Sick Leave Bank

The purpose of the Coweta County School System Sick Leave Bank is to provide its members with sick leave after their own accumulated sick leave has been exhausted. Employees who elect to become members of the Sick Leave Bank are required to contribute part of their accumulated sick leave to the Bank.  Members may withdraw sick leave from the Bank only in accordance with the procedures established by the Coweta County Board of Education.

Due to the depletion of days in the "Bank" it will be necessary for employees to donate one (1) day during the 2009 plan year in order to continue participation in the plan. Election to participate and agreement to donate one day must be made during the Annual Open Enrollment in 2008.

ADMINISTRATION

1.  The Coweta County School System Sick Leave Bank shall be administered by a committee consisting of seven employees appointed annually by the Superintendent and approved by the Coweta County Board of Education: a school based administrator; a member of the central office staff; a secondary teacher; a middle school teacher; an elementary teacher; and two employees from the classified ranks.

2.  The committee shall have the responsibility for receiving, verifying, and approving or denying requests for Sick Leave Bank withdrawals.

3.  The committee shall elect a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, and a secretary.

4.  The committee will render a decision on all applications within twenty (20) working days of receipt of the complete application.

5.  The decision of the committee must reflect a majority vote of those present, providing a minimum of five members are present.

6.  The decision of the committee is final and is not subject to appeal.

7.  The committee will use the following criteria in administering the Sick Leave Bank and in rendering their decisions:

a.  Must have Medical Evidence of serious illness;

b.  Must use all accumulated sick leave; and

c.  Must use all vacation days.

8.  All records of the Sick Leave Bank shall be maintained by the Benefits Department. The Committee shall inform the Benefits Department of all applications they approve and the amount of additional leave granted the employee.

MEMBERSHIP

1.  Any permanent employee entitled to sick leave in the Coweta County School System may become a member by donating one (1) day of his/her accumulated sick leave during the Open Enrollment Period.

2.  Membership requests will only be accepted during the annual open enrollment period.

3.  New employees are eligible for participation in the first open enrollment period.

4.  The donation of one (1) sick day to establish membership must be deposited in writing on the Sick Leave Donation Form.

5.  Donations of sick leave to the Sick Leave Bank are not refundable and not transferable.

6.  Membership to the Sick Leave Bank is considered continuous unless written notice of withdrawal of membership is received by the Committee within the Open Enrollment Period of a subsequent year.

SICK LEAVE BANK

1.  The Sick Leave Bank shall have a minimum of 500 days on deposit before it may be activated. At no time shall the balance of days on deposit fall below 500.

2.  In the event the balance of days on deposit falls below 500 during the school year, all participating members shall contribute one (1) additional day during the first 30 days of the next contract or assigned year in order to restore the bank to the established level. Employee members shall be notified in writing prior to necessary contribution of one (1) additional day for deposit maintenance.

PROCEDURES FOR SICK LEAVE WITHDRAWAL

1.  A member of the Sick Leave Bank shall be eligible to make application for withdrawal of days from the bank provided that:

a.  He/she has been absent due to illness at least ten (10) consecutive workdays immediately prior to the use of the Sick Leave Bank days. Sick Leave Bank days may be utilized for the employee's illness or the illness of an immediate family member, to include spouse, child, or parent in life threatening situations.

b.  He/she has exhausted his/her own accumulated leave (sick and vacation).

2.  In the event that a member is physically or mentally unable to make a request to the Sick Leave Bank, a family member or agent may file the request on the member's behalf.

3.  All requests to withdraw days from the Sick Leave Bank shall be filed with the Committee on the Sick Leave Bank Withdrawal Form.

4.  The Sick Leave Bank Withdrawal Form shall be accompanied by a physician's statement verifying illness and attesting to the individual's incapacity to perform assigned duties.

5.  An applicant may be required to undergo a medical review by a physician approved by the Committee at his/her own expense.

6.  Leave grants from the Bank shall be in units of up to twenty (20) consecutive workdays.

7.  Applicants may submit requests for extensions of leave before their prior grant expires.

8.  The maximum number of days a member may receive in any school year (July 1 through June 30) is sixty (60) days. Once a member is granted and uses sixty (60) days in a school year, he/she must work one (1) full school year before any additional days may be granted.

9.  All leave granted, but not used by the member, must be returned to the Sick Leave Bank.

10. Sick leave granted to a member from the Sick Leave Bank does not have to be repaid.

11. Each member shall sign a Sick Leave Bank Donation Form stating that he/she is aware of the provisions of the Sick Leave Bank and that he/she relieves the Committee and the Coweta County School System from any liability as a result of action taken by the Committee.

12. This policy takes effect upon approval of the Board.

DEFINITIONS:

1.  "member" means any full-time employee who is entitled to sick leave in the Coweta County School System who agrees to follow the procedures established for the Coweta County School System Sick Leave Bank.

2.  "withdrawal" means to receive a day or days from the Coweta County School System Sick Leave Bank to be counted toward the member's sick leave days.

3.  "contribute" means the giving of a day or days of a member's sick leave to the Coweta County School System Sick Leave Bank.

4.  "accumulated sick leave" means sick leave afforded to an employee of the Coweta County School System over the years of employment that has not been used.