Employee Handbook
2009-2010
Table of contents
Introduction
Employee handbook receipt
District information
....... Description of the district............................... 3
....... District
map.................................................. 4
....... Mission
statement, goals, and objectives........ 5
....... Board
of trustees.......................................... 5
....... Board
meeting schedule for 2009-2010......... 6
....... Administration............................................... 7
....... School
calendar............................................ 8
....... Helpful
contacts............................................ 9-10
.......
Employment
....... Equal employment opportunity...................... 11
....... Job
vacancy announcements.......................... 11
....... Employment
after retirement.......................... 11
....... Contract
and noncontract employment........... 11-12
....... Searches
and alcohol and drug testing............ 12-13
....... Health
safety training..................................... 13
....... Reassignments
and transfers.......................... 13
....... Workload
and work schedules...................... 14
....... Notification
to parents regarding qualifications…..14
....... Outside
employment and tutoring................... 14-15
....... Performance
evaluation................................. 15
....... Employee
involvement................................... 15
....... Staff
development......................................... 16
Compensation and benefits
....... Salaries, wages, and stipends........................ 17
....... Annualized
compensation.............................. 17
....... Paychecks.................................................... 17-18
....... Automatic
payroll deposit.............................. 18
....... Payroll
deductions......................................... 18
....... Overtime
compensation................................. 18-19
....... Travel
expense reimbursement....................... 19
....... Health,
dental, and life insurance.................... 19-20
....... Supplemental
insurance benefits..................... 20
....... Cafeteria
plan benefits (Section 125)............. 20
....... Workers’
compensation insurance................. 20-21
....... Unemployment
compensation insurance......... 21
....... Teacher
retirement........................................ 21
.......
Leaves and absences
....... Personal leave............................................... 22-23
....... Sick
leave..................................................... 23
....... Local
leave................................................... 23-24
....... Temporary
disability...................................... 24
....... Family
and medical leave............................... 24-28
....... Workers’
compensation benefits................... 28
....... Assault
leave................................................. 28-29
....... Bereavement
leave........................................ 29
....... Jury
duty....................................................... 29
....... Other
court appearances............................... 29
....... Military
leave................................................ 29
Employee relations and
communications
....... Employee recognition and appreciation.......... 30
....... District
communications................................. 30
Complaints and grievances………………….…31
Employee conduct and welfare
....... Standards of conduct.................................... 32-34
....... Discrimination,
harassment, and retaliation..... .34
....... Harassment
of students................................. 35
....... Drug-abuse
prevention.................................. 35
....... Reporting
suspected child abuse.................... 36
....... Fraud
and financial impropriety...................... 36-37
....... Conflict
of interest......................................... 37
....... Gifts
and favors............................................. 37
....... Associations
and political activities................. 37-38
....... Safety........................................................... 38
....... Tobacco
use................................................. 38
Criminal history background checks.............. 38
....... Employee
arrests and convictions.................. 39
....... Possession
of firearms and weapons.............. 39
....... Visitors
in the workplace............................... 39
....... Copyrighted
materials................................... 40
....... Computer
use and data management............. 40
....... Asbestos
management plan........................... 40
....... Pest
control treatment................................... 40-41
.......
General procedures
....... Bad weather closing...................................... 42
....... Emergencies................................................. 42
....... Purchasing
procedures.................................. 42
....... Name
and address changes........................... 42
....... Personnel
records......................................... 43
....... Building
use.................................................. 43
Termination of employment
....... Resignations.................................................. 44
....... Dismissal
or nonrenewal of contract employees…44
....... Dismissal
of noncontract employees............... 44-45
....... Exit
interviews and procedures...................... 45
....... Reports
to State Board for Educator Certification..45
....... Reports
concerning court-ordered withholding..45
Student issues
....... Equal educational opportunities..................... 46
....... Student
records............................................ 46
....... Parent
and student complaints....................... 47
....... Administering
medication to students............. 47
....... Dietary
supplements...................................... 47
....... Psychotropic
drugs....................................... 47-48
....... Student
discipline.......................................... 48
....... Student
attendance........................................ 48
....... Bullying......................................................... 48
....... Hazing.......................................................... 48
Index……………………………………………49-53
Introduction
The purpose of
this handbook is to provide information that will help with questions and pave
the way for a successful year. Not all district policies and procedures are
included. Those that are have been summarized. Suggestions for additions and
improvements to this handbook are welcome and may be sent to Human Resources
Department.
This handbook
is neither a contract nor a substitute for the official district policy manual.
Nor is it intended to alter the at-will status of noncontract employees in any
way. Rather, it is a guide to and a brief explanation of district policies and
procedures related to employment. These policies and procedures can change at
any time; these changes shall supersede any handbook provisions that are not
compatible with the change. For more information, employees may refer to the
policy codes that are associated with handbook topics, confer with their
supervisor, or call the appropriate district office. District policies can be
accessed on line at http://www.tasb.org/policy/pol/private/249906/
1
Employee handbook receipt
Name _______________________________________
Campus/department ____________________________
I hereby acknowledge receipt of a copy of the Paradise ISD Employee Handbook. I agree to read the handbook and abide by the standards, policies, and procedures defined or referenced in this document.
Employees
have the option of receiving the handbook in electronic format or hard copy.
Click here:
http://www.pisd.net/PISD/Admin/support/cindy/Handbook.htm
Please
indicate your choice by checking the appropriate box below:
o I choose to receive the employee handbook
in electronic format and accept responsibility for accessing according to the
instructions provided.
o I choose to receive a hard copy of the
employee handbook.
The information in this handbook is
subject to change. I understand that changes in district policies may
supersede, modify, or render obsolete the information summarized in this
booklet. As the district provides updated policy information, I accept
responsibility for reading and abiding by the changes.
I understand that no modifications to
contractual relationships or alterations of at-will employment relationships
are intended by this handbook.
I understand that I have an obligation to
inform my supervisor or department head of any changes in personal information,
such as phone number, address, etc. I also accept responsibility for contacting
my supervisor or the Central Administration Office if I have questions or
concerns or need further explanation.
________________________________ _________________________
Signature Date
Note: You have
been given two copies of this form. Please sign and date one and keep it. Sign
and date the other copy and forward it to Central Administration Office.
2
District information
Description of the district
The
Paradise ISD is a Texas Education Agency
Recognized District. The attendance area
for Paradise ISD covers 71.36 square miles.
Paradise ISD is a small rural PK-12
school district. The elementary campus
serves 327 students, grades PK-3rd, intermediate campus serves 160 students
grades 4th & 5th, junior high campus serves 268 students grades
6th – 8th and the high school campus serves 281 students
9-12.
The school year consists of two
semesters of 18 weeks each. The school
day is from 8:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M.
Excellent teachers provide stable quality instruction to the district’s
1036 students, who are polite and well-mannered young people who take pride in
their school.
The district participates successfully
in all phases of UIL activities at the 2A level. FFA and FCCLA teams have advanced to state
and national competition, respectively.
The district provides a broad spectrum of extracurricular activities
such as marching band, cross country, football, volleyball, basketball,
baseball, softball, track, tennis, power lifting and golf. Due to strong support and involvement of the
Board of Trustees, district staff, parents, and community, a positive climate
exists for continuous improvement. The
district emphasizes evaluation and expansion of the curriculum to meet the
diverse needs of all students to update technology, to ensure sound fiscal
management, and to improve facilities.
3
District map
4
Mission statement, goals, and objectives
Policy AE
Board of trustees
Policies BA,
BB, BD, and BE series
The board of
trustees is elected by the citizens of the district to represent the community’s
commitment to a strong educational program for the district’s children.
Trustees are elected by place and serve three-year terms. Trustees serve
without compensation, must be registered voters, and must reside in the
district.
Current board
members include:
Homer Mundy, President
Dike Read, Vice President
Doug Bryant, Secretary
Carrie Preather, Member
Pam Hamby, Member
Rusty Ford, Member
Kevin Howerton, Member
The board
usually meets the third Monday at 6:30 PM. In the event that large attendance
is anticipated, the board may meet in the Junior High Cafeteria. Special meetings may be called when
necessary. A written notice of regular and special meetings will be posted in
the Central Administration Office at least 72 hours before the scheduled
meeting time. The written notice will show the date, time, place, and subjects
of each meeting. In emergencies, a meeting may be held with a two-hour notice.
All meetings
are open to the public. In certain circumstances,
5
Board meeting schedule for 2009-2010:
09-21-09
10-19-09
11-16-09
12-17-09 – Thursday, due to Christmas
01-18-10
02-15-10
03-22-10 – Changed due to Spring Break
04-19-10
05-17-10
06-21-10
07-19-10
08-16-10
6
ADMINISTRATIVE
PERSONNEL DIRECTORY
Monty Chapman, Superintendent Robert Criswell, Chief Financial Officer
14 Spring Creek P.O. Box 242
(940) 393-3977 (940) 969-5001
Patti Seckman, Curriculum Director
(817) 439-2484 (940) 389-4210
Scott McPherson, High School Principal Greg Fletcher, Assistant Principal
408 Huggins 247 CR 2429
(817) 220-1539 (940) 683-6705
Peggy Kronenberger, Counselor
(940) 575-4245
Mac Edwards, Junior High Principal Kerry Knoernschild, Counselor
412
((940) 969-2403 (817) 475-1945
Terry McCutchen, Intermediate School Principal Kristin Gage, Counselor
4789 South FM 730 303 PR 2429
(817) 243-4034 (940) 627-5582
Stacie Meadows, Elementary Principal Mark Mathis, Assistant Principal
P.O. Box
(940) 433-8415 (682) 365-9139
Danny Neighbors, Athletic Director
1305 Hidden
(940) 627-2821
7
School calendar
8
Helpful contacts
From time to
time, employees have questions or concerns. If those questions or concerns
cannot be answered by supervisors or at the campus or department level, the employee
is encouraged to contact the appropriate department as listed below.
Main Telephone Number
(940) 969-2501
Central
Administration Office:
Extension Cell
Monty Chapman, Superintendent 5005 393-3977
Robert Criswell, CFO 5003 393-9001
Patti Seckman, Curriculum Dir 5027 389-4210
Cindy Staley, Human Resources 5001
Pam Jones, Accounts Payable 5002
Kathy Cavendar, Secretary 5004 393-2040
Dani Noble, Food Service Manager 393-0657
Maintenance
Department
Donald Johnson, Maintenance Dir. 5007 389-2653
Donald Farris . 5007 389-2936
Sherri Myers, Maint Secretary 5007
Linda Moore, Custodial Supervisor 389-2419
Elementary Campus:
Stacie Meadows, Principal 5045 393-9003
Mark Mathis, Assistant Principal 5074
Robin Garrett, Counselor 5047
Kerry Roper, Secretary 5046
Melinda Mitchell, PEIMS 5044
Robin Carmichael, Nurse 5053
Intermediate
Campus:
Terry McCutchen, Principal 5033 817-2243-4034
Kristin Gage, Dean of Students 5072
Denise Burns, PEIMS 5034
Tammy Pewitt, Nurse 5042
Beth Buckner, Technology 5040
Junior High
Campus:
Mac Edwards, Principal 5027 979-777-0142
Mark Mathis, Assistant Principal 5074 682-365-9139
Kerry Knoernschild, Counselor 5029
Leanna Thomas, Secretary 5032
Janice Bradshaw, Secretary 5028
High School
Campus:
Scott McPherson, Principal 5011 389-6196
Greg Fletcher, Assistant Principal 5020
Peggy Kronenberger, Counselor 5013
Susie Gayan, PEIMS 5012
Cheryl Hoover, Registrar, Counselor Secty 5075
Barbara Pearson, Secretary 5010
9
Technology
Department
Jim Grisham 5006 393-2635
James Moats 5071
Adam Hoots 5070 389-3924
Athletic
Department
Danny Neighbors, Athletic Director 5055 393-3827
Jason Morales, Girls BB Coach 5058
Susie Burt/Karin Essig 5057
Boys Field House 5060
Lynn Cook, Boys BB 5061
A-g Department
Steve Bradshaw 5022 210-8686
Mark Rector 5022 399-8259
10
Employment
Equal employment opportunity
Policies DAA,
DIA
The Paradise
ISD does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment
because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability,
military status, genetic information, or on any other basis prohibited by law.
Employment decisions will be made on the basis of each applicant’s job
qualifications, experience, and abilities.
Employees with
questions or concerns relating to discrimination on any of the basis listed
above should contact Patti Seckman, Title IX Coordinator.
Job vacancy announcements
Announcements
of job vacancies by position and location are distributed on a regular basis
and posted at the central administration building, campus offices, and on the
district’s Web site.
Employment after retirement
Individuals receiving retirement benefits
from the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) may be employed in limited
circumstances on a full- or part-time basis without affecting their benefits,
according to TRS rules and state law. Detailed information about employment
after retirement is available in the TRS publication Employment After
Retirement. Employees can contact TRS for additional information by calling
800-223-8778 or 512-542-6400. Information is also available on the TRS Web Site
(www.trs.state.tx.us).
Contract and noncontract employment
Policies
DC, DCA, DCB, DCC, DCD, DCE
State law
requires the district to employ all full-time professional employees in
positions requiring a certificate from State Board for Educator Certification
(SBEC) and nurses under probationary, term, or continuing contracts. Employees
in all other positions are employed at-will or by a contract that is not
subject to the procedures for nonrenewal or termination under Chapter 21 of the
Texas Education Code. The paragraphs that follow provide a general description
of the employment arrangements used by the district.
Probationary
contracts. Nurses and
full-time professional employees new to the district and employed in positions
requiring SBEC certification must receive a probationary contract during their
first year of employment. Former employees who are hired after at least
11
a two-year
lapse in district employment also may be employed by probationary contract.
Probationary
contracts are one-year contracts. The probationary period for those who
have been
employed as a teacher in public education for at least five of the eight years
preceding employment with the district may not exceed one school year. For
those with less experience, the probationary period will be three school years
(i.e., three one-year contracts) with an optional fourth school year if the
board determines it is doubtful whether a term or continuing contract should be
given.
Term
and continuing contracts.
Full-time professionals employed in positions requiring certification and
nurses will be employed by term or continuing contracts after they have
successfully completed the probationary period. Campus principals and central office
administrators are employed under one‑year or two year term contracts.
The terms and conditions of employment are detailed in the contract and
employment policies. All employees will receive a copy of their contract and
employment policies upon request.
Noncertified
professional and administrative employees. Employees in professional and administrative positions
that do not require SBEC certification (such as noninstructional administrators)
are employed by a one-year contract that is not subject to the procedures for
nonrenewal or termination under the Texas Education Code.
Searches and alcohol and drug testing
Policy
DHE
Noninvestigatory
searches in the workplace, including accessing an employee’s desk, file
cabinets, or work area to obtain information needed for usual business purposes
may occur when an employee is unavailable. Therefore, employees are hereby
notified that they have no legitimate expectation of privacy in those places.
In addition, the district reserves the right to conduct searches when there is
reasonable cause to believe a search will uncover evidence of work-related
misconduct. Such an investigatory search may include drug and alcohol testing
if the suspected violation relates to drug or alcohol use. The district may
search the employee, the employee’s personal items, work areas, including
district-owned computers, lockers, and private vehicles parked on district
premises or work sites or used in district business.
Employees required to have a commercial driver’s license. Any employee whose duties require a
commercial driver’s license (CDL) is subject to drug and alcohol testing. This
includes all drivers who operate a motor vehicle designed to transport 16 or
more people, counting the driver; drivers of large vehicles; or drivers of
vehicles used in the transportation of hazardous materials. Teachers, coaches,
or other employees who primarily perform duties other than driving are subject
to testing requirements when their duties include driving.
Drug
testing will be conducted before an individual assumes driving
responsibilities. Alcohol and drug tests will be conducted if reasonable
suspicion exists, at random, when an employee returns to duty after engaging in
prohibited conduct, and as a follow‑up
12
measure.
Testing may be conducted following accidents. Return‑to‑duty and
follow‑up testing will be conducted if an employee who has violated the
prohibited alcohol conduct standards or tested positive for alcohol or drugs is
allowed to return to duty.
All
employees required to have a CDL or who is otherwise subject to alcohol and
drug testing will receive a copy of the district’s policy, the testing
requirements, and detailed information on alcohol and drug abuse and the
availability of assistance programs. Employees with questions or concerns
relating to alcohol and drug policies and related educational material should
contact the Central Administration Office.
Health safety training
Policies
DBA, DMA
Certain employees who are involved in
physical activities for students must maintain and submit to the district proof
of current certification or training in first aid, cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR), the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), and
extracurricular athletic activity safety. Certification or documentation of
training must be issued by the American Red Cross, the American Heart
Association, University Interscholastic League, or another organization that
provides equivalent training and certification. Employees subject to this
requirement must submit their certification or documentation to Central
Administration Office by August 1, 2009.
Reassignments and transfers
Policy DK
All personnel are subject to assignment and reassignment by the
superintendent or designee when the superintendent or designee determines that
the assignment or reassignment is in the best interest of the district.
Reassignment is a transfer to another position, department, or facility that
does not necessitate a change in the employment contract. Campus reassignments
must be approved by the principal at the receiving campus except when reassignments
are due to enrollment shifts or program changes. Extracurricular or
supplemental duty assignments may be reassigned at any time unless an
extracurricular or supplemental duty assignment is part of a dual-assignment
contract. Employees who object to a reassignment may follow the district
process for employee complaints as outlined in this handbook and district
policy DGBA (Local).
An employee with the required qualifications for a position may
request a transfer to another campus or department. A written request for
transfer must be completed and signed by the employee and the employee’s
supervisor. A teacher requesting a transfer to another campus before the school
year begins must submit his or her request by signed letter to the
Superintendent. Requests for transfer during the school year will be considered
only when the change will not adversely affect students and after a replacement
has been found. All transfer requests will be coordinated by the Central
Administration Office and must be approved by the receiving supervisor.
13
Workload and work schedules
Policies DEA, DL
Professional employees. Professional employees and academic administrators are exempt
from overtime pay and are employed on a 10-, 11-, or 12-month basis, according
to the work schedules set by the district. A school calendar is adopted each
year designating the work schedule for teachers and all school holidays. Notice
of work schedules including required days of service and scheduled holidays
will be distributed each school year.
Classroom teachers will have planning periods for instructional
preparation, including conferences. The schedule of planning periods is set at
the campus level but must provide at least 450 minutes within each two-week
period in blocks not less than 45 minutes. Teachers and librarians are entitled
to a duty-free lunch period of at least 30 minutes. The district may require teachers
to supervise students during lunch one day a week when no other personnel are
available.
Paraprofessional and auxiliary employees.
Support employees are
employed at will and will be notified of the required duty days, holidays, and
hours of work for their position on an annual basis. Paraprofessional and
auxiliary employees are not exempt from overtime and are not authorized to work
in excess of their assigned schedule without prior approval from their
supervisor.
Notification to parents regarding qualifications
Policies DK, DBA
In schools receiving Title I funds, the district is required by
the No
Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) to notify parents at the beginning of each
school year that they may request information regarding the professional qualifications
of their child’s teacher. NCLB also requires that parents be notified if their
child has been assigned, or taught for four or more consecutive weeks by, a
teacher who is not highly qualified.
Employees who have questions about their certification status can
call Human Resources in the Central Administration Office.
Outside employment and tutoring
Policy DBD
14
Employees are required to disclose in
writing to their immediate supervisor any outside employment that may create a
potential conflict of interest with their assigned duties and responsibilities
or the best interest of the district. Supervisors will consider outside
employment on a case-by-case basis and determine whether it should be
prohibited because of a conflict of interest.
Performance evaluation
Policies DN, DNA, DNB
Evaluation of an employee’s job performance is a continuous
process that focuses on improvement. Performance evaluation is based on an
employee’s assigned job duties and other job-related criteria. All employees
will participate in the evaluation process with their assigned supervisor at
least annually. Written evaluations will be completed on forms approved by the
district. Reports, correspondence, and memoranda also can be used to document
performance information. All employees will receive a copy of their written
evaluation, have a performance conference with their supervisor, and get the
opportunity to respond to the evaluation.
Employee involvement
Policies BQA, BQB
At both the campus and district levels, Paradise ISD offers
opportunities for input in matters that affect employees and influence the
instructional effectiveness of the district. As part of the district’s planning
and decision-making process, employees are elected to serve on district- or
campus-level advisory committees. Plans and detailed information about the
shared decision-making process are available in each campus office or from the
Central Administration Office.
15
Staff development
Policy DMA
Staff development activities are organized to meet the needs of
employees and the district. Staff
development for instructional personnel is predominantly campus-based, related
to achieving campus performance objectives, addressed in the campus improvement
plan, and approved by a campus-level advisory committee. Staff development for
noninstructional personnel is designed to meet specific licensing requirements
(e.g., bus drivers) and continued employee skill development.
Individuals holding renewable SBEC certificates are responsible
for obtaining the required training hours and maintaining appropriate documentation.
16
Compensation and benefits
Salaries, wages, and stipends
Policy DEA
Employees are
paid in accordance with administrative guidelines and a pay structure
established for each position. The district’s pay plans are reviewed by the
administration each year and adjusted as needed. All district positions are
classified as exempt or nonexempt according to federal law. Professional
employees and academic administrators are generally classified as exempt and
are paid monthly salaries. They are not entitled to overtime compensation.
Other employees are generally classified as nonexempt and are paid an hourly
wage or salary and receive compensatory time or overtime pay for each overtime
hour worked beyond 40 in a workweek. (See
Overtime Compensation, page 18.)
All employees
will receive written notice of their pay and work schedules before the start of
each school year. Classroom teachers, full-time librarians, full-time nurses,
and full-time counselors will be paid no less than the minimum state salary
schedule. Contract employees who perform extracurricular or supplemental
duties may be paid a stipend in addition to their salary according to the
district’s extra-duty pay schedule.
Employees
should contact Human Resources for more information about the district’s pay
schedules or their own pay.
Annualized compensation
Policy DEA
The district
pays all salaried employees over 12 months regardless of the number of months
employed during the school year. Salaried employees will be paid in equal
monthly or bimonthly payments, beginning with the first pay period of the
school year. Employees that separate after the last day of instruction will
continue to receive paychecks through the end of the summer.
Paychecks
All employees
are paid monthly. Paychecks will not be
released to any person other than the district employee named on the check without
the employee’s authorization.
An employee’s
payroll statement contains detailed information including deductions,
withholding information, and the amount of leave accumulated.
17
The schedule of
pay dates for the 2009-2010 school year follows:
09/18/2009 03/19/2010
10/20/2009 04/20/2010
11/20/2009 05/20/2010
12/18/2009 06/18/2010
01/20/2010 07/20/2010
02/19/2010 08/20/2010
Automatic payroll deposit
Employees can
have their paychecks electronically deposited into a designated account. A
notification by the 10th
of the month is necessary to activate this service. Contact Cindy
Staley, Human Resources for more information about the automatic payroll
deposit service.
Payroll deductions
Policy CFEA
The district is required to make the following
automatic payroll deductions:
·
Teacher
Retirement System of Texas (TRS) or Social Security employee contributions
·
Federal
income tax
·
Medicare
tax (applicable only to employees hired after March 31, 1986)
Other payroll
deductions employees may elect include deductions for the employee’s share of
premiums for health, dental, life, and vision insurance; annuities; and higher
education savings plans. Employees also may request payroll deduction for
payment of membership dues to professional organizations to professional
organizations. Salary deductions are
automatically made for unauthorized or unpaid leave.
Overtime compensation
Policy DEA
The district
compensates overtime for nonexempt employees in accordance with federal wage
and hour laws. Only nonexempt employees (hourly employees and paraprofessional
employees) are entitled to overtime compensation. Nonexempt employees are not
authorized to work beyond their normal work schedule without advance approval
from their supervisor.
Overtime is
legally defined as all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a work week and is
not measured by the day or by the employee’s regular work schedule. Nonexempt
employees that are paid on a salary basis are paid for a 40-hour workweek and
do not earn additional pay unless they work more than 40 hours. For the purpose
of calculating
18
overtime, a
workweek begins at 12:01 a.m. Sunday and ends at midnight Saturday.
Employees
may be compensated for overtime at time-and-a-half rate with compensatory time
off (comp time) or direct pay. The following applies to all nonexempt employees:
·
Employees
can accumulate up to 60 hours of comp time.
·
Comp
time must be used in the duty year that it is earned.
·
Use
of comp time may be at the employee’s request with supervisor approval as
workload permits, or at the supervisor’s direction.
·
An
employee may be required to use comp time before using any other available paid
leave (e.g., sick, personal, vacation).
·
Weekly
time records will be maintained on all nonexempt employees for the purpose of wage and salary
administration.
Travel expense reimbursement
Policy
Before any travel expenses are incurred by
an employee, the employee’s supervisor and Superintendent must give approval.
For approved travel, employees will be reimbursed for mileage and other travel
expenditures according to the current rate schedule established by the
district. Employees must submit receipts, to the extent possible, to be reimbursed
for expenses other than mileage.
Per Diem Rate
and Mileage
Employees will receive $36.00
per diem for overnight stays. If you are
not staying overnight the maximum amount for breakfast is $8.00, lunch $12.00
and dinner $16.00, receipts are required.
Student per diem for
competition/trips beyond the district level is $26.00 per diem. If you are not staying overnight the maximum
amount for breakfast is $7.00 for breakfast, $8.00 for lunch and $11.00 for
dinner.
State schedule for rooms
occupied by students or staff: Best Available Rate
Reimbursement rate for
mileage is .485 per mile.
Health, dental, and life insurance
Policy CRD
Group health insurance coverage is
provided through TRS-ActiveCare, the statewide public school health insurance
program. The district’s contribution to employee insurance premiums is
determined annually by the board of trustees. Employees eligible for health
insurance coverage include the following:
19
·
Employees
who are active, contributing TRS members
·
Employees
who are not contributing TRS members and who are regularly scheduled to work at
least 10 hours per week
TRS retirees who are enrolled in TRS-Care
(retiree health insurance program) and employees who are not contributing TRS
members who are regularly scheduled to work less than 10 hours per week are not
eligible to participate in TRS-ActiveCare.
The insurance plan year is from September
1 through August 31. Current employees can make changes in their insurance
coverage during open enrollment each spring. Detailed descriptions of insurance
coverage, employee cost, and eligibility requirements are provided to all
employees in a separate booklet. Employees should contact Human Resources for
more information.
Supplemental insurance benefits
Policy CRD
At their own expense, employees may enroll
in supplemental insurance programs for dental, vision, life, disability, and
other AFLAC products. Premiums for these programs can be paid by payroll
deduction. Employees should contact Human Resources for more information.
Cafeteria plan benefits (Section 125)
Employees may be eligible to participate
in the Cafeteria Plan (Section 125) and, under IRS regulations, must either
accept or reject this benefit. This plan enables eligible employees to pay
certain insurance premiums on a pretax basis (i.e., disability, accidental
death and dismemberment, cancer and dread disease, dental, and additional term
life insurance). A third-party administrator handles employee claims made on
these accounts.
New employees must accept or reject this
benefit during their first month of employment. All employees must accept or
reject this benefit on an annual basis and during the specified time period.
Workers’ compensation insurance
Policy CRE
The district, in accordance with state
law, provides workers’ compensation benefits to employees who suffer a
work-related illness or are injured on the job. The district has workers’
compensation coverage from Claims
Administrative Services, effective 9/01/09. Benefits help pay for
medical treatment and make up for part of the income lost while recovering.
Specific benefits are prescribed by law depending on the circumstances of each
case.
20
All work-related accidents or injuries
should be reported immediately to Human Resources. Employees who are unable to
work because of a work-related injury will be notified of their rights and
responsibilities under the Texas Labor Code. See Workers’ compensation
benefits, page 28 for
information on use of paid leave for such absences.
Unemployment compensation insurance
Policy CRF
Employees who have been laid off or
terminated through no fault of their own may be eligible for unemployment compensation
benefits. Employees are not eligible to collect unemployment benefits during
regularly scheduled breaks in the school year or the summer months if they
have employment contracts or reasonable assurance of returning to service.
Employees with questions about unemployment benefits should contact Human Resources.
Teacher retirement
Policy DEG
All personnel employed on a regular basis
for at least four and one-half months are members of the Teacher Retirement
System of Texas (TRS). Substitutes not receiving TRS service retirement
benefits who work at least 90 days a year are also eligible for TRS membership
and to purchase a year of creditable service. TRS provides members with an
annual statement of their account showing all deposits and the total account
balance for the year ending August 31, as well as an estimate of their
retirement benefits.
Employees who plan to retire under TRS
should notify TRS as soon as possible. Information on the application
procedures for TRS benefits is available from TRS at Teacher Retirement System
of Texas,
21
Leaves and absences
Policy DEC,
DECA, DECB
The district
offers employees paid and unpaid leaves of absence in times of personal need.
This handbook describes the basic types of leave available and restrictions on
leaves of absence. Employees who expect to be absent for an extended period of
more than five days should call Human Resources for information about
applicable leave benefits, payment of
insurance premiums, and requirements for communicating with the district.
Leave is available for the employee’s use as earned. However, state personal
and local sick leave is earned
at a rate of on-half work day for each eighteen days work days of employment up
to 5 days per year. If an employee leaves the district before the end of
the work year, the cost of any unearned leave days taken shall be deducted from
the employee’s final paycheck.
Employees must follow district and department or
campus procedures to report or request
any leave of absence and complete the appropriate form
or certification. Any employee
who is absent more than 5 days because of a personal
or family illness must submit
a medical certification from a qualified health care
provider confirming the specific dates
of the illness, the reason for the illness, and—in the
case of personal illness—the
employee’s fitness to return to work.
Employees on an approved leave of absence other than
family and medical leave may
continue their insurance benefits at their own
expense. Health insurance benefits for
employees on paid leave and leave designated under the
Family and Medical Leave Act
will be paid by the district as they were prior to the
leave. Otherwise, the district does not
pay any portion of
insurance premiums for employees who are on unpaid leave.
Personal leave
State law
entitles all employees to five days of paid personal leave per year. Personal
leave is earned at a rate of on-half work day for each eighteen days work days
of employment up to 5 days per year. A day of earned personal leave is
equivalent to an assigned workday. State personal leave accumulates without
limit, is transferable to other
Nondiscretionary. Leave that is taken for personal or
family illness, family emergency, a death in the family, or active military
service is considered nondiscretionary leave. Reasons for this type of leave
allows very little, if any advanced planning. Nondiscretionary leave will be
granted to employees in the same manner as state sick leave.
22
Discretionary. Leave that is taken at an employee’s
discretion and that can be scheduled in advance is considered discretionary
leave. An employee wishing to take discretionary personal leave must submit a request
to his or her principal or supervisor 5 days in advance of the anticipated
absence. The effect of the employee’s absence on the educational program or
department operations, as well as the availability of substitutes, will be
considered by the principal or supervisor.
Sick leave
Previously
accumulated state sick leave is available for use and may be transferred to other
school districts in
State sick
leave may be used for the following reasons only:
·
Employee
illness
·
Illness
in the employee’s immediate family
·
Family
emergency (i.e., natural disasters or life-threatening situations)
·
Death
in the immediate family
·
Active
military service
Local leave
Sick
Leave Bank
The
sick leave bank applies only to extended leave prescribed by a doctor due to
illness. Maternity leave is excluded from this policy.
1.
All employees
will donate one local personal day beginning 1993-94 to be placed in a sick
leave bank for school employees.
2.
The Board of
Trustees will match each day donated by employees.
3.
Each new employee
to the district will donate one personal day when they are hired.
4.
Assessment will
be made at the beginning of each year for donations.
5.
This policy will
go into effect after all accumulative sick leave and personal days have been
used and after the “Extended Leave Policy” (dock only half of a day for ten
days), has gone into effect.
6.
Campus employees
will elect their one campus representative while one administrator as
designated by the superintendent will serve on the district sick leave
committee to administer and disburse the sick leave bank. Elected
representatives will serve a staggered two-year term starting with the
elementary and junior high electing their new representatives in the school
year. The
23
high
school and intermediate campuses will elect their new representatives the
following school year. Vacancies will be
filled by campus administrative appointment for the duration of that term.
Representatives moving from a campus to another relinquish their position on the
committee.
7.
Employees who
need extended sick leave days may apply to the committee for the days needed
from the sick leave bank.
8.
All committee
members must be present during consideration of sick leave requests and a
majority vote at the time of the meeting will determine the outcome of the
request. The administrator will send the decision of the committee in writing
to the individual making the request. Employees dissatisfied with the committee
decision may follow district grievance procedures.
9.
Request for sick
days will be up to but not exceed 45 days and is subject to review.
10.
In situations
where local sick leave and workers compensation are working together to provide
a regular paycheck, the employee will need to pay back the local sick leave
when they receive reimbursement from workers compensation.
Local Days:
Effective the Fall of 2000, all personnel shall receive five (5) local
personal leave days in addition to the five (5) state days. For the first year only, one of those days is
donated to a sick leave pool that can be used for catastrophic illness.
Local days may not be used before or
after school holidays or during the months of December and May without
administrative approval. Local days will be accumulative up to 20
days. Employees may have the district
buy back local days at 50% of substitute pay after 3 years of service. Employee may have the district buy back 100%
of substitute pay after 5 years of service.
Employees can donate local leave to another employee with approval from the Superintendent.
Family and medical leave (FMLA)—general provisions
The following text is from the federal
notice, Employee Rights and Responsibilities
Under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Specific information that the district has
adopted to implement the FMLA follows this general
notice.
Basic Leave Entitlement. FMLA requires covered employers to provide up to 12
weeks
of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible
employees for the following reasons:
·
For
incapacity due to pregnancy, prenatal medical care or child birth;
·
To
care for the employee’s child after birth, or placement for adoption or foster
care;
·
To
care for the employee’s spouse, son or daughter, or parent, who has a serious
health
condition; or
24
·
For a
serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the
employee’s job.
Military Family Leave Entitlements. Eligible employees with a spouse, son, daughter,
or parent on active duty or call to active duty status
in the National Guard or Reserves in
support of a contingency operation may use their
12-week leave entitlement to address
certain qualifying exigencies. Qualifying exigencies
may include attending certain military arrangements, attending certain
counseling sessions, and attending post-deployment reintegration briefings.
FMLA also includes a special leave entitlement that
permits eligible employees to take
up to 26 weeks of leave to care for a covered
servicemember during a single 12-month
period. A covered servicemember is a current member of
the Armed Forces, including a
member of the National Guard or Reserves, who has a
serious injury or illness incurred in
the line of duty on active duty that may render the
servicemember medically unfit to perform his or her duties for which the
servicemember is undergoing medical treatment,
recuperation, or therapy; or is in outpatient status;
or is on the temporary disability retired
list.
Benefits and Protections. During FMLA
leave, the employer must maintain the
employee’s health coverage under any “group health
plan” on the same terms as if the
employee had continued to work. Upon return from FMLA
leave, most employees must
be restored to their original or equivalent positions
with equivalent pay, benefits, and
other employment terms.
Use of FMLA leave cannot result in the loss of any
employment benefit that accrued
prior to the start of an employee’s leave.
Eligibility Requirements. Employees
are eligible if they have worked for a covered
employer for at least one year, for 1,250 hours over
the previous 12 months, and if at least 50 employees are employed by the
employer within 75 miles.
Definition of Serious Health Condition. A serious health condition is an illness, injury,
impairment, or physical or mental condition that
involves either an overnight stay in a
medical care facility, or continuing treatment by a
health care provider for a condition
that either prevents the employee from performing the
functions of the employee’s job, or
prevents the qualified family member from
participating in school or other daily activities.
Subject to certain conditions, the continuing
treatment requirement may be met by a
period of incapacity of more than 3 consecutive
calendar days combined with at least two
visits to a health care provider or one visit and a
regimen of continuing treatment, or incapacity due to pregnancy, or incapacity
due to a chronic condition. Other conditions
25
may meet the definition of continuing treatment.
Use of Leave. An
employee does not need to use this leave entitlement in one block.
Leave can be taken intermittently or on a reduced
leave schedule when medically necessary. Employees must make reasonable efforts
to schedule leave for planned medical treatment so as not to unduly disrupt the
employer’s operations. Leave due to qualifying exigencies may also be taken on
an intermittent basis.
Substitution of Paid Leave for Unpaid Leave. Employees may choose or employers
may require use of accrued paid leave while taking
FMLA leave. In order to use paid
leave for FMLA leave, employees must comply with the
employer’s normal paid leave
policies.
Employee Responsibilities. Employees must provide 30 days advance notice of the
need
to take FMLA leave when the need is foreseeable. When
30 days notice is not possible,
the employee must provide notice as soon as
practicable and generally must comply with
an employer’s normal call-in procedures.
Employees must provide sufficient information for the
employer to determine if the leave
may qualify for FMLA protection and the anticipated
timing and duration of the leave.
Sufficient information may include that the employee
is unable to perform job functions,
the family member is unable to perform daily
activities, the need for hospitalization or
continuing treatment by a health care provider, or
circumstances supporting the need for
military family leave. Employees also must inform the
employer if the requested leave is
for a reason for which FMLA leave was previously taken
or certified. Employees also
may be required to provide a certification and
periodic recertification supporting the need for leave.
Employer Responsibilities. Covered employers must inform employees requesting
leave whether they are eligible under FMLA. If they
are the notice must specify any additional information required as well as the
employees’ rights and responsibilities. If they are not eligible, the employer
must provide a reason for the ineligibility.
Covered employers must inform employees if leave will
be designated as FMLA-protected and the amount of leave counted against the
employee’s leave entitlement. If the employer determines that the leave is not
FMLA-protected, the employer must notify the employee.
Unlawful Acts by Employers. FMLA makes it unlawful for any employer to:
·
Interfere
with, restrain, or deny the exercise of any right protected under FMLA;
·
Discharge
or discriminate against any person for opposing any practice made unlawful by
FMLA or for involvement in any proceeding under or relating to FMLA.
Enforcement. An
employee may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor or
may bring a private lawsuit against an employer.
26
FMLA does not affect any Federal or State law
prohibiting discrimination, or supersede
any State or local law or collective bargaining
agreement which provides greater family
or medical leave rights.
FMLA section 109 (29 U.S.C. § 2619) required FMLA
covered employers to post the text of this notice.
Regulations 29 C.F.R. § 825.300 (a) may require
additional disclosures.
For additional
information:
1-866-4US-WAGE
(1-866-487-9243) TTY: 1-877-889-5627
www.wagehour.dol.gov
Local FMLA provisions
Eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid
leave in the 12-month period
(insert only one of the phrases below here).
·
beginning
on the first duty day of the school year
Use of paid leave. Family and medical leave runs concurrently with accrued sick and
personal leave, temporary disability leave,
compensatory time, assault leave, and
absences due to a work-related illness or injury. The
district will designate the leave as
family and medical leave, if applicable, and notify
the employee that accumulated leave
will run concurrently.
Combined leave for spouses. A husband and wife who are both employed by the
district
are limited to a combined total of 12 weeks of FMLA
leave to care for a parent with a
serious health condition; or for the birth, adoption,
or foster placement of a child. Military
caregiver leave for spouses is limited to a combined
total of 26 weeks.
Intermittent leave. When medically necessary or in the case of a qualifying exigency, an
employee may take leave intermittently or on a reduced schedule. The district
does not permit the use of intermittent or reduced-schedule leave for the care
of a newborn child or for adoption or placement of a child with the employee.
District contact. Employees that require FMLA leave or have questions
should contact
Human Resources for details on eligibility, requirements, and
limitations.
Temporary disability leave
Certified employees. Any full-time employee whose position
requires certification from the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)
is eligible for temporary disability leave. The purpose of temporary disability
leave is to provide job protection to full-time educators who cannot work for
an extended period of time because of a mental or physical disability of a
temporary nature. Temporary disability leave must be taken as a continuous
block of time. It may not be taken intermittently or on a reduced schedule. Pregnancy
and conditions related to pregnancy are treated the same as any other temporary
disability.
27
Employees must request approval for
temporary disability leave. An employee’s
notification of need for extended absence due to the employee’s own medical
condition shall be accepted as a request for temporary disability leave. The request must be
accompanied by a physician’s statement confirming the employee’s inability to
work and estimating a probable date of return. If disability leave is approved,
the length of leave is
no longer than 180 calendar days. If
disability leave is not approved, the employee must return to work or be
subject to termination procedures.
If an employee is placed on temporary
disability leave involuntarily, he or she has the right to request a hearing
before the board of trustees. The employee may protest the action and present
additional evidence of fitness to work.
When an employee is ready to return to
work, Human Resources should be notified at least 30 days in advance. The
return-to-work notice must be accompanied by a physician’s statement
confirming that the employee is able to resume regular duties. Professional
employees returning from leave will be reinstated to the school to which they
were previously assigned as soon as an appropriate position is available. If a
position is not available before the end of the school year, professional
employees will be reinstated at the beginning of the following school year.
Workers’ compensation benefits
An employee absent from duty because of a
job-related illness or injury may be eligible for workers’ compensation weekly
income benefits if the absence exceeds seven calendar days.
An employee receiving workers’
compensation wage benefits for a job-related illness or injury may choose to
use accumulated sick leave or any other paid leave benefits. An employee
choosing to use paid leave will not receive workers’ compensation weekly income
benefits until all paid leave is exhausted or to the extent that paid leave
does not equal the pre-illness or -injury wage. If the use of paid leave is not
elected, then the employee will only receive workers’ compensation wage
benefits for any absence resulting from a work-related illness or injury,
which may not equal his or her pre-illness or -injury wage.
Assault leave
Assault leave provides extended job income
and benefits protection to an employee who is injured as the result of a
physical assault suffered during the performance of his or her job. An injury
is treated as an assault if the person causing the injury could be prosecuted
for assault or could not be prosecuted only because that person’s age or mental
capacity renders the person nonresponsible for purposes of criminal liability.
28
An employee who is physically assaulted at
work may take all the leave time medically necessary (up to two years) to
recover from the physical injuries he or she sustained. At the request of an
employee, the district will immediately assign the employee to assault leave.
Days of leave granted under the assault leave provision will not be deducted
from accrued personal leave and must be coordinated with workers’ compensation
benefits. Upon investigation the district may change the assault leave status
and charge leave used
against the employee’s accrued paid leave.
The employee’s pay will be deducted if accrued paid leave is not available.
Bereavement leave In the
event that all local and state leave has been exhausted, the district will
allow 2 days of paid leave for the death of an immediate family member.
Jury duty
Employees will receive leave with pay and
without loss of accumulated leave for jury duty. Employees must present
documentation of the service and turn in any compensation they receive.
Other court
appearances
Employees will be granted paid leave to
comply with a valid subpoena to appear in a civil, criminal, legislative, or administrative
proceeding. Employees may be required to submit documentation of their need for
leave for court appearances.
Military leave
Paid leave for military service. Any employee who is a member of the Texas
National Guard, Texas State Guard, or reserve component of the United States Armed
Forces will be granted a paid leave of absence without loss of any accumulated
leave for authorized training or duty orders. Paid military leave will not
exceed 15 days each federal fiscal year (October 1–September 30). In addition,
an employee is entitled to use available state and local personal or sick leave
during a time of active military service.
Reemployment after military leave. Employees who leave the district to enter
into the
Continuation of health insurance. Employees who perform service in the
uniformed services may elect to continue their health plan coverage at their
own cost for a period not to exceed 24 months. Employees should contact Human
Resources for details on eligibility, requirements, and limitations.
29
Employee relations and communications
Employee recognition and appreciation
Continuous
efforts are made throughout the year to recognize employees who make an extra
effort to contribute to the success of the district. Employees are recognized
at board meetings, in the district newsletter, and through special events and
activities. Recognition and appreciation activities also include: Employee Appreciation Breakfast prepared by
the School Board, at which time all new
employees are recognized. An Employee
Appreciation luncheon is provided by the First Baptist Church of Paradise. Employee Christmas Dinner, meal and child
care provided. Additional, the P.T.O.
provides an end of year Employee Appreciation dinner at which time service
awards are presented.
District communications
Throughout the
school year, the district publishes newsletters, brochures, fliers, calendars,
news releases, and other communication materials. These publications offer
employees and the community information pertaining to school activities and
achievements. They include the following:
- www.pisd.net
web site
- Southern Wise Times
- Campus Newsletters
30
Complaints and grievances
Policy DGBA
In an effort to
hear and resolve employee concerns or complaints in a timely manner and at the
lowest administrative level possible, the board has adopted an orderly grievance
process. Employees are encouraged to discuss their concerns or complaints with
their supervisors or an appropriate administrator at any time.
The formal
process provides all employees with an opportunity to be heard up to the
highest level of management if they are dissatisfied with an administrative
response. Once all administrative procedures are exhausted, employees can bring
concerns or complaints to the board of trustees. For ease of reference, the
district’s policy concerning the process of bringing concerns and complaints is
reprinted as follows:
DGBA (Local) Refer to Policy on Line.
http://www.tasb.org/policy/pol/private/249906/
31
Employee conduct and welfare
Standards of conduct
Policy DH
All employees
are expected to work together in a cooperative spirit to serve the best
interests of the district and to be courteous to students, one another, and the
public. Employees are expected to observe the following standards of conduct:
·
Recognize
and respect the rights of students, parents, other employees, and members of
the community.
·
Maintain
confidentiality in all matters relating to students and coworkers.
·
Report
to work according to the assigned schedule.
·
Notify
their immediate supervisor in advance or as early as possible in the event that
they must be absent or late. Unauthorized absences, chronic absenteeism, tardiness,
and failure to follow procedures for reporting an absence may because for
disciplinary action.
·
Know
and comply with department and district policies and procedures.
·
Express
concerns, complaints, or criticism through appropriate channels.
·
Observe
all safety rules and regulations and report injuries or unsafe conditions to a
supervisor immediately.
·
Use
district time, funds, and property for authorized district business and
activities only.
All district employees should perform
their duties in accordance with state and federal law, district policies and
procedures, and ethical standards. Violation of policies, regulations, or
guidelines may result in disciplinary action, including termination. Alleged
incidents of certain misconduct by educators, including having a criminal
record, must be reported to SBEC not later than the seventh day the
superintendent first learns of the incident. See Reports to the State Board
for Educator Certification,
page 44 for additional information.
The Code of Ethics and Standard
Practices for Texas Educators, adopted by the State Board for Educator
Certification, which all district employees must adhere to, is reprinted below:
Code
of Ethics and Standard Practices for
Statement of Purpose
The Texas educator shall comply
with standard practices and ethical conduct toward students, professional
colleagues, school officials, parents, and members of the community and shall
safeguard academic freedom. The
32
extend just and equitable
treatment to all members of the profession. The
Professional Standards
1. Professional Ethical Conduct,
Practices, and Performance
Standard
1.1 The educator shall not knowingly engage in
deceptive practices regarding official policies of the school district or
educational institution.
Standard 1.2 The educator shall not
knowingly misappropriate, divert, or use monies, personnel, property, or
equipment committed to his or her charge for personal gain or advantage.
Standard 1.3
The educator shall not submit fraudulent requests for reimbursement, expenses, or pay.
Standard
1.4 The educator shall not use institutional or
professional privileges for personal or partisan advantage.
Standard
1.5 The educator shall neither accept nor offer
gratuities, gifts, or favors that impair professional judgment or to obtain
special advantage. This standard shall not restrict the acceptance of gifts or
tokens offered and accepted openly from students, parents, or other persons or
organizations in recognition or appreciation of service.
Standard
1.6 The educator shall not falsify records, or direct or
coerce others to do so.
Standard
1.7 The educator shall comply with state regulations,
written local school board policies, and other applicable state and federal
laws.
Standard
1.8 The educator shall apply for, accept, offer, or
assign a position or a responsibility on the basis of professional
qualifications.
2. Ethical Conduct toward Professional Colleagues
Standard
2.1 The educator shall not reveal confidential
health or personnel information concerning colleagues unless disclosure serves
lawful professional purposes or is required by law.
Standard
2.2 The educator shall not harm others by knowingly
making false statements about a colleague or the school system.
Standard
2.3 The educator shall adhere to written local school
board policies and state and federal laws regarding the hiring, evaluation, and
dismissal of personnel.
Standard
2.4 The educator shall not interfere with a colleague's
exercise of political, professional, or citizenship rights and
responsibilities.
33
Standard
2.5 The educator shall not discriminate against or
coerce a colleague on the basis of
race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, disability, or family status.
Standard
2.6 The educator shall not use coercive means or promise
of special treatment in order to influence professional decisions or
colleagues.
Standard
2.7 The educator shall not retaliate against any
individual who has filed a complaint with the SBEC under this chapter.
3. Ethical Conduct toward Students
Standard 3.1
The
educator shall not reveal confidential information concerning students unless disclosure
serves lawful professional purposes or is required by law.
Standard 3.2 The educator shall not knowingly treat a student in a manner that adversely affects the student's learning, physical health, mental health, or safety.
Standard 3.3
The
educator shall not deliberately or knowingly misrepresent facts regarding a
student.
Standard 3.4
The
educator shall not exclude a student from participation in a program, deny
benefits to a student, or grant an advantage to a student on the basis of race,
color, sex, disability, national origin, religion, or family status.
Standard 3.5
The
educator shall not engage in physical mistreatment of a student.
Standard 3.6
The
educator shall not solicit or engage in sexual conduct or a romantic relationship
with a student.
Standard 3.7
The
educator shall not furnish alcohol or illegal/unauthorized drugs to any student
or knowingly allow any student to consume alcohol or illegal/unauthorized drugs
in the presence of the educator.
Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation
Policies DH, DIA
Employees shall not engage in prohibited harassment, including
sexual harassment, of other employees or students. While acting in the course
of their employment, employees shall not engage in prohibited harassment of
other persons, including board members, vendors, contractors, volunteers, or
parents. A substantiated charge of harassment will result in disciplinary
action.
Employees who believe they have been discriminated or retaliated
against or harassed are encouraged to promptly report such incidents to the
campus principal, supervisor, or appropriate district official. If the campus
principal, supervisor, or district official is the subject of a complaint, the
employee should report the complaint directly to the
34
superintendent. A complaint against the superintendent may be made
directly to the board.
The district’s policy that includes definitions and procedures for
reporting and investigating discrimination, harassment, and retaliation is
reprinted below:
DIA
(Local) Refer to Policy on Line.
http://www.tasb.org/policy/pol/private/249906/
Harassment of students
Policies DH, FFG, FFH
Sexual and other harassment of students by
employees are forms of discrimination and are prohibited by law. Romantic or
inappropriate social relationships between students and district employees are
prohibited. Employees who suspect a student may have experienced prohibited
harassment are obligated to report their concerns to the campus principal or
other appropriate district official. All allegations of prohibited harassment
of a student will be reported to the student’s parents and promptly investigated.
An employee who knows of or suspects child abuse must also report his or her
knowledge or suspicion to the appropriate authorities, as required by law. See Reporting
suspected child abuse, page 36 for additional information.
The district’s policy that includes definitions and procedures for
reporting and investigating harassment of students is reprinted below:
Definition of solicitation of a romantic
relationship in DF (Legal) and text of FFH (Local) Refer to Policy on Line.
http://www.tasb.org/policy/pol/private/249906/
Alcohol and drug-abuse prevention
Policies DH, DI
Paradise ISD is committed to maintaining an
alcohol- and drug-free environment and
will not tolerate the use of alcohol and illegal drugs in the workplace and at
school-related or school-sanctioned activities on or off school property.
. Employees who use or are under the influence of alcohol or
illegal drugs as defined by the Texas Controlled Substances Act during working
hours may be dismissed. The district’s policy regarding employee drug use
follows:
Alcohol
and drug abuse in DH (Local) and DI (Exhibit) Refer to Policy on Line.
http://www.tasb.org/policy/pol/private/249906/
35
Reporting suspected child abuse
Policies DF, DG, DH, FFG, GRA
All employees are required by state law to
report any suspected child abuse or neglect to a law enforcement agency, Child
Protective Services, or appropriate state agency (e.g., state agency operating,
licensing, certifying, or registering a facility) within 48 hours of the event
that led to the suspicion. Abuse is defined by Texas Family Code and includes
any sexual conduct involving an educator and a student or minor. Reports to
Child Protective Services can be made to a local office or to the Texas Abuse
Hotline (800-252-5400). State law specifies that an employee may not delegate
to or rely on another person to make the report.
Under state law, any person reporting or assisting in the
investigation of reported child abuse or neglect is immune from liability
unless the report is made in bad faith or with malicious intent. In addition,
the district is prohibited from retaliating against an employee who, in good
faith, reports child abuse or neglect or who participates in an investigation
regarding an allegation of child abuse or neglect.
An employee’s failure to report suspected child abuse may result
in prosecution for the commission of a Class B misdemeanor. In addition, a
certified employee’s failure to report suspected child abuse may result in
disciplinary procedures by SBEC for a violation of the Code of Ethics and
Standard Practices for Texas Educators.
Employees who suspect that a student has been or may be abused or
neglected should also report their concerns to the campus principal. This
includes students with disabilities who are no longer minors. Employees are not
required to report their concern to the principal before making a report to
the appropriate agencies. In addition, employees must cooperate with child
abuse and neglect investigators. Reporting the concern to the principal does
not relieve the employee of the requirement to report to the appropriate state
agency. Interference with a child abuse investigation by denying an
interviewer’s request to interview a student at school or requiring the
presence of a parent or school administrator against the desires of the duly
authorized investigator is prohibited.
Fraud and financial impropriety
Policy CAA
All employees should act with integrity and diligence in duties
involving the district’s financial resources. The district prohibits fraud and
financial impropriety, as defined below. Fraud and financial impropriety
includes the following:
·
Forgery
or unauthorized alteration of any document or account belonging to the district
·
Forgery
or unauthorized alteration of a check, bank draft, or any other financial
document
36
·
Misappropriation
of funds, securities, supplies, or other district assets, including employee
time
·
Impropriety
in the handling of money or reporting of district financial transactions
·
Profiteering
as a result of insider knowledge of district information or activities
·
Unauthorized
disclosure of confidential or proprietary information to outside parties
·
Unauthorized
disclosure of investment activities engaged in or contemplated by the district
·
Accepting
or seeking anything of material value from contractors, vendors, or other
persons providing services or materials to the district
·
Destroying,
removing, or inappropriately using records, furniture, fixtures, or equipment
·
Failing
to provide financial records required by state or local entities
·
Failure
to disclose conflicts of interest as required by policy
·
Any
other dishonest act regarding the finances of the district
Conflict of interest
Policies
BBFA, DBD
Employees
are required to disclose to their supervisor any situation that creates a potential
conflict of interest with proper discharge of assigned duties and
responsibilities or creates a potential conflict of interest with the best
interests of the district. This includes the following:
·
A
personal financial interest
·
A
business interest
·
Any
other obligation or relationship
·
Nonschool
employment
Gifts and favors
Policy
DBD
Employees
may not accept gifts or favors that could influence, or be construed to influence,
the employee’s discharge of assigned duties. The acceptance of a gift, favor,
or service by an administrator or teacher that might reasonably tend to
influence the selection of textbooks may result in prosecution of a Class B
misdemeanor offense. This does not include staff development, teacher training,
or instructional materials, such as maps or worksheets, that convey information
to students or contribute to the learning process.
