant additional leave of up to seven (7) days per year.  The employee must provide written justification.  The Board may grant additional sick leave at its discretion through a written appeal by the employee.

Employees will not be granted leave to accept other employment or for any part of obtaining other employment.

An employee who has an absence of five (5) successive workdays, for medical care, may be required to provide a medical statement releasing him/her to return to work, with or without restrictions.  If available medical information is deemed insufficient, or the employee is unable to perform the essential functions of his/her position, the District may require an employee to undergo an independent medical examination at district expense.

 

PTO LEAVE

Employees beginning mid-year or leaving before the end of the year will be allocated prorated PTO leave.

PTO leave can be used at the employee’s discretion, subject to the employee absence policy.

PTO must be used prior to using accrued sick leave.  In extenuating circumstances, such as a medical procedure, accident, long-term illness, etc., the employee may request in writing to the superintendent to use sick leave prior to exhausting all other leave options.  Upon review of the request, the superintendent will respond in like manner either approving or denying the request.

PTO days will be converted to hours based on an 8 hour day (for full time, prorated for less than full time).  Usage will be based on hours scheduled for the day they are used.

If you use less than or equal to 3 days of PTO you qualify for a yearly leave incentive.  You will be paid $200 if you have less than or equal to 3 days absent, $400 for less than or equal to 2 days absent, and $600 for perfect attendance.  If you qualify for the yearly leave incentive and have accumulated 120 days of sick leave as of the end of the fiscal year the above payments will be doubled.

Unused days of PTO leave shall be accumulated, and at the end of the year converted to sick leave.  Sick leave can accrue up to one hundred and twenty (120) days.

SICK LEAVE

Sick leave can only be used for medical purposes.  The employee must document with his/her supervisor that these days are used for medical leave.

An employee is eligible for a payout of their accrued sick leave if the employee separates from the school district with a minimum of 6 weeks notice and is (1) of legal retirement age or (2) qualifies for immediate retirement under the provisions of the Utah State Retirement guidelines) or (3) is eligible for the retirement step on their particular salary schedule.

Upon separation an employee will receive a fixed amount for each accumulated sick leave day (defined as 8 hours).  Sick leave can accrue up to one hundred and twenty (120) days.  Employees who worked at the district for fifteen (15) years or more are eligible for $100 per day of leave and employees who worked at the district for ten (10) years or more are eligible for $50 per day of leave.  Employees working less than 10 years are not eligible for payout from this benefit.  Employees may choose from two options to receive the payout:

Use these funds to purchase the District’s group health insurance on behalf of the retired employee and, if applicable, the employee’s family, until the funds in the account are exhausted.

Or

Be paid out in a lump sum over a three-year period, beginning the year after separation.

 

HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS UPON RETIREMENT

An employee is eligible to continue on the District’s health and dental insurance if the employee separates from the school district with a minimum of 6 weeks notice and is (1) of legal retirement age or (2) qualifies for immediate retirement under the provisions of the Utah State Retirement guidelines) or (3) is eligible for the retirement step on their particular salary schedule.

Eligible employees may stay on the District’s insurance plan for a maximum of five (5) years, or until age 65, whichever comes first.  Retired employees who chose to stay on the District’s insurance are responsible for the full cost of retiree health insurance for the plan they choose.  Retirees must remit the monthly cost of the insurance plan to the district by the fifth of each month.  Failure to remit premiums timely will result in the employee being dropped from coverage and ineligible for future coverage.  If the employee is eligible to use their sick leave funds (see above) they may use those towards the cost of health insurance until the funds are exhausted.

USE OF LEAVE

For licensed employees, use of PTO and sick leave will be in accordance with the following schedule:

Monday-Thursday               8-hours/full day

Friday                                5-hours/partial day

Half days will be figured to and from 12:00pm.  Use of leave time of less than a half day will be calculated at the administrators’ discretion.