Paraeducator Information

Employee Benefits

by Kathy Davidson

July 15, 2008

Section 125 Insurance

The Interlocal Board will provide the Section 125 Cafeteria plan for paraeducators. Options will include Health Insurance, Group Term Life Insurance, Salary Protection Insurance, Cancer Insurance, Dental, Vision, Medical Reimbursement and Dependent Care. The employee cannot change any options between October 1 and September 30, unless family status changes as follows: marriage, divorce, death of a spouse or child, or discontinuance of employment. The Interlocal Board retains the sole right to select all common carriers of all benefits.

Defined Insurance Benefit Program

Each full-time staff member who chooses to participate in the group health insurance plan shall have a portion of the monthly premium paid as approved by the Interlocal Board. Employees working less than 20 hours per week are not eligible for the benefit.

Sick Leave

Sick leave for paraeducators will equal the hours worked per day times 10 days. (EX: an employee is scheduled to work 6.5 hours each days. He/she would receive 65 hours of sick leave for the contract year). Any unused sick leave may be accumulated to a maximum of one hundred twenty (120) days, all or any part of which may be used in any given year for absences covered by this policy.

New employees will earn 6.5 hours of sick leave per month during the 90 day probationary period. The new employee will receive the remainder of sick leave following a satisfactory probationary period.

Sick leave is defined as personal illness, doctor appointments or illness of a near relative. A near relative is defined to mean the spouse, siblings, parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren of the employee. This includes relationships established through marriage or adoption. A school year for sick leave purposes is defined as that period of time included in each employee's work agreement when said employee is considered "on duty".

Sick Leave Pool

There is hereby established a pool of sick leave days for use by participating employees. Said sick leave pool shall be used in the event of prolonged illness, or disability, and will be implemented as follows:

Each employee is eligible to participate; each employee will contribute one day to the sick leave pool during any contract year; before using the sick leave pool, the employee shall have depleted his/her accumulated sick and personal leave; the pool may not be used to cover employees who are receiving pay from worker's compensation; no employee may draw more than 195 hours (30 contract days) from the pool during any school year (July 1 - June 30); benefits for children and spouse as defined will be limited to a maximum of 65 hours (10 days) per employee per year.any eligible employee who wishes to use the pool must complete the application form with a doctor's signature. The application shall be presented to sick leave screening board which shall consist of: the Director or his/her designee; the Clerk of the Board. Written notification of approval or other disposition of the application will be made by the Director to the applicant.

Catastrophic Leave

From time to time an employee may experience life events (illness, accident, natural disaster, etc.) that may cause him/her to be unable to complete the duties of their work. Employees who experience these events and who use all their accrued sick leave, personal leave, and sick leave pool availability may apply to the Interlocal for catastrophic leave benefits. Catastrophic Leave benefits will be limited to 390 hours (60 calendar days). Application for these benefits shall be made in writing to the Director who shall present a recommendation to the Interlocal Board. The Board may choose to approve or deny any application for catastrophic leave.

Extended Leave

Extended leave for a maximum of one year may be granted by the Board to employees who request such a leave. This leave shall be requested by February 1 for leave during the following school year. A request indicating the reason for a leave of absence shall be submitted to the Director who shall present it to the Board for consideration. Leave may be requested for the following: a new child by birth or adoption; other reasons approved by the board. Leave periods less than one year, the leave may be granted at the option of the Board.

An employee on a leave of absence will be required to notify the Interlocal by February 1 of the intent to return the following year. Failure to notify by this date will forfeit the right to return.

Extended leaves are without pay, however the employee may remain in the district's medical insurance group by a timely payment of premiums during the term of the leave. Returning employees will retain leave and salary placement accrued prior to the leave. Employees returning to regular employment following a leave of absence will be placed in a position similar to the position vacated prior to the leave, but are not guaranteed a return to the same position.

Adoption Leave

Any regular, full time employee of the district may use a maximum of 19.5 hours (3 days) accumulated sick leave because of the adoption of a child.

Personal Leave

An employee shall be entitled to 13 hours (2 days) of leave time per year for personal business reasons provided the request has been approved in advance by the building principal. Personal business leave cannot be used the day before or after a scheduled vacation or holiday and only one employee leave per building per day is allowed unless approved by the supervising teacher. Personal days not used by June 30 of the school year will be transferred to sick leave days.

Personal leave will be computed in hours per year. The hours allowed will equal hours worked per day times 2. (EX: an employee is scheduled to work 6.5 hours each day. he/she would receive 13 hours of personal leave.

Transfer

Paraeducators may request to transfer to another open position by submitting a request in writing to the director. Employees making a transfer request who match the skill and knowledge requirements of the position shall be given an interview. Staff decisions will be based on education benefits.