Associations and political activities
Policy
DGA
The
district will not directly or indirectly discourage employees from
participating in political affairs or require any employee to join any group,
club, committee, organization, or association. Employees may join or refuse to
join any professional association or organization.
37
An
individual’s employment will not be affected by membership or a decision not to
be a member of any employee organization that exists for the purpose of dealing
with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay,
hours of employment, or conditions of work.
Use of
district resources, including work time, for political activities is
prohibited.
Safety
Policy
CK
The
district has developed and promotes a comprehensive program to ensure the
safety of its employees, students, and visitors. The safety program includes
guidelines and procedures for responding to emergencies and activities to help
reduce the frequency of accidents and injuries. To prevent or minimize
injuries to employees, coworkers, and students and to protect and conserve
district equipment, employees must comply with the following requirements:
·
Observe
all safety rules.
·
Keep
work areas clean and orderly at all times.
·
Immediately
report all accidents to their supervisor.
·
Operate
only equipment or machines for which they have training and authorization.
Employees
with questions or concerns relating to safety programs and issues can contact the
Superintendent.
Tobacco use
Policies
DH, GKA, FNCD
State law
prohibits smoking or using tobacco products on all district-owned property and
at school-related or school-sanctioned activities, on or off campus. This
includes all buildings, playground areas, parking facilities, and facilities used
for athletics and other activities. Drivers of district-owned vehicles are
prohibited from smoking while inside the vehicle. Notices stating that smoking
is prohibited by law and punishable by a fine are displayed in prominent places
in all school buildings.
Criminal history background checks
Policy DBAA
Employees may be subject to a review of
their criminal history record information at any time during employment.
National criminal history checks based on an individual’s fingerprints, photo,
and other identification will be conducted on certain employees and entered
into the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Clearinghouse. This database
provides the district and SBEC with access to an employee’s current national
criminal history and updates to the employee’s subsequent criminal history.
38
Employee arrests and convictions
Policy
DH
An employee must notify his or her principal or
immediate supervisor within three calendar days of any arrest, indictment,
conviction, no contest or guilty plea, or other adjudication of any felony,
any offense involving moral turpitude, and any of the other offenses listed
below:
·
Crimes
involving school property or funds
·
Crimes
involving attempt by fraudulent or unauthorized means to obtain or alter any
certificate or permit that would entitle any person to hold or obtain a
position as an educator
·
Crimes
that occur wholly or in part of school property or at a school-sponsored
activity
·
Crimes involving moral turpitude
Moral turpitude includes, but is not limited to, the
following:
·
Dishonesty
·
Fraud
·
Deceit
·
Theft
·
Misrepresentation
·
Deliberate
violence
·
Base,
vile, or depraved acts that are intended to arouse or gratify the sexual desire
of the actor
·
Drug-
or alcohol-related offenses
·
Acts
constituting abuse or neglect under the Texas Family Code
Possession of firearms and weapons
Policies
FNCG, GKA
Employees,
visitors, and students are prohibited from bringing firearms, knives, clubs or
other prohibited weapons onto school premises (i.e., building or portion of a
building) or any grounds or building where a school-sponsored activity takes
place. To ensure the safety of all persons, employees who observe or suspect a
violation of the district’s weapons policy should report it to their
supervisors or call 911 immediately.
Visitors in the workplace
Policy
GKC
All
visitors are expected to enter any district facility through the main entrance
and sign in or report to the building’s main office. Authorized visitors will
receive directions or be escorted to their destination. Employees who observe
an unauthorized individual on the district premises should immediately direct
him or her to the building office or contact the administrator in charge.
39
Copyrighted materials
Policy
EFE
Employees
are expected to comply with the provisions of federal copyright law relating to
the unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, performance, or display of
copyrighted materials (i.e., printed material, videos, computer data and
programs, etc.). Rented videotapes are to be used in the classroom for
educational purposes only. Duplication or backup of computer programs and data
must be made within the provisions of the purchase agreement.
Computer use and data management
Policy
CQ
The
district’s electronic communications systems, including its network access to
the Internet, is primarily for administrative and instructional purposes.
Limited personal use of the system is permitted if the use:
·
Imposes
no tangible cost to the district
·
Does
not unduly burden the district’s computer or network resources
·
Has
no adverse effect on job performance or on a student’s academic performance
Electronic
mail transmissions and other use of the electronic communications systems are
not confidential and can be monitored at any time to ensure appropriate use.
Employees who
are authorized to use the systems are required to abide by the provisions of
the district’s communications systems policy and administrative procedures.
Failure to do so can result in suspension or termination of privileges and may
lead to disciplinary action. Employees with questions about computer use and
data management can contact our Technology Director.
Asbestos management plan
Policy
CKA
The
district is committed to providing a safe environment for employees. An
accredited management planner has developed an asbestos management plan for
each piece of district property. A copy
of the district’s management plan is kept in the Administration office and is
available for inspection during normal business hours.
Policy
DI, CLB
Employees
are prohibited from applying any pesticide or herbicide without appropriate
training and prior approval of the integrated pest management (IPM)
coordinator. Any application of pesticide or herbicide must be done in a manner
prescribed by law and the
40
district’s
integrated pest management program.
Notices of
planned pest control treatment will be posted in a district building 48 hours
before the treatment begins. Notices are generally located at the entrance of
the building and/or in the main office.
41
General procedures
Bad weather closing
The district
may close schools because of bad weather or emergency conditions. When such
conditions exist, the superintendent will make the official decision concerning
the closing of the district’s facilities. When it becomes necessary to open
late or to release, employees, parents and students will be notified through
the ALERT NOW phone system. Also, all local TV channels are notified.
Emergencies
Policy CKC
All employees
should be familiar with the evacuation diagrams posted in their work areas.
Fire, tornado, and other emergency drills will be conducted to familiarize
employees and students with evacuation procedures. Fire extinguishers are
located throughout all district buildings. Employees should know the location
of the extinguishers nearest their place of work and how to use them.
Purchasing procedures
Policy CH
All requests
for purchases must be submitted to the Central Administration Office on an official district purchase order (PO)
form with the appropriate approval signatures. No purchases, charges, or
commitments to buy goods or services for the district can be made without a
Name and address changes
It is important
that employment records be kept up to date. Employees must notify the Central
Administration Office if there are any changes or corrections to their name,
home address, home telephone number, marital status, emergency contact, or
beneficiary. Forms to process a change in personal information can be obtained
from Cindy Staley.
42
Personnel records
Policy GBA
Most district
records, including personnel records, are public information and must be
released upon request. Employees may choose to have the following personal
information withheld:
·
Address
·
Phone
number
·
Social
Security number
·
Information
that reveals whether they have family members
The choice to not allow public access to
this information may be done at any time by submitting a written request to Human
Resources. New or terminating employees have 14 days after hire or termination
to submit a request. Otherwise, personal information will be released to the
public.
Dress Code
·
No shorts may be
worn in the classroom.
·
No jeans may be worn except on specially
designated days.
·
No tennis shoes unless medically required.
·
No beards or goatees. Neatly trimmed mustaches will be allowed.
·
Have a neat and professional appearance at all
times.
·
No visible tattoos.
Building use
Policies DGA, GKD
Employees who
wish to use district facilities after school hours must follow established procedures. The Central Office is responsible for
scheduling the use of facilities after school hours. Contact Cindy Staley to
request to use school facilities and to obtain information on the fees charged.
43
Termination of employment
Resignations
Policy DFE
Contract
employees. Contract
employees may resign their position without penalty at the end of any school
year if written notice is received 45 days before the first day of instruction
of the following school year. A written notice of resignation should be submitted
to the Superintendent. Contract employees may resign at any other time only
with the approval of the superintendent or the board of trustees. Resignation
without consent may result in disciplinary action by the State Board for
Educator Certification (SBEC).
The superintendent
will notify SBEC when an employee resigns and reasonable evidence exists to
indicate that the employee has engaged in any of the acts listed in Reports to the State Board for Educator
Certification, on page 44.
Noncontract
employees. Noncontract
employees may resign their positions at any time. A written notice of
resignation should be submitted to the Superintendent at least two weeks prior
to the effective date. Employees are encouraged to include the reasons for
leaving in the letter of resignation but are not required to do so.
Dismissal or nonrenewal of contract employees
Policies
DFAA, DFAB, DFBA, DFBB, DFCA, DFD, DFF
Employees on
probationary, term, and continuing contracts can be dismissed during the school
year or nonrenewed at the end of the year according to the procedures outlined
in district policies. Contract employees dismissed during the school year,
suspended without pay, or subject to a reduction in force are entitled to
receive notice of the recommended action, an explanation of the charges against
them, and an opportunity for a hearing. The time lines and procedures to be
followed when a suspension, termination, or nonrenewal occurs will be provided
when a written notice is given to an employee. Advance notification requirements
do not apply when a contract employee is dismissed for failing to obtain or
maintain appropriate certification or whose certification is revoked for
misconduct. Information on the time lines and procedures can be found in the DF
series policies that are provided to employees or in the policy manuals located
in the Central Administration office or on-line at: http://www.tasb.org/policy/pol/private/249906/
Dismissal of noncontract employees
Policy DCD
Noncontract
employees are employed at will and may be dismissed without notice, a
description of the reasons for dismissal, or a hearing. It is unlawful for the
district to dismiss any employee for reasons of race, religion, sex, national
origin, disability, military
44
status, any
other basis protected by law, or in retaliation for the exercise of certain protected
legal rights. Noncontract employees who are dismissed have the right to grieve
the
termination.
The dismissed employee must follow the district process outlined in this
handbook when pursuing the grievance. (See Complaints and grievances, page 31.)
Exit interviews and procedures
Exit interviews
will be scheduled for all employees leaving the district. Information on the
continuation of benefits, release of information, and procedures for requesting
references will be provided at this time. Separating employees are asked to
provide the district with a forwarding address and phone number and complete a
questionnaire that provides the district with feedback on his or her employment
experience. All district keys, books, property, and equipment must be returned
upon separation from employment.
Reports to State Board for Educator Certification
Policy DF
The dismissal
or resignation of a certified employee will be reported to the SBEC when the
superintendent first learns about an alleged incident of conduct that involves
the following:
·
A
reported criminal history
·
Any
form of sexual or physical abuse of a minor or any other illegal conduct with a
student or a minor
·
Soliciting
or engaging in sexual conduct or a romantic relationship with a student or
minor
·
The
possession, transfer, sale, or distribution of a controlled substance
·
The
illegal transfer, appropriation, or expenditure of school property or funds
·
An
attempt by fraudulent or unauthorized means to obtain or alter any certificate
or permit that would entitle the individual to a professional position or to
receive additional compensation associated with a position
·
Committing
a crime on school property or at a school-sponsored event
·
Violating
assessment instrument security procedures
Reports concerning court-ordered withholding
The district is required to report the
termination of employees that are under court order or writ of withholding for
child support or spousal maintenance to the court and the individual receiving
the support (Texas Family Code §8.210, 158.211). Notice of the following must
be sent to the court and support recipient:
·
Termination
of employment not later than the seventh day after the date of termination
·
Employee’s
last known address
·
Name
and address of the employee’s new employer, if known
45
Student issues
Equal educational opportunities
Policies FB,
FFH
The Paradise ISD
does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender,
or disability in providing education services, activities, and programs,
including vocational programs, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972; and
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
Questions or
concerns about discrimination of students on any of the bases listed above
should be directed to Mrs. Patti Seckman.
Student records
Student records
are confidential and are protected from unauthorized inspection or use.
Employees should take precautions to maintain the confidentiality of all
student records.
The following
people are the only people who have general access to a student’s records:
Parents Married, separated, or divorced unless parental rights have been
legally terminated and the school has been given a copy of the court order
terminating parental rights
The
student (if 18 or older or emancipated by a court)
School
officials with legitimate educational interests
The student handbook provides parents and
students with detailed information on student records. Parents or students who
want to review student records should be directed to the campus principal for
assistance.
46
Parent and student complaints
Policy FNG
In an effort to hear and resolve parent
and student complaints in a timely manner and at the lowest administrative
level possible, the board has adopted orderly processes for handling
complaints on different issues. Any campus office or the superintendent’s
office can provide parents and students with information on filing a complaint.
Parents are encouraged to discuss problems
or complaints with the teachers or the appropriate administrator at any time.
Parents and students with complaints that cannot be resolved to their
satisfaction should be directed to the campus principal. The formal complaint
process provides parents and students with an opportunity to be heard up to
the highest level of management if they are dissatisfied with a principal’s
response.
Administering medication to students
Policy FFAC
Only designated employees can administer prescription
medication, nonprescription medication, and herbal or dietary supplements to
students. A student who must take medication during
the school day must bring a written request from his or her parent and the
medicine, in its original, properly labeled container. Contact the principal or
school nurse for information on procedures that must be followed when
administering medication to students.
Dietary supplements
Policies DH, FFAC
District employees are prohibited by state
law from knowingly selling, marketing, or distributing a dietary supplement
that contains performance-enhancing compounds to a student with whom the
employee has contact as part of his or her school district duties. In addition,
employees may not knowingly endorse or suggest the ingestion, intranasal
application, or inhalation of a performance-enhancing dietary supplement to any
student.
Psychotropic drugs
Policy FFAC
A psychotropic drug is a substance used in the
diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of a disease or as a component of a
medication. It is intended to have an
altering effect on perception, emotion, or behavior and is commonly described
as a mood- or behavior-altering substance.
District employees are prohibited by state
law from doing the following:
·
Recommending
that a student use a psychotropic drug
47
·
Suggesting
a particular diagnosis
·
Excluding
from class or school-related activity a student whose parent refuses to consent
to a psychiatric evaluation or to authorize the administration of a psychotropic
drug to a student
Student discipline
Policies in the FN series and FO series
Students are expected to follow the
classroom rules, campus rules, and rules listed in the Student Handbook and
Student Code of Conduct. Teachers and administrators are responsible for taking
disciplinary action based on a range of discipline management strategies that
have been adopted by the district. Other employees that have concerns about a
particular student’s conduct should contact the classroom teacher or campus
principal.
Student attendance
Policy FEB
Teachers and staff should be familiar with
the district’s policies and procedures for attendance accounting. These
procedures require minor students to have parental consent before they are
allowed to leave campus. When absent from school, the student, upon returning
to school, must bring a note signed by the parent that describes the reason for
the absence. These requirements are addressed in campus training and in the
student handbook. Contact the campus principal for additional information.
Bullying
Policy FFI
All employees are required to report student
complaints of bullying to campus principal or supervisor. The district’s policy
that includes definitions and procedures for reporting and investigating
bullying of students is reprinted below:
FFI
(Local) Refer to Policy on Line.
http://www.tasb.org/policy/pol/private/249906/
Hazing
Policy FNCC
Students must have prior approval from the
principal or designee for any type of “initiation rites” of a school club or
organization. While most initiation rites are permissible, engaging in or
permitting “hazing” is a criminal offense. Any teacher, administrator, or
employee who observes a student engaged in any form of hazing, who has reason
to know or suspect that a student intends to engage in hazing, or has engaged in
hazing must report that fact or suspicion to the designated campus discipline
person.
48
Index
A
Administering medication to student 47
Administration 7
Alcohol and drug testing 12-13
Annualized compensation 17
Arrests and convictions 39
Asbestos management plan 40
Assault leave 28-29
Associations 37-38
At-will employment 14
Automatic payroll deposits 18
B
Bad weather closing 42
Benefits
cafeteria plan 20
continuation 29
leave 22-29
teacher retirement 21
workers’ compensation 20-21
Bereavement leave 29
Board
meeting schedule 6
of trustees 5
Building use 43
Bullying 48
C
Cafeteria plan benefits 20
Certification
first aid and CPR 13
parent notification 14
Change of address 42
Child abuse reporting 36
Code of ethics 32-34
Communication 30
Compensation 17
Complaints
Employee 31
parent and student 46
Computer use 40
Conflict of interest 37
Contract
Employment 11-12
noncertified employees 11-12
49
Copyrighted materials 40
Court appearances 29
Court-ordered withholdings 45
D
Data management 40
Dietary supplements 47
Directories
helpful contacts 9-10
Dismissal
contract employees 42
noncontract employees 44-45
District
communications 30
goals and objectives 5
information 3
map 4
mission statement 5
Dress Code
42
Drug-abuse prevention 35
Drugs, psychotropic 47
E
Emergencies 42
Employee
conduct and welfare 32
involvement 15
recognition 30
Employment
after retirement 11
at-will 14
contract 11-12
outside 14
Equal educational opportunities 46
Equal employment opportunity 11
Exit interviews 45
F
Family and medical leave 24-27
Firearms 39
Fraud 36-37
G
General procedures 42
Gifts and favors 37
Goals and objectives 5
Grievances 31
50
H
Harassment
student 35
Hazing 47
Health insurance 19-20
Helpful contacts 9-10
I
Insurance
health, dental, and life 19-20
supplemental 20
unemployment 21
workers’ compensation 20
J
Job vacancy announcements 11
Jury duty 29
L
Leave 22-29
Accrual 22
Assault 28-29
Bereavement 29
court appearances 29
discretionary 23
family and medical 24-28
jury duty 29
local 23-24
medical certification 22
military 29
personal 22-23
sick23
temporary disability 27-28
workers’ compensation 28
M
Medications 47
Military leave 29
Mission statement 5
N
Name and address changes 42
Nonrenewal 44
O
Outside employment 14-15
Overtime 18-19
P
Parent and student complaints 47
Parent notification 14
51
Paychecks 17-18
Deductions 18
Payroll
Schedule 18
Performance evaluation 15
Personal leave 22-23
Personnel records 43
Pest control treatment 41-42
Political activities 37-38
Possession of weapons 39
Psychotropic drugs 47-48
Publications 30
Purchasing procedures 42
R
Reports to SBEC 45
Resignations 44
contract employees 44
noncontract employees 44-45
Retirement
Benefits 21
Employment 11
S
Safety 38
Salaries 17
School
Calendar 8
closing 42
Sexual Harassment 35
Sick leave 23
Staff development 16
Standards of conduct 32-34
Stipends 17
Student
Attendance 48
Complaints 47
Discipline 48
Issues 46
Medication 47
Records 46
Student harassment 35
Supplemental insurance 20
T
Teacher retirement 21
52
Temporary disability leave 27
Termination
dismissal during the contract term 44
exit interviews 45
noncontract employees 44-45
nonrenewal 44
reports 45
reports to SBEC 45
resignations 44
Tobacco use 38
Transfers 13
Travel expense reimbursement 19
U
Unemployment compensation insurance 21
V
Visitors 39
W
Wages 17
Weapons 39
Workers’ compensation 20, 21
benefits
insurance
Workload 14
53
“Together
We Can”