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  2. DEF

DEF

POLICY FOR RETIREES’ UNUSED SICK LEAVE

COMPENASATION FOR UNUSED SICK LEAVE

 

 

This policy does not supersede or intend to replace any school policy regarding sick leave.

 

It is the intention of this policy to reward career employees who are retiring.  It is intended as an expression of gratitude toward retirees for faithful attendance to their duties at Tannehill School.  This policy shall not be construed as a blanket buy-back policy of unused leave for any and all persons resigning from positions held at Tannehill School.  This policy shall not be construed or considered as part of a negotiated agreement or as a component of employee contracts.

 

The school board reserves the right to review each petition for leave buy-back on a case-by-case basis.  The Tannehill School Board will endeavor to be fair and consistent in awarding compensation and in that regard determinations of the board will be guided by the following stipulations:

 

  1. Employee vested status:  This policy is designed for career employees that have committed at least 10 years of consecutive service to Tannehill School and also have reached eligible retirement status as determined by:
  • Social Security Retirement benefit eligibility for support staff
  • Oklahoma Teacher Retirement benefit eligibility for certified staff.

     

  1. Origin of leave:  When calculating the compensation amount, the board will only consider leave that has been accumulated during the time of employment at Tannehill School.  The payroll clerk shall maintain a record in the employee's personnel files of any eligible accumulated sick leave accrued at an institution other than Tannehill School.  This information shall be established upon the hiring of individuals and is considered a part of the routine information gathering for files of new hires.

     

  2. Consumption of leave:  For compensation or "buy back" calculation purposes, sick leave that is consumed during employment with Tannehill will be deducted from the amount that is accrued at Tannehill School.  Leave earned at other institutions shall not be considered in retirement buy-back calculations but is banked only for traditional sick leave time-off work after the leave amount accrued at Tannehill has been exhausted.

    policy for Retirees' Unused Sick Leave

     

  3. Employee "Good-Standing" status:  Compensation is intended to reward employees that retire and leave their positions "in good standing".  This "good standing" will be determined by the superintendent and shall be based on the employee meeting expectations of professionalism in conduct, by maintaining their work ethic through the end of the retirement year, providing 90 days notice of intent to retire and any other factors deemed appropriate by the superintendent.  The superintendent shall notify the employee in writing in any case where "good standing" status is denied and shall justify the reasons for denial by citing specific evidence of unsatisfactory conduct, performance or other factors of cause.

     

  4. Availability of funds: School finance is unpredictable and may at various times be tenuous.  At any time that the Tannehill School General Revenue Fund is perceived to be in danger of potentially not meeting obligations over a forward projected time frame of 120 days the school board will not award compensation to retirees for unused sick leave.

     

  5. No retro-active buyback:  In any case where compensation has not been awarded due to the lack of available funds as outlined in item (5) above, there shall be no means for review of a petition for retro-active buy back once the financial standing of the general fund returns to a less tenuous condition.  In other words,

 

POLICY FOR RETIREES’ UNUSED SICK LEAVE, COMPENASATION FOR UNUSED SICK LEAVE (Cont.)

 

 

 

 

an employee that is denied compensation may not return at a later time requesting that the board reconsider once finances improve.

 

  1. Rate of Compensation:  Compensation shall be calculated based on the unused portion of the retiring employee's sick leave days multiplied by $25.00 per day.

     

  2. Maximum Compensation:  Tannehill School will offer compensation for no more than 120 days of unused sick leave with the maximum amount paid to a retiring employee being $3,000.00.  If any days are used as service for Teacher’s Retirement they cannot be purchased by the school as they are “used”.

     

  3. Sick Leave Deduction:  Tannehill School will not pay for leave that is being transferred to another place of employment.  The retiring employee understands and consents upon receiving compensation - to the deduction from the employee's sick leave bank that amount of days for which the employee receives compensation.  Tannehill School will not pay for sick leave if the employee does not consent to the deduction from the accumulated leave days on record — this compensation is not a stipend benefit but rather a leave buy-back.  Should the retiree return to work at Tannehill School or for any entity that recognizes Tannehill School leave, the employee may not request that leave days be reinstated which have been bought back as part of this compensation agreement.

     

  4. Effect on other policies:  The rate of compensation and other factors outlined in this policy shall not be construed as a means to effect any other school policies - such as rate I l woe of liability for employees who use more than their allotted leave amount.

     

  5. Notification Requirement:  Retiring employees must provide 90 days notice of intent to retire in order to be eligible for sick leave buy-back.