CHAPTER 6.00 - PERSONNEL
6.24 Sick Leave
Policy:
(1) Personnel employed on a full-time basis shall be entitled to earn one (1) day of sick leave per month of employment. Such leave shall be cumulative from year to year, and any leave charged against accrued sick leave shall be with full compensation. Sick leave shall be credited as follows:
(a) Administrative, Non-negotiable, and Educational Staff Professional personnel --Such full-time employees shall be credited with four (4) days of sick leave at the end of the first month of employment of each contract year and shall thereafter be credited for one (1) day of sick leave for each month of employment.
(b) Instructional personnel –Such full-time employees shall be entitled to four (4) days of sick leave as of the first day of employment of each current year, and thereafter is credited for one (1) day of sick leave at the end of each month of employment.
(c) The total number of sick leave days earned shall be no more than one (1) day of sick leave times the number of months of employment during the year of employment.
(d) Sick leave shall not be used prior to the time it is earned.
(2) Accrued sick leave shall be taken only when the employee’s service is interrupted by temporary disability which renders him/her incapable of performing his duties, or because of the illness or death of his/her father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, child, other close relative, or member of his/her own household. The term “temporary disability” as used herein shall include personal illness or injury and, in addition any temporary disability of the employee arising out of pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage, abortion, or recovery therefrom which renders the employee physically incapable of performing assigned duties.
(3) Any claim for sick leave shall be filed with the Superintendent or his/her designee, within five (5) working days upon return of the employee to duty.
(a) The claim shall be in writing and shall set forth the days absent and that such absence was allowable under the provisions of Statutes. The claim shall be duly signed by the claimant certifying that the facts are true and correct and that the claim is valid and legal.
(b) Where there is any doubt as to the validity of a sick leave claim, the Superintendent may require the claimant to file a written certification of illness from a licensed physician or other supporting evidence where personal illness is not involved. Consequences of false claims for sick leave are as follows:
1. Administrative and instructional personnel -- A false claim for sick leave shall be deemed cause for cancellation of the contract and for action seeking the revocation of the teaching contract.
2. Educational Staff Professionals -- A false claim for sick leave shall be deemed grounds for termination of the employee.
(4) An employee who has used all accrued sick leave but who is otherwise entitled to sick leave shall be granted sick leave without pay. The claim for such sick leave shall clearly state that the leave is without compensation. An application for sick leave due to extended illness shall have attached to it a statement from a practicing physician certifying that such leave is essential and indicating the probable duration of the illness and the needed leave.
(5) When an employee of the School District interrupts service and subsequently returns to duty in the District without having transferred his/her sick leave credit to another Florida school district, such accrued sick leave credit shall become valid on the first (1st) day of contractual service.
(6) When an employee retires and receives terminal pay benefits based on unused sick leave, all unused sick leave credit shall become immediately invalid.
(7) An employee may transfer into the district, sick leave earned in a similar capacity with another Florida school district or state agency. However, no transferred leave shall be credited to an employee’s account at a rate, or in an amount exceeding that earned while an employee of the District School Board. The employee is responsible for the request for transfer of sick leave. Sick leave transfers into the District from another District will have no monetary value. Requests for transfer of sick leave into or out of the District must be made within six (6) months of entering or leaving the District.
(8) After any employee accumulates sixty (60) days of sick leave, they may request an annual payment for accumulated sick leave that is earned for that year and that is unused on June 30, based on the daily rate of pay of that employee multiplied by 80 percent. All of the days for which payment is received shall be deducted from the accumulated leave balance.
(9) An employee may be absent six (6) days each school year for personal reasons. However, such absences for personal reasons shall be charged only to accrued sick leave and leave for personal reasons shall be non cumulative.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 1001.41; 1012.22; 1012.23, F.S.
LAWS IMPLEMENTED 1001.43; 1012.61; 1012.62; 1012.66, F.S.
History: Adopted: January 14, 1999
Revision Date(s): May 9, 2000; April 8, 2003; October 7, 2003; June 29, 2004; October 10, 2017; July 24, 2023
Formerly:
