Teachers Sick Bank

SICK LEAVE BANK OPERATIONAL RULES

The purpose of the Sick Leave Bank as provided for in the Master Agreement is to offer income protection to contributing members who must be absent from their jobs for an extended period or who must be frequently absent because of prolonged or continuing illness beyond their normal control, or incapacitating accident.

Teachers eligible for membership in the Bank are Contract, and Federally Funded Special Education teachers.

Any eligible teacher who elects to participate in the Bank must contribute one day of the teacher's sick leave days to the Bank in accordance with Article 6:1-2 of the Master Agreement dated September 1, 2017 - August 31, 2021 in order to qualify for membership. Job share teachers who Elect to participate in the Bank must contribute one-half day of the teacher's sick leave days to the Bank. Such job share teachers shall be eligible for one-half the Bank days to which they would normally be entitled were they full-time contract or Federally Funded Special Education teachers.

Membership in the Bank upon a teacher's contribution shall become effective 30 calendar days after: (1) the date the person begins employment, or (2) the call for replenishment, or (3) a teacher returns from authorized leave if such return occurs during the 30-day interval between a replenishment call and the contribution deadline. Teachers returning from an authorized leave after the period between the replenishment call and the contribution deadline, provided they were members of the Bank prior to their leave, will retain their membership until the next replenishment call contribution deadline.

The period of membership shall be as provided in Article 6:1-2 of the aforementioned Master Agreement.

Members of the Bank may apply for withdrawal from the Bank upon depletion of accumulated sick leave for reasons of prolonged or continuing illness or incapacitating accident.

1. Prolonged or continuing illness or incapacitating accident shall be defined for purposes of the Bank as an illness or accident requiring the eligible member to be continuously absent from work for 10 or more working days; or as a chronic or recurring illness requiring the eligible member to be periodically absent from work because of physical incapacity, or required treatment that is not available after normal working hours and which has already caused the eligible member to be absent from work for at least 10 working days; or as the complications of an illness or accident requiring the participating member to be absent because of physical incapacity or required treatment not available after normal working hours and which has already caused the eligible member to be absent from work for at least 10 working days.

2. In all instances, a statement by a licensed physician must accompany a request for withdrawal, such statement to specify:

a. The nature of the illness or incapacitating accident;

b. the date of initial occurrence of the illness or incapacitating accident;

c. certification the individual is medically unable to perform his/her normal job responsibilities;

d. the anticipated period during which the individual will be medically unable to perform his/her normal job responsibilities.

3. An applicant shall be required to make application for withdrawal on a specified form within five working days of the date on which the applicant could reasonably have known the illness was continuing or prolonged, or the accident incapacitating. The decision of the Sick Leave Bank Committee as to the reasonable date of first knowledge shall be final. Failure to apply within the required period may result in automatic rejection of the application. Withdrawal applications are available:

Human Resources Office

Nashua School District

Administrative Office Building

141 Ledge Street

The operation of the Bank and withdrawals therefrom shall be carried out by a committee of (2) teachers selected by the Union, and one administrator selected by the Superintendent which shall furnish written records of deposits and withdrawals to the Superintendent.

1. The Bank Committee shall meet within 10 working days of the receipt of a duly executed Request for Withdrawal.

2. The Bank Committee shall render a decision on a Request for Withdrawal within 10 working days of the date all documentation and information requested by the Committee has been submitted.

3. Bank days may be granted retroactively to the next working day following the working day on which the applicant has exhausted his/her accumulated sick days.

4. Member Entitlement:

For a single prolonged or continuing illness or incapacitating accident, or for a single school year:

Sick Bank Application - Teachers

For more information or to apply to the Sick Bank, please contact the Human Resources Department at 603-966-1075.

For questions or assistance with this process, please contact the Nashua Teachers' Union Office at 603-888-7544.

Sick Bank Committee Members - Representing the NTU

Brianne Biastoff

Michelle Cohen

5. The initial grant of sick leave days by the Bank Committee to an eligible member for a single prolonged or continuing illness or incapacitating accident shall not exceed 60 school days or the maximum number of days to which the member is entitled whichever is less.

6. Upon depletion of the initial grant, additional Bank days may be granted for the same single illness or accident by the Bank Committee upon demonstration of need by the applicant, total days granted from the Bank not to exceed the following limits:

For a single prolonged or continuing illness or incapacitating accident: member's maximum entitlement.

In any school year regardless of the number of prolonged or continuing illnesses or incapacitating accidents the eligible member may suffer: member's maximum entitlement.

7. The Bank Committee may require periodic statements from a licensed physician specifying the current status of the illness or accident, that the eligible member is unable to assume his/her normal job responsibilities because of physical incapacity or required treatment unavailable after normal working hours, and the anticipated period during which the individual will be medically unable to perform his/her normal job responsibilities,

8. In no instance, shall the physician's estimate as to the period during which the individual may be medically unable to perform his/her normal job responsibilities be considered binding nor shall physical incapacity in excess of the estimated time jeopardize the individual's request for additional Bank withdrawals.

9. In instances where withdrawals are granted for a chronic or recurring illness, or for required medical treatment that is unavailable other than during normal school hours for an illness or accident, adequate documentation must be supplied by the individual making the withdrawal that the absence was due to a chronic or recurring illness or for required medical treatment that is unavailable other than during normal school hours.

10. No withdrawals may be granted during the period an eligible member is on an authorized leave of absence.

11. Withdrawals shall be granted only for scheduled working days missed because of prolonged or continuous illness, or incapacitating accident.

In all cases the decision(s) rendered by the Committee shall be final and binding.

Any rule contained herein shall be subject to change by the Committee upon thirty (30) days written notification to contributing members.

Nothing contained herein shall be in violation of existing Master Agreement provisions, Board of Education policies, or local, state or federal laws.

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