5400 - Personnel Leaves

Upon the recommendation of the superintendent and in accordance with the law and district    policy, staff may be granted leaves pursuant to the following conditions, unless the applicable collective bargaining agreement provides otherwise:

1. Leave at Full Pay Unless Stated Otherwise. Leaves will be with pay unless otherwise stated. If leaves are to include expenses to be paid by the district, that also will be specifically stated.
2. Leaves in Units of Full or Half Days. Leaves may be granted in units of half or full days only.
3. Return from Leaves. At the end of any leave shorter than 20 days in duration, sabbatical leave, or sick leave which does not exhaust the staff member's accumulated sick leave, the affected staff member is entitled to return to the position held when the leave commenced or to an appropriate comparable position.
   
   Except as may otherwise be specifically provided by law or district policy, a staff member will be entitled to a position in the district subject to the availability of a position for which the staff member is qualified after leaves of longer duration.
4. Prior Notice of Application. Reasonable advance notice is required for all leaves, with specific advance notice as stated in district policy.
5. Flexibility in Granting Leaves. The superintendent may grant leaves to individuals who might not otherwise be covered, or extend leave in excess of the number of days provided by district policy, in unusual or exceptional circumstances.
6. Leaves Prorated for Part-Time Staff. Part-time staff will be entitled to leave benefits, unless otherwise stated in district policy, provided that the length of leaves will be prorated according to the ratio of days and/or hours worked to the number of days and/or hours worked by a full-time staff member in the same or a similar position.
7. Noncumulative. Leaves will be noncumulative from year to year unless otherwise stated.

Unpaid Leaves:

Upon employee request, the superintendent or designee has discretion to consider providing unpaid leave to employees in certain circumstances. The option to provide unpaid leave does not obligate the district to do so or in any way limit or prevent the district from pursuing other responses.

 

Cross References:

District Policy 5411 - Staff Vacations

District Policy 5410 - Holidays

District Policy 5407 - Military Leave

District Policy 5406 - Leave Sharing

District Policy 5404 - Family, Maternity and Military Caregiver Leave

District Policy 5043 - Emergency and Discretionary Leaves

District Policy 5401 - Sick Leave

 

Legal References:

RCW  28A.400.300

Hiring and discharging of employees – Written leave policies – seniority and leave benefits of   employees transferring between school districts and other educational employers AGO 1980 No. 22 Limitation on compensated leave for school district employees

 

Adoption Date:  September 20, 2006

Revised: February 7, 2018; February 21, 2024

 

Administrator Responsibilities: