AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE
BOARD OF
EDUCATION,
EVERGREEN PARK
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 124
AND THE
EVERGREEN PARK
FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
LOCAL 943
SOUTHWEST
SUBURBAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
AFT, AFL-CIO
2006-2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
A. -
Recognition
6
B. - Scope
of Negotiations.
. 6
C. -
Definition of Bargaining Unit Member
.. 6
A. - Board
Prerogatives
7
B. - Reservation
of Rights
7
A. -
Non Interference
8
B. -
Information
. 8
C. -
Facilities
. 9
D. - District
Directory
9
E. - Issue
Review
9
F. - Insurance
Committee
10
G. -
Availability of Agreement
11
H. - No
Strike Clause
11
I. - Fair
Share Payments.
12
J. - Indemnification
13
K. - Representation
13
A. - Certified
Staff Work Responsibilities
14
1. Work
Day - 14
2. Per Diem - 14
3. Work Year - 15
4. Professional Responsibilities - 15
5. Committee Work - 15
6. Teacher Meetings -
15
7.
Preparation Time - 16
8. I.E.P. Meetings
- 16
B. - Working
Conditions Non-Certified Staff
17
1. Job Description -
17
2.
Work Hours/ Work Year
a.
Media Aide 17
b.
Instructional Aide -17
c.
Health Aide / Clerical Aide 18
d.
School Secretary 18
3.
Holiday Pay 19
4.
Probationary Period 19
5.
Just Cause Discipline 19
C. - Vacancy
19
D. - Evaluations
20
E. - Reduction
in Force
22
F. - Assignments
23
G. - Summer
School
.. 24
H. - Mentor
Program - Certified Teaching Staff
24
I. - Personnel
Files
25
ARTICLE V - SENIORITY
. 26-27
A. - Seniority
- Definition
26
B. - Non-Certified
Employee (paragraph untitled)
26
C. - Seniority
List
27
ARTICLE VI - GRIEVANCE
PROCEDURE
28-30
A. - Definition
28
B. - General
Provisions
28
C. - Procedure
for Adjustment of Grievances
29
D. - Payment
of Expenses
30
E. - Role
of Arbitrator
30
A. - Sick
Leave
31
B. - Personal (Emergency) Business
Leave
31
C. - Bereavement
Leave
32
D. - Union
Leave
33
E. - Religious
Leave
33
F. - Jury
Duty
33
G. - Inclement
Weather
33
H. - Sick
Leave Bank
34
I. - Provision
Applicable to All Leaves of Absence
.. 36
J. - Child
Rearing Leave
..
37
K. - Professional
Leave
38
L. - Extended
Personal Leave
38
M. - Professional
Conference Leave
39
A. - Salary
40
B. - Overtime - Non-Certified
Employees
41
C. - Professional
Development
41
D. - Tuition
Reimbursement
42
E. - Movement
on Salary Schedule
. 43
F. Summer School
Compensation
46
G. - Toileting
and/or Feeding Students
.. 46
H. - Check
Withholding
.. 46
I. - Insurance
46
J. - Part-Time
Bargaining Unit Member Benefits
48
K. - Job
Sharing
48
N. - Travel
49
L. - Retirement
Benefits
49
1. Certified 49-53
a. Eligibility - 49
b. Salary
Increase(s) 49
c. Accumulated
sick Leave severance Bonus 51
d.
Additional Severance Bonus 51
e. Death
benefit 51
f. Rescission
of Intent to Retire 52
g.
Post-retirement Services 52
h.
Indemnification/Hold Harmless 52
i. Retirement
Re-opener 52
2. Non-Certified Staff 53
M. - Retirement
Health Benefits
53-55
1. Certified - 53
2. Non-Certified 53
3. Revision or Retirement Health Benefits -54
A. - Complete
Understanding
56
B. - Savings
Clause
56
C. - Negotiations
Procedures
56
D. - Duration
56
Signature Page
57
APPENDIX
A Teachers Compensation
Schedules
2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-2009
2009-2010
APPENDIX B Non-Certified Compensation Schedules
2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-2009
2009-2010
APPENDIX C Extra Duty Stipends
APPENDIX D SWIC Conference Stipends
APPENDIX E Grievance Form
APPENDIX F Memorandum of Understandings
ARTICLE I
RECOGNITION
A. Recognition
The Board of Education of School District No. 124,
Evergreen Park, hereinafter referred to as the "Board," recognizes
the Evergreen Park Federation of Teachers, Council 1250, Local 943, AFT, AFL‑CIO,
hereinafter referred to as the Union, as the exclusive bargaining agent for
all full and part time certified teaching personnel, including the social
workers and certified school nurses, speech/language pathologists, and all
school secretaries, instructional aides, media aides, health aides and the Central
Junior High office clerk, but excluding the Superintendent and other
administrative personnel who are required by State Board Document 1 to hold a
type 75 certificate for the performance, full-time or part-time, of their
assigned responsibilities, substitutes, all district secretaries, custodial,
maintenance and food service employees, all other educational support
personnel, and all other supervisory, managerial, confidential and short term
employees as defined by the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act.
B. Scope
of Negotiations
The Board agrees to negotiate with the Union on
matters of wages, hours, and working conditions, and other mutually agreed upon
items.
C. Definition
of Bargaining Unit Member
When used hereinafter in this Agreement, the word
bargaining unit member shall refer to a member of the bargaining unit
described in Section A above.
ARTICLE II
MANAGEMENT RIGHTS
A. Board
Prerogatives
The Union acknowledges that the Board has the
responsibility and authority to manage and direct, on behalf of the public, all
of the operations and activities of the School District to the full extent
provided by law, including such areas of discretion or inherent managerial
policy as the functions of the Board, standards of service, the overall budget,
the organizational structure, the selection of new employees and the direction
and assignment of employees. The Board
shall have and retain the full and exclusive right to hire, fire, assign,
promote, demote, layoff, direct discipline, transfer and determine
qualifications of employees.
B. Reservation
of Rights
It is expressly understood and agreed by the Union
that all functions, rights, powers, and authority
of the Board which are not specifically limited by the express language of this
Agreement are retained by the Board as authority vested in it by the laws and
constitutions of Illinois and the United States and as authority properly
exercised by it.
ARTICLE III
UNION RIGHTS
A. Non‑Interference
A bargaining unit member shall remain free to join or
participate in any organization representing bargaining unit members without
interference or penalty. Any grievance
brought under this provision shall be processed before any charge is filed by
the Union with the IELRB.
Alternatively, if a charge is first filed with the IELRB, then no
grievance shall be filed until the IELRB process and any subsequent court
appeal have been completed.
B. Information
1. The
Union shall be furnished with public, available and assembled information
concerning the financial condition of the District or other information
requested for negotiations and the proper enforcement of this Agreement.
2. The
Union President shall be provided, without charge:
a. A
copy of the official Board agenda and packet before each regular and special
Board meeting, when available, at the same time provided to the Board, and
b. A
copy of the official Board minutes
after approval by the Board, and
c. A copy
of the official annual budget, and
d. A
copy of all existing Board policies.
Any revisions and/or additions of Board policies shall be provided at
least two (2) working days prior to their scheduled introduction at Board
meetings.
e. A
copy of the agenda and official minutes of each Board committee, if available,
after approval by the committee
f. A
copy of all job postings
This information will be sent to the Union President
at his/her school. During the summer months, the information will be sent to
the President's home.
3. Provided
the Board remains a participant in the cooperative, the Union shall be
furnished with a copy of the South Suburban Benefit Coop (health insurance
plan) minutes as they become available.
C. Facilities
The Union shall have the reasonable use of school
equipment, the interoffice mail
system, and facilities for the conduct of its business, provided such shall not
interfere with the operation of the schools and prior notice and permission
have been secured for use of the buildings. Should there be any cost attached to
such use, the Union shall pay the reasonable costs.
D. District Directory
1. The
Board shall provide bargaining unit members each school year with a directory
including names, addresses and telephone numbers of all employees who agree to
be listed.
2. Names
and addresses of newly hired bargaining unit members shall be provided to the
Union with the first payroll after employment in the School District.
E. Issue Review
1. Building
Review Team
In an effort to ensure collaboration and open
communication, each school will have a Building Review Team to identify,
discuss and attempt to resolve issues that involve the atmosphere, climate,
conditions or other items that can lead to the improvement of the overall
operations of the school.
The Team will consist of the building principal,
building representative, and a minimum of three (3) certified and one (1)
non-certified bargaining unit members.
The building principal and the building representative will select the
members of the Team and serve as co-chairpersons.
The co-chairpersons will determine the need for, the
dates and the times of Team meetings.
Prior to the Team meeting, the co-chairpersons will prepare an agenda
that will include the items to be discussed.
Meetings are optional, shall be held no more than monthly, and only if
there are items to discuss. Team
meetings shall be scheduled before or after school hours. Minutes will be taken.
2.
District Review Team
In an effort to ensure collaboration and open
communication in the District regarding District-level responsibilities, the
District will have a District Review Team to identify, discuss and attempt to
resolve issues that involve the atmosphere, climate, conditions, school
calendar or other items that can lead to the improvement of the overall
operation of the District.
The Team will consist of the Superintendent, one (1)
District Office Administrator, at least one (1) building level administrator,
one (1) certified bargaining unit member from each of the Districts schools,
three (3) non-certified bargaining unit members, and one (1) member of the
board of education. A District Office
Administrator and one of the Union Vice-presidents will select the members of
the Team and serve as co-chairpersons.
The co-chairpersons will determine the need for, the
dates and the times of Team meetings.
Prior to the Team meeting, the co-chairpersons will prepare an agenda
that will include the items to be discussed.
Meetings are optional, shall be held no more than monthly, and only if
there are items to discuss. Team
meetings shall be scheduled before or after school hours. Minutes will be taken.
One or more meetings will be scheduled in January or
February to review calendar concerns.
F. Insurance
Committee
The Insurance Committee shall consist of no less than
eight (8) and no more than ten (10) District employees. No less than one-half
of the employee members of the
Insurance Committee shall be members of the bargaining unit. One (1) member of the Board of Education
shall also serve on the Insurance Committee. The Chairperson of the
Insurance Committee shall be designated by the Superintendent.
The Insurance Committee will meet at least once during
the school year to study insurance options.
Meetings shall be called by the Chairperson or by three (3) members of
the Committee. If a meeting is called
by three (3) members of the Committee, the time and date of the meeting shall
be scheduled with the agreement of the Chairperson. The Insurance Committee
will be notified of any potential changes in insurance benefits and costs.
The Insurance Committee shall act in an advisory
capacity to the Board and the Union for purposes of reviewing the current
health insurance plan and the impact of possible changes in benefits or
insurance carriers upon the employees and the Board, including any Public Act
in the State of Illinois that may require the School District to participate in
a health insurance program. The
Insurance Committee may make one or more recommendations to the Union and the
Board regarding possible changes in benefits or insurance carriers. In the event of a recommendation, the Union
and the Board will each designate representatives to review the recommendation(s). The parties acknowledge that Insurance
Committee recommendations may be subject to further negotiations between the
Union and the Board before implementation.
This Section shall not be deemed to prevent the Union
or the Board from further negotiations during the term of the Collective Bargaining
Agreement regarding changes in health benefits or insurance carriers
irrespective of the recommendation(s) of the Insurance Committee, or the lack
thereof.
In the event that a Public Act in the State of
Illinois requires the School District to participate in a health insurance
program and the plan includes options for benefits and costs, the Board and the
Union agree that the parties will meet to negotiate the specifics of the plan.
G. Availability of Agreement
The Board shall provide each bargaining unit member
with a copy of the Agreement upon his/her hiring by the District.
H. No Strike Clause
While this Agreement is in force, the Union will not
cause, nor will any bargaining unit member take part in any strike, picketing,
work stoppage, sit‑down, stay‑in, slow‑down or other refusal
to render full and complete services to the Board, or any curtailment of work
or constriction of services, or any activity which would disrupt or interfere
in any manner with the operations of the Board.
I. Fair Share Payments
1. Commencing
on the effective date of this Agreement, or sixty (60) days after initial
employment, and continuing during the term of this Agreement, any bargaining
unit member who is not a member (non-member) of the Union shall pay to the
Union annually his/her fair share of the cost of the collective bargaining
process and contract administration as measured by the amount of dues uniformly
required by members of the Union.
2. By
July 15 of each year, if available, the Union shall certify to the Board the
amount of the fair share fee, not to exceed the dues uniformly required of
members of the Union, and shall supply the Board and the non‑members a
copy of the basis of the calculation of the fee. If the non‑member has
not made payment to the Union within thirty (30) days of the
demand/certification, the Board will commence to deduct the fair share fee
payment from the earnings of the non-member and pay it to the Union in the
same deduction manner as provided in Article VIII, Section H.
3. Non‑members
who object to the amount of the fair share fee have the right to file
objections pursuant to the internal procedures established by the Union for
objecting to the amount of the fair share deduction. Additionally, non-members
who object to the amount of the fair share fee have the right to file
objections with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board pursuant to its
rules and regulations. Upon any such filing and notice of objection, the amount
of the objecting non-members fair
share payments made and to be made shall be placed in an interest‑bearing
escrow account, pending resolution of the charge, in accordance with the rules
and regulations of the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board.
4. If
a non‑member declares the right of non‑association based either
upon bonafide religious tenets or teachings of a church or religious body of
which the non-member is a member, such non‑member shall be required to
pay an amount equal to his or her proportionate fair share, as determined under
this fair share agreement, to a non‑religious charitable organization
mutually agreed upon by the non‑member and the Union. If the affected
teacher and the Union are unable to reach an agreement on the matter, the
non-member shall select a charitable organization for receipt of the payment
from an approved list established by the Illinois Educational Labor Relations
Board in accordance with its rules.
5. The
Union shall indemnify and hold harmless the Board, its members, officers, agents
and employees from and against any forms of liability, including attorneys'
fees incurred, that shall arise out of or by reason of action taken by the
Board for the purposes of complying with the above provisions of this section,
or in reliance upon any list, notice, certification, affidavit or assignment
furnished under any of such provisions.
J. Indemnification
The Board shall provide indemnification and protection
for claims, suits and liability against the bargaining unit member that arise
in the course of employment in accordance with The School Code and as may be
permitted by law.
K. Representation
When any bargaining unit member is required to appear
before the Superintendent or the Board concerning any matter which could
adversely affect the continuation of that bargaining unit members employment
or salary, the bargaining unit member shall be given reasonable prior written
notice of the reasons for such meeting and shall be entitled to have a
representative of the Union present to advise and represent him/her during such
meeting.
ARTICLE IV
WORKING CONDITIONS
A.
Certified Staff Work Responsibilities
1.
Work Day
The teacher work day (including parent teacher
conferences) shall be a consecutive six (6) hours and fifty-five (55)
minutes. It shall include a forty-‑five
(45) minute duty‑free lunch period for elementary teachers and Central
Junior High teachers who are not afforded a regularly-scheduled period for team
collaboration time. Certified staff
assigned to Central Junior High School who are afforded a regularly-scheduled
period for team collaboration time will have a thirty (30) minute duty free
lunch period. The first ten (10) minutes and last fifteen (15) minutes of
the teacher work day shall be free from instructional responsibilities and
shall not count toward a teachers preparation time.
2.
Per
Diem
Any teacher who is assigned to
substitute for a class period during his/her self-directed preparation time,
agrees to an additional teaching assignment
that requires the teacher to lose his/her
self-directed preparation time, duty free lunch period, or works beyond
his/her normal workday in order to teach a regularly-scheduled class, shall be
compensated at his/her hourly rate,
prorated based upon the class assignment.
Any teacher assigned a class in addition to or different from his/her
own for one (1) class period or more
shall be compensated at the prorated hourly rate for the entire duration of
such an assignment, prorated based upon the assignment. Such rate shall be calculated as follows:
Prorated per diem rate = hourly
rate x fraction of the hour(s) that class is in session per day
Example Teacher MA + 10 with a
40 minute assignment
Per Diem rate (pdr) = $48,200 / 182 = $264.84
Hourly rate = $264.84 / 6.167
hours/day = $42.94
3.
Work Year
The work year shall consist of a maximum of 182 days, 183 for new
certified staff (certified staff not employed in the previous year). New
certified staff will also be expected to attend a maximum of 7 hours after
school new certified staff orientation activities. These days are the
legally-required number of pupil
attendance days, up to five (5) institute days and one (1) clerical day. The building principals / administrative
staff shall endeavor to keep clerical days as free of meetings as possible The
first day of the school year will be the first institute day. On this day, bargaining unit members will be
given a minimum of three consecutive hours to be used as self-directed
classroom preparation. The official school calendar will reflect an additional
five (5) days designated as emergency days
4. Professional Responsibility
The Union recognizes that the above amount of time does
not cover all professional responsibilities, including staff and curriculum
work and occasional attendance at school and PTA‑sponsored functions. The
Union further recognizes that it has a responsibility to encourage
participation on behalf of each teacher in both committee work and evening
programs for school related purposes.
5. Committee
Work
All teachers shall be encouraged to participate in
committee work. Recognition shall be given for those teachers who volunteer for
and/or participate in such committee work.
6. Teacher
Meetings
All teachers will be
required to attend one forty-five (45) minute teachers meeting per month. This meeting shall be a regularly scheduled
meeting held either before or after school.
The schedule for each buildings meetings will be developed during the
first two (2) weeks of the school year.
If a meeting falls on a day that school is not in session, the meeting
will be rescheduled. If the principal
does not convene a meeting, the teachers will then be expected to work on other
activities that are related to their job.
7. Preparation
Time Certified Employees
a. Each
certified staff member shall have an amount of self‑directed preparation
time, (preparation time is used for
planning for instruction and meeting the needs of students) of not less than
230 minutes per five (5) day work schedule, exclusive of the time before
and after the student attendance day. Time in excess of 200 min. per five day
work week may be used for planning parent communication and contact,
consultation time with other staff members, IEP meetings and staff development.
Such time may not be used for recess, study hall, lunch duty, detention,
internal substitution or other supervisory duties.
b.. As feasible, preparation time
shall be evenly distributed throughout the work schedule.
c.. Selected
teachers at Central Junior High School, in addition to self-directed
preparation time of not less than two hundred (200) minutes per five (5) day
work schedule, shall be provided team collaboration time equivalent to one (1)
period per normal school day to be used for, but not be limited to, planning
with resource teachers, grading, assignment work, staff and consultation time,
collaboration time with other staff members, I.E.P. meetings, and instructional
purposes, if necessary. The Principal
shall endeavor to maintain such time as free as possible from I.E.P. meetings
and internal substitution.
d.
Preparation time for
part-time certified employees will be provided on a pro-rata basis.
8. I.E.P. Meetings
I.E.P. meetings shall normally be held during the
regular teacher work day and a substitute, when necessary, shall be
provided. When an I.E.P. meeting scheduled during a teacher's work day
results in a loss of the teachers individual preparation time, the teacher shall be compensated at
his/her prorated hourly rate (loss of individual preparation time must exceed a
minimum of ten (10) minutes and shall be prorated in ten (10) minute
increments). If an I.E.P. meeting is
scheduled beyond the teacher work day or during the summer recess, a teacher
who attends such I.E.P. meeting shall be compensated at the pro-rated hourly
rate.
B. Working Conditions Non-Certified
Staff
1. Job
Description
A job description will be made
available upon employment for each non-certified position that identifies the
duties, tasks and/or other special requirements for the job. The immediate supervisor will be identified
by title. The union will have input
into the development of the job descriptions but the administration will have
the final authority on the content.
2. Work Hours/ Work Year
a. Media Aides
The work day will consist of seven (7) hours and thirty (30) minutes for
all full-time media aides, including an unpaid thirty (30) minute duty free
lunch period. There shall also be one
paid fifteen (15) minute break which may be combined with lunch if
possible. Lunch break, when possible,
will be taken between 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM except when extraordinary
circumstances prevent it.
The
work year for media aides is defined as 200 work days. The work year will begin no earlier than 15
days prior to the first day teacher attendance day and conclude no later than
ten (10) work days after the last teacher attendance day. These days may be flexible as agreed to with
the media / technology coordinator and the approval of the superintendent.
Summer hours may vary, but the total number of hours per
week will remain the same.
b. Instructional
Aides
The work day will consist of six (6)
hours and fifty-five (55) minutes
for all full-time instructional aides,
including an unpaid thirty (30)
minute duty free lunch period. There shall be one paid fifteen (15)
minute break which may be combined with
lunch, if possible.
Lunch break, when possible, will be taken
between 11:00 AM and
1:30 PM except when extraordinary
circumstances prevent it.
The work year for instructional aides will consist of
176 days
c. Health
Aides and Clerical Aides
The work day for full-time Health Aides will consist
of seven (7) hours. The work day for
full-time clerical aides will be seven hours and 30 minutes. The work day for
full-time Health Aides and full-time clerical aides includes an unpaid thirty
(30) minute duty free lunch period.
There shall be one paid fifteen (15) minute break which may be combined
with lunch, if possible. Lunch break,
when possible, will be taken between 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM except when
extraordinary circumstances prevent it.
The work year for health aides / clerical aides is
defined as 182 work days. The schedule
shall normally consist of six (6) work days prior to the first day of student
attendance and conclude the last student attendance day. These days may be flexible as agreed to with
the building principal and the approval of the superintendent.
Summer hours may
vary, but the total number of hours per week will remain the same.
d.
School Secretaries
The work day will consist of eight (8) hours for all full-time
elementary school secretaries. The Junior
High School secretary work day will consist of eight (8) hours and thirty (30)
minutes. The work day for all full-time
secretaries includes an unpaid thirty (30) minute duty free
lunch period. There shall also be one paid fifteen (15) minute break which may be combined with lunch, if
possible. Lunch break, when possible,
will be taken between 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. except when extraordinary
circumstances prevent it.
The work year for elementary school secretaries is
defined as 200 work days. The work year
for elementary school secretaries will not begin earlier than 15 work days
prior to the first teacher attendance day and will end no later than ten (10)
work days after the last teacher attendance day. The work year for
Central Jr. High school secretaries is defined as 210 work days and will not
begin more than (7) work days prior to the elementary
secretaries and conclude beyond seven (7)
work days after the elementary
school secretaries finish. These days may be flexible as agreed to with
the building principal and approved by the superintendent.
Summer
hours may vary, but the total number of hours per week will remain the
same.
3. Holiday
Pay
In addition, the district will pay all non-certified
employees covered by this Agreement for eleven (11) paid holidays at the
regular rate of pay.
4. Probationary
Period
All
new non-certified employees shall be hired on a probationary basis for a period
of ninety (90) days on the job, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, days
absent due to injury, illness (sick days), personal business days and days
without pay. During the probationary
period the non-certified employee may be disciplined or discharged without
recourse. The Board has a right to
extend the probationary period for an additional sixty (60) days. The non-certified probationary employee will
be evaluated at least once during this time period.
5. Just Cause Discipline
A non-probationary non-certified employee may be
suspended without pay and/or dismissed only for just cause.
C. Vacancy
1. A vacancy shall be defined as any
current or newly created teaching, extra-curricular, stipend, or non-certified
staff position within the bargaining unit.
A position shall not be interpreted as a vacancy if that position is one
which will not be filled or is to be filled through a transfer.
2. The
Board shall post a notice of established and available vacancies on each school
bulletin board ten (10) days prior
to filling such vacancy. The required number of days for posting will be
reduced (no less than three days) as necessary to fill positions that occur
immediately prior to school starting or during the school year. Notice of vacancy will also be posted on the
Districts web site. A notice of the
posting on the Districts website will be sent to bargaining unit employees
through the Districts e-mail system.
Bargaining unit members who apply for a vacancy will be granted an
interview for that vacancy provided, however, that the bargaining unit member
holds the certification or licensure required for the position. If
a Bargaining Unit Member applies for a posted vacancy and is rejected, the
Bargaining Unit Member may request that the reason for the rejection be given
in writing.
3. Any
Bargaining Unit Member who wishes to be informed of vacancies which become
available after the close of the school year may request that notice of such
vacancies be mailed to his/her home address and shall provide the District
Office with two (2) or more stamped self‑addressed envelopes for this
purpose.
4. Annually,
bargaining unit members shall be afforded an opportunity to submit a request in
writing by April 1 for a transfer to another building, grade level, or new
assignment. This request shall be
addressed to the Superintendent with a copy to the building principal.
5. The
Administration will endeavor to avoid involuntary transfers. In the event of an involuntary transfer, a
teachers experience will be considered.
Prior to the involuntary transfer of a teacher, the Administration will
solicit volunteers; however, the Administration will not be required to
transfer a volunteer.
6. Non-certified
employees who are involuntarily transferred to a new position will suffer no
loss in pay. They will be placed on the
step that is closest to, without being less than their current rate. Employees that voluntarily transfer to a new
position will be given credit on the salary schedule commensurate with
appropriate relevant experience as determined by the Superintendent. Likewise, the starting salary of a new
employee with previous experience will be determined by the Superintendent;
however, no employee will begin at a step higher than Step 5.
D. Evaluations
1. Certified
Evaluations
Evaluations
shall be performed for all teachers subject to the following procedures:
a. Evaluation
is an ongoing process and includes expedient communication between the
evaluator and the teacher of formally and informally observed performance and
suggestions for improvement.
b.
All formal observations of a
teacher shall be conducted openly.
Teachers will be notified in advance of a formal evaluation not later
than the end of the previous work day.
c. A
formal evaluation shall include a classroom observation of not less than thirty
(30) minutes.
d. Each
full time tenured teacher will be formally evaluated in writing at least once
every two (2) years.
e. Each
non‑tenured teacher will be formally evaluated in writing twice each year
during the first four (4) years of employment. Each formal evaluation shall be based upon at least one (1)
observation.
f. Within
two (2) months after the beginning of each school term, the evaluator shall
acquaint teachers under his/her supervision with the teacher evaluation
procedures, standards, and instruments to be used.
g. Formal
evaluation will include a conference, held within fifteen (15) work days of the
latest formal observation, between the evaluator and the teacher, at which time
a copy of the written evaluation will be given to the teacher.
h. Any
teacher who disagrees with an evaluation in part or whole shall have the right
to attach a rebuttal within thirty (30) work days from the formal evaluation
conference.
i. The
evaluation instrument shall remain in full force and effect for the duration of
this Agreement or until a revision is prepared by a committee of teachers and
administrators. The parties understand
and acknowledge that the evaluation ratings of teachers required by the
evaluation instrument are not subject to the grievance and binding arbitration
procedures set forth in Article VI of this Agreement.
2. Non-Certified Evaluations
Evaluations shall be performed for non-certified
bargaining unit members subject to the following procedures:
a. All
non-certified bargaining unit members who have worked for the district less than three (3) years
in the same position will be evaluated annually. All other employees will be evaluated at least once every three
years. All copies of the written
evaluation will be signed and dated by the employer and employee indicating
that the evaluation has been discussed but not necessarily agreed to. A copy of the evaluation will be put in the
employees personnel file. All
evaluations will be conducted by the school principal with input by teachers
and district administrators when applicable.
b. Within
two (2) months after the beginning of the school term in which the employee is
to be evaluated, the evaluator shall acquaint employees under his/her
supervision with the support staff evaluation procedures, standards, and
instruments to be used.
c. Formal
evaluation will include a conference between the employer and the employee, at
which time a copy of the written evaluation will be given to the employee. The evaluation conference must be completed
by April 15. If an employee receives an
unsatisfactory evaluation, a remediation plan will be developed and implemented
by the evaluator. If a non-probationary
employee receives a remediation plan, the duration of the employees remediation
period will not exceed forty-five (45) days.
d. Any
employee who disagrees with an evaluation in part or whole shall have the right
to attach a rebuttal within thirty (30) work days from the formal evaluation
conference.
E. Reduction
in Force
1. Certified Staff
In the event a reduction in force shall be determined
by the Board to be necessary, the following procedures shall be used:
a. It
is recognized that positions within the District require various certificates
and academic qualifications as proper credentials to hold a given position. The
reduction in force process assumes that the teachers remaining on staff after
reduction have the proper certificates and academic qualifications to hold the
positions deemed necessary by the Board.
b. Non‑tenured
teachers shall be reduced in force prior to tenured teachers, provided no
tenured teacher is qualified to fill a position currently held by a non‑tenured
teacher.
c. Seniority
for all teachers shall be determined according to the Illinois School Code.
2.
Non-Certified Staff
If full-time employees are removed or dismissed as a
result of a decision by the Board to either decrease the number of employees or
to discontinue a particular type of educational support service, written
notice, together with a letter of honorable dismissal and the reason therefore,
shall be given the employee by certified mail, return receipt requested, or
personal delivery with receipt, at least thirty (30) days before the
non-certified employee is removed or dismissed, or as may be otherwise
permitted by the Illinois School Code as may be amended from time to time. Reductions shall be made in reverse order of
seniority within the separate categories as set forth in Article V, Section
B.
3. Recall Rights
If a vacancy occurs for the following school term or
within one (1) calendar year from the beginning of the school term following a
staff reduction, the Board shall first offer re-employment to the bargaining
unit member(s) laid off (by certification for certified employees; by category
for non-certified employees) in the reverse order of the reduction. This recall right shall not apply to
probationary or part-time bargaining unit employees. A bargaining unit member so recalled shall not be deemed to have
suffered a break in employment as a result of the RIF, but the bargaining unit
member shall not accrue any benefits, including seniority, for the period of
the reduction.
Notice of recall shall be sent to a bargaining unit
member by certified mail (return receipt requested) to the last address
submitted to the Board by the bargaining unit member. The bargaining unit member must notify the Board in writing,
within ten (10) calendar days of mailing or within five (5) calendar days of
receipt of the offer, whichever shall first occur, of the acceptance or
rejection of any vacant position tendered to the bargaining unit member during
the recall period. Any bargaining unit
member who fails to notify the Board of his/her acceptance or rejection of a
tendered position with the time lines set forth above shall be deemed to have
waived his or her recall rights and will no longer be eligible for any other
vacant positions that become available within the recall period. A bargaining unit members recall rights
will be extinguished once he/she accepts or rejects any tendered vacant
position.
F. Assignments
1. The
Board shall notify each certified bargaining unit member of his/her tentative assignment for the next school year no later
than five (5) days prior to the last day of student attendance.
2. For
any change requiring physical relocation, a certified bargaining unit member
shall be entitled to one (1) day of wages for work performed outside the
certified bargaining unit members work year to facilitate the change. If the change occurs during the work year,
the Board may provide a substitute to facilitate the move.
3.
Every effort will be
made to notify non-certified employees of their work assignments for the
following school year by June 1. It is
understood that instructional aides may need to be tentatively scheduled due to
the fact that these assignments are based on need.
G. Summer School Assignment
1. Notice
of availability of summer school positions, and assignments to same, shall be
made as early as possible. Preference
in filling positions in the summer school program shall be given to bargaining
unit members in the District. When
there are more applicants for the summer school program than available
positions, preference will be given to District employees based on the
following in descending order of importance:
(1) bargaining unit members who worked in the summer school program the
previous summer; and (2) District seniority.
H. Mentor
Program- Certified Teaching Staff
1. Teachers
new to the district will be assigned a mentor if there is an available
volunteer. The selection of a mentor
teacher will be from the teaching staff in the building where the new teacher
is assigned. This is a voluntary
assignment.
2. Certified
Teachers are encouraged to volunteer as a mentor. A teacher seeking to volunteer as a mentor should complete a
District application to serve as a mentor for the next school term prior to the
last day of the current school term.
3. A
mentor will receive a stipend of $400.00 per assignment. If a special teacher (special education,
art, music, or P.E.) is assigned more than one mentor, the mentors shall share
the stipend equally. A mentor will
receive one (1) Professional Day per mentor assignment. The mentor shall submit a Professional Day
Request to the building principal.
Professional Day Requests shall be subject to the approval of the
Superintendent or designee. The
Professional Day shall be used during the school term that the teacher serves
as a mentor.
4. The
administrator in charge of the mentor program will notify the mentor in writing
of his/her appointment. These
appointments will be made two weeks prior to the start of school when possible. Late hires will require late assignments.
5. Mentors
are responsible for completing assigned tasks in the mentoring handbook.
I. Personnel Files
1. Only
one official file shall be kept for each bargaining unit member, and it shall
be kept in the district office.
However, required medical and criminal background investigation
information shall be maintained separately from the file.
2. Bargaining
unit members shall be entitled to view their personnel file. Inquiries shall be
made not less than one (1) working day before the time requested.
3. The
bargaining unit member shall review his/her file in the presence of the
Superintendent or designee. The bargaining unit member is entitled to have a
Union representative with her/him. Photocopies of material placed in the file
may be made available to the bargaining unit member free of charge.
4. Each
bargaining unit members personnel file shall contain information relevant to
his/her years of service in the District.
The bargaining unit members and the District shall each have the
following responsibilities:
a. Bargaining
Unit Member Responsibility
(1) To
submit required medical information (including T.B. report)
(2) To
submit official transcripts and grade reports of all undergraduate and graduate
work and certification.
b. District
Responsibility
(1) Bargaining
Unit Member evaluation
reports
(2) Copies
of contracts/notification of re‑employment
(3) Copies
of supplemental duty contracts
(4) Letters
of commendation
(5) Letters
noting curriculum involvement
5. Bargaining
unit members will be notified in writing of any materials placed in their
personnel file that are not provided by the bargaining unit member.
SENIORITY
A. Seniority
- Definition
For certified bargaining unit members, seniority is
defined as the total length (days) of continuous tenured full-time and tenured
part-time employment in the District. For non-certified bargaining unit
members, seniority is defined as the total length (days) of continuous
full-time employment in the District in one of the designated categories set
forth in Section B below. Probationary
employees shall have no seniority until the successful completion of the
probationary period, at which time their seniority shall revert to their first
day of work.
Paid leave of absence (including FMLA leave) will
count as continuous employment. Unpaid
authorized leave days will not count as employment for seniority purposes, but
they will not be considered to interrupt continuous employment; however, if the
bargaining unit member is a probationary certified employee, such leave shall
be deemed to interrupt continuous employment for purposes of acquiring
contractual continued service (tenure) with the exception of leave taken under
the Family and Medical Leave Act.
For full-time employment for less than a full-years
service, seniority credit shall be recognized so long as the employee works
one-half of a normal full-time work year for his/her position. Work for purposes of this contract is
defined as actual days worked. Up to 60 accumulated sick leave days and or
personal days will be considered as days worked. If more than one employee has
the same length of continuous service, seniority shall be determined by date of
hire. The date of hire shall be defined
to mean the first day of work or the date of Board action approving employment,
whichever shall first occur. A tie
shall be broken by lottery.
B. A
non-certified employee shall retain his/her seniority when moving from one
category to another. For the purposes
of reduction-in-force, all non-certified employees shall be placed in one of
the following categories based upon their current assignments:
1. Instructional
Aide
2. Health
Aide
3. School
Secretary
4. Media
Aide
5.
Clerical Aide
C. Seniority
List
The Board shall prepare a seniority list of all
bargaining unit members (by non-certified staff category) by February 1st of
each year and post it on the Unions bulletin board as well as giving a copy to
the union president. Prior to that,
each employee will be provided with a listing from the business office to
verify his/her seniority. Each employee
shall have the right within ten (10) business days after the receipt of the
listing to return it to the district office indicating whether or not the
information is correct. Failure of an
employee to make a timely objection shall be deemed to be an acceptance of the
listings.
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
A. Definition
A
grievance is a written claim that there has been a violation, misinterpretation
or misapplication of a specific provision of this Agreement.
B. General
Provisions
1. A
bargaining unit member shall be represented by the Union when meeting with an
administrator regarding a grievance at Level 1 or beyond of the grievance
procedure.
2. If
a grievance arises from the action of authority higher than the principal of a
school, such grievance may be advanced to appropriate steps of the grievance
procedure.
3. A
bargaining unit member who participates in the grievance procedure shall not be
subjected to disciplinary action or reprisal because of such participation.
4. Failure to comply with any steps of this
procedure to communicate the decision of a grievance within the specified time
limits shall permit lodging an appeal at the next step of this procedure within
the time allotted had the decision been given.
5. Conferences
held under this procedure shall be conducted at a time and place which will
afford a fair and reasonable opportunity for all persons entitled to be present
to attend.
6. All
references to days mean school days, except that between the end of the
school year in June and the beginning of the next school year, days shall
mean days when the District's business offices are open.
7. All
time limits may be extended by mutual agreement between the parties.
8. No
materials relevant to grievances shall be inserted in a bargaining unit
members personnel file. All records
related to the processing of a grievance shall be filed separately from the
personnel files of the participants.
9. Grievances
must conform with the provisions of the mutually approved grievance form,
attached to this Agreement as Appendix E.
10. Failure
to follow the time limits, except when mutually extended, shall act as a bar to
further processing of the grievance.
C. Procedure
for Adjustment of Grievances
The
parties hereto acknowledge that it is usually most desirable for a bargaining
unit member and the bargaining unit members immediately involved supervisor to
resolve problems through free and normal communications. If, however, the informal process fails to
satisfy the bargaining unit member or the Union, a grievance may be processed
as follows:
1. Level One:
Within
fifteen (15) days of the time a grievance arises, the Union shall submit the
written grievance to the immediate supervisor, who will arrange for a meeting
to take place within five (5) days after receipt of the grievance. Within
fifteen (15) days after a meeting on the written grievance, the supervisor
shall provide the Union a written answer on the mutually approved form.
2.
Level Two:
The
Union may, within ten (10) days of receipt of the immediate supervisor's
answer, submit the grievance to the Superintendent or a designated
representative. A mutually convenient meeting will be called by the
Superintendent with the Union within ten (10) days after receipt of the
grievance appeal. At the meeting, witnesses may be called as desired by either
party to substantiate any evidence presented. Within ten (10) days following
the meeting, the Superintendent or designee will provide the Union with a
written answer to the grievance on or attached to the mutually approved form.
3.
Level Three:
If
the grievance cannot be settled at the second stage, the grievance shall be
submitted to the Board to be considered at its next regularly scheduled
meeting, unless an earlier or later date is agreed to by all parties. The aggrieved and the Union shall present a
written brief to the Board within five (5) working days before they present the
case orally. Within ten (10) working
days following the meeting, the Board will provide the Union with a written
answer to the grievance on or attached to the mutually approved form.
4. Level
Four:
If
the grievance is not resolved satisfactorily to the Union at Level Three, the Union may submit to the American
Arbitration Association, in writing, within fifteen (15) days after receipt of
the Level Three decision, a request to enter into binding arbitration. The arbitration proceedings shall be conducted
by an arbitrator to be selected by the two parties in accordance with the
procedures established by the American Arbitration Association.
D. Payment of Expenses
Expenses for the arbitrator's services and arbitration
expenses which are common to both parties shall be borne equally by the Board
and the Union. Each party in an arbitration proceeding shall be responsible for
compensating its own representation and witnesses.
E. Role
of Arbitrator
The
arbitrator, in his/her decision, shall not amend, modify, nullify, ignore, or
add to the provisions of the Agreement.
His/her authority will be strictly limited to deciding only the issue or
issues presented to him/her in writing by the Board and the Union. The decision
must be based solely upon the arbitrator's interpretation of the meaning or
application of the express relevant language of the Agreement.
A. Sick
Leave
Each full-time bargaining unit member shall be
entitled to ten (10) days of sick leave each school year. Part-time employees shall be offered
sick leave on a prorated basis. After
completion of ten (10) full-time years of service in the District, a bargaining
unit member shall be entitled to eleven (11) days of sick leave each school
year. After completion of twenty (20)
full-time years of service in the District, a bargaining unit member shall be
entitled to twelve (12) days of sick leave each school year.
Sick leave shall be interpreted to mean
personal illness, quarantine at home or serious illness or death in the
immediate family or household. The immediate family for purposes of this
section shall include the spouse, children, parents, sisters, brothers,
grandparents, grandchildren, parents‑in‑law, brothers‑in‑law,
sisters‑in‑law, and legal guardians. The Board may require a bargaining unit member who is absent for
three (3) consecutive days, or as otherwise necessary, to provide a physician's
certificate substantiating the illness and, further, may direct a bargaining
unit member, at Board expense, to undergo a physical examination by a physician
licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches.
Unused sick leave days shall accumulate
from year to year to a maximum of 340 days. Bargaining unit members shall be
notified in writing at the beginning of each school year as to the current
number of such days they have accumulated.
Absence due to injury incurred in the
course of employment shall not be charged against a bargaining unit members
sick leave days during the three (3) day required eligibility period under
workers compensation laws if the bargaining unit member is not reimbursed by
workers compensation.
B. Personal
(Emergency) Business Leave
Each full-time bargaining unit member
shall be entitled to two (2) days of personal (emergency) business leave each
school year. Part-time employees shall
be offered personal (emergency) business leave on a prorated basis.
Bargaining unit members shall notify
the Superintendent at least one (1) day in advance of the leave whenever
possible. Personal (emergency) business leave may be used to transact personal
or legal business which cannot be transacted out of school hours. It shall not
be necessary for the bargaining unit member to include the reason for personal
(emergency) business leave when making this request. Unused personal (emergency) business leave shall be allowed to
accumulate as sick leave.
Except for very unusual circumstances, which would in
advance be explained to and approved by the Superintendent, personal
(emergency) business leave shall not be allowed to be taken immediately prior
nor immediately after a holiday, vacation period, institute or in‑service
day, nor the first or last week of the school term.
Unused personal (emergency) business leave days may accumulate from year
to year, but may not exceed three (3) days.
C. Bereavement Leave
1. Up
to five (5) full days of absence may be used without a salary deduction or
reduction in sick leave reserve for each bargaining unit member where absence
is the result of the death of a parent, spouse or child. Up to three (3) full days of absence may be
used without a salary deduction or reduction in sick leave reserve for each
bargaining unit member where absence is the result of the death of a member of
the immediate family for purposes of this section shall include the spouse,
children, parents, sisters, brothers, grandparents, grandchildren, parents‑in‑law,
brothers‑in‑law, sisters‑in‑law and legal guardians. In
addition, the Superintendent may grant to a bargaining unit member up to five (5)
additional full days of absence without a salary deduction or reduction in sick
leave for such a death in the immediate family.
2. One day bereavement
leave will be granted for the following extendedfamily members who include
aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Up to an additional three (3) days absence without a
salary deduction may be granted by the superintendent
D. Union
Leave
In the event the Union desires to send representatives
to local, state, or national conferences or for the conduct of normal and
necessary Union business, representatives shall be excused without loss of pay,
provided the Union reimburses the District for the normal cost of the
substitutes. The Superintendent must be provided three (3) days notice of the
intent to use, and the number of days per year used may not exceed ten (10)
days. Union days may not be used on a fractional basis, and this benefit is
limited to ten (10) days per year for the Union and is not per bargaining unit
member. However, no more than five (5)
such days per year may be utilized by certified or non-certified employees, and
no more than four (4) employees may be absent on a given work day.
E. Religious Leave
Bargaining unit members whose recognized religious
holidays are not observed on the regular school calendar as legal holidays
shall be permitted to take up to two (2) days annually without loss of pay.
Bargaining unit members shall notify the Superintendent at least five (5) days
in advance of the leave whenever possible.
F. Jury Duty
Any bargaining unit member who is required to serve on jury duty
during the school year shall receive full salary during the period of such
service, provided the bargaining unit member submits to the Business Office a
copy of the check issued by the courts for jury service. Upon receipt of payment for such duty, the
bargaining unit member may keep the payment.
G. Inclement Weather
When schools are closed due to inclement weather
conditions, the non-certified employees who are required to work shall not be
docked for tardiness determined by the employees immediate supervisor to be
reasonable under the circumstances.
Non-certified employees not required to work shall not be docked but
will be required to work a make-up day.
H. Sick Leave Bank
1. A
full‑time bargaining unit member shall be eligible to participate in a
Sick Leave Bank program, provided the bargaining unit member:
a.
Has served the District at
least two (2) full years.
b.
Has accumulated sick leave
days from a preceding year of service.
c. Contributes
two (2) personal sick leave days from personal accumulation to the Sick Leave
Bank. Such days are non‑returnable.
d. Agrees
to the rules and regulations of the Sick Leave Bank which may be amended.
e. Makes
application on the Union provided form prior to October 1 of any school year.
2. If
a bargaining unit member fails to join the Sick Leave Bank by October 1 of the
first year of eligibility, then the bargaining unit member is not eligible to
withdraw days from the Sick Leave Bank until two (2) calendar years after the
bargaining unit member elects to participate.
3. If
a member of the Sick Leave Bank resigns membership in the Sick Leave Bank,
he/she is permanently ineligible for benefits and membership.
4. The
Union shall notify the Board, in writing, when enrolled participants must
contribute additional days to the Sick Leave Bank. The Union shall
notify the Board as to the necessity of an additional contribution, and the
number of days to be contributed by each enrolled participant, by October 1
each school term. The Union may notify
the Board as to the necessity of one additional contribution for each school
year of the Agreement. The Board may,
in its sole and non-reviewable discretion, waive the requirements of this
Section and grant an additional contribution.
Such waiver shall be without precedential effect. Membership in the Sick
Leave Bank automatically obligates a bargaining unit member to contribute
additional day(s).
5. The
number of days in the Sick Leave Bank shall not exceed three (3) times the
number of currently enrolled members.
The maximum number of days per school year which may be withdrawn by all
bargaining unit members is limited to three (3) times the number of current
Sick Leave Bank members.
6. Resignation
or dismissal from the School District shall terminate Sick Leave Bank
membership. A resigned or terminated
bargaining unit member shall not be entitled to claim days contributed to the
Sick Leave Bank, nor shall such resigned or terminated bargaining unit member
be eligible for any benefits of membership after the effective date of
resignation or termination.
7. A
Sick Leave Bank member who is on an authorized, unpaid leave from the District
shall be an inactive member in good standing who will not be eligible to
withdraw days or benefits from the Sick Leave Bank. Such bargaining unit member shall be required to contribute to
the Sick Leave Bank any days assessed on Sick Leave Bank members during the
time of the unpaid leave at the time of return to active membership.
8. All
withdrawals from the Sick Leave Bank shall be authorized solely by the
Union. Authorized withdrawal by
participating members from the Sick Leave Bank must be accompanied by:
a. A
written application for benefits which shall have reasonable documentation, as
may be required, evidencing a legitimate need for Sick Leave Bank days.
b. The
exhaustion of available personal accumulated sick leave.
c. An
individual must experience one (1) day of leave without wages between the
exhaustion of available personal illness days and a withdrawal of benefits from
the Sick Leave Bank for the personal illness of the employee and five (5) days
without pay in the case of a catastrophic illness of a dependent child. An individual shall experience the
aforementioned relevant loss of wages at the time of each access to the Sick
Leave Bank.
9. Sick Leave Bank benefits are limited to
personal illness of the bargaining unit member or catastrophic illness of a
dependent child requiring constant care by the employee.
10. A
bargaining unit member must have returned to active service for ten (10) work days after using days withdrawn
from the Sick Leave Bank before he/she is eligible to make a subsequent
withdrawal from the Sick Leave Bank.
11. Withdrawal
of days by an individual bargaining unit member for personal illness is limited
to sixty (60) work days per school year.
In addition, withdrawal of days is limited to thirty (30) work days per
school year for catastrophic illness of a dependent child.
12. Any
member who is receiving disability benefits from the Teachers' Retirement
System / IMRF, or who is absent for illness due to a work‑related injury
(which is compensable under the Illinois Workers Compensation Act), is not
eligible for Sick Leave Bank benefits.
13. The
Union agrees with respect to the operation of the Sick Leave Bank that it will
hold harmless and defend the Board, its members, employees and/or agents, as
regards any action, complaint or suit of any type, provided only that the Board
shall fulfill its responsibilities as set forth above. In the event any action, complaint or suit
of any type in any form shall be brought against the Board, its members,
employees and/or agents, the Board shall retain the exclusive right to select
counsel to defend such action, complaint or suit.
14. The
District business manager will annually notify the Union President by September
15th of all bargaining unit members eligible to participate in the Sick Leave
Bank program and will provide the Union President, upon request, with the
number of days in the Sick Leave Bank and its current status. The Union shall
provide the District business manager with all information necessary for the
proper maintenance of records.
I. Provisions
Applicable to All Leaves of Absence
1. Application
for a leave, excepting leaves under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act,
shall be made in writing to the Superintendent at least ninety (90) calendar
days prior to the proposed start of the leave or, if the leave is for the
following school year, by March 1st of the preceding year. An emergency request for a leave of absence
may be submitted with as much advance notice as possible under the circumstances.
The application shall indicate the requested starting and ending dates of the
leave.
2. Arrangements
for such leave shall be made by discussing the same with the Superintendent.
The bargaining unit member and the Superintendent shall determine the beginning
and ending dates of such leaves, and following such discussion, the bargaining
unit member shall submit to the Board a written request for such leave.
3. If
a bargaining unit member has worked at least one-half of his/her normal
full-time work year, she/he shall receive credit on the salary schedule for
completion of the year of service. A bargaining unit member shall neither
accrue (unless on a FMLA leave) nor lose seniority while on a leave. Any bargaining unit member granted a Board approved
leave will not lose any accrued sick days.
Additional seniority, sick days and vacation days are not accrued while
on a leave except as may be
otherwise required by law.
4. If,
during the leave, the purpose for such leave terminates and a bargaining unit
member wishes to return to service prior to the expiration of such leave,
subject to scheduling efficiency, continuity of instruction, and the
Superintendent's consent, the bargaining unit member will be assigned to an
available vacancy for which she/he is qualified.
5. A
bargaining unit member must notify the Superintendent of intent to return on or
before March 1 of the school year preceding the intended return. Failure to so
notify by March 1 shall be deemed a voluntary submission of resignation from
employment in the District.
6. After
the expiration of any insurance benefits for a leave under the federal Family
and Medical Leave Act, a bargaining unit member may make arrangements for
maintaining insurance benefits at her/his own expense for a period of time not
to exceed two years or as may be otherwise permitted by the insurance
carrier.
7. Any
Bargaining Unit Member who has been granted an leave of absence shall not
become eligible for a subsequent leave for non‑disability related reasons
unless and until the Bargaining Unit Member has returned to full‑time
service for a least one (1) complete school year. The Board may, in its sole and non-reviewable discretion, waive
the requirements of this Section and grant a subsequent leave. Such waiver shall be without precedential
effect.
J. Child
Rearing Leave Without Pay
1. A
non-certified bargaining unit member who has completed three (3) consecutive
years of full-time service or any tenured teacher may request and shall be
granted a child rearing leave, subject to this provision and the general
conditions applicable to all leaves as set forth in Section I above. If such leave begins on or
after March 1, the bargaining unit member may have the remainder of the school
year plus one (1) additional school year. Leaves which begin prior to March 1
are limited to the remainder of the school year. In the latter instance,
the Board, in its sole discretion, may grant an extension of such leave for one
(1) additional school year. The Board
may, in its sole and non-reviewable discretion, waive the requirements of this
Section and grant a child rearing leave to a non-tenured teacher.
2. Nothing
in this Section shall be deemed to prohibit a pregnant bargaining unit member
from working until and when the pregnancy becomes disabling and prevents her
from performing her assigned duties. If at any time during the pregnancy she
becomes temporarily disabled, she may utilize whatever sick leave benefits she
may have accrued (if any) during such disability, and then return to work when
she is physically able.
3. All leave benefits, excluding use of sick
leave days, shall be extended to a bargaining unit member who is adopting a
child.
K. Professional Leave Without Pay
A tenured teacher who has at least six (6) years of
service to School District No. 124 may apply for and shall be granted a leave
of absence for a period of time not less than, and coterminous with, one (1)
full school year, for the purpose of advanced study bearing some direct
relationship to an area of teaching or educational administration presently a
part of the School District No. 124 educational program. The teacher requesting the leave may be
pursuing advanced study not directly related to his/her assignment. Said leave
shall be in accordance with the general leave conditions set forth in Section I above.
L. Extended Personal Leave Without Pay
A bargaining unit member who has completed four (4)
consecutive years of full-time service may apply for an unpaid leave of absence
for compelling personal reasons such as, but not limited to, extended personal
illness or illness in the immediate family, additional education, travel, study
or other career alternatives. Bargaining Unit Members who have at least two (2) years of service to School
District 124 may apply for an unpaid leave of absence for extended personal
illness or illness in their immediate family.
The terms and conditions of such leave shall be subject to the
recommendations of the Superintendent and approval by the Board and shall
comply with the general leave conditions set forth in Section I above.
M. Professional
Conference Leave
A
bargaining unit member may apply to the Superintendent or designee to attend professional
conferences, meetings or workshops.
Attendance may be authorized with or without full pay and expenses.
ARTICLE VIII
A. Salary
1. During the term of this Agreement,
bargaining unit members shall be paid in accordance with the compensation
schedules attached to the end of this Agreement as Appendix A - Certified
Salary Schedules, Appendix B - Classified Salary Schedules, Appendix C Extra
Duty Schedule Appendix D - SWIC Conference Stipends.
2. Full credit may be granted on this salary schedule for a maximum of ten (10) years
of successful teaching experience earned while fully certified and regularly
assigned as a teacher in an accredited elementary
or secondary school. Additional credit
beyond ten (10) years may be granted at the Board's discretion.
3. Social Workers and speech pathologists
will be initially placed on the MA 30 lane.
4. In addition to the annual salary paid
to the teachers as shown on the compensation schedules (Appendices D, E, and
F), the Board shall pay on behalf of the teacher to the State of Illinois
Teachers Retirement System (TRS) 4.5% of the required contributions to said
pension system. The teacher shall not
have any right or claim to said amounts, except as they may become available at
the time of retirement or resignation from the State of Illinois Teachers
Retirement System. The Board and
teacher acknowledge that the teacher did not have the option of choosing to
receive the contributed amounts directly instead of having such contributions
paid by the Board to TRS, and further acknowledge that such contributions are
made as a condition of employment to secure the teachers future services,
knowledge, and experience. The
remaining portion of the teachers required contribution to TRS and the
contribution to the Teachers Health Insurance Security Fund will be deducted
from the salary of each teacher.
5. The starting salary of a new
non-certified employee with previous experience will be determined by the
Superintendent. No new employee will
begin at a step higher than step 5.
6. Pay days shall be on alternating Fridays
beginning not later than the second Friday following the first day of school
each school year. A new bargaining unit member will be paid twenty‑six
(26) consecutive paycheck schedule and by direct deposit. Current bargaining
unit members who have elected twenty six (26) pay schedule or direct deposit
may not withdraw such elections. Any current bargaining unit members who have
elected twenty-two (22) pays or have not elected direct deposit may continue
those elections for the remainder of this contract.
B. Overtime
- Non-Certified Employees
1. All overtime requires pre-approval by
the Superintendent or his/her designee.
2. Overtime shall be any work performed outside
the scheduled work times in excess of the normal work week and/or normal work
day.
3. Overtime shall be paid at one and a
half time the non-certified employees regular hourly rate of pay for all hours
worked in excess of 40 hours.
Non-certified employees may take comp time in lieu of overtime pay with
prior approval of the Superintendent or designee.
4. Work assigned and performed outside of
the normal work schedule that does not qualify for overtime pay shall be paid
at the non-certified employees regular rate of pay and shall be voluntary
only.
5. Any non-certified employee on overtime
shall be entitled to a paid fifteen (15) minute break within two hours of
overtime worked. If the overtime
exceeds four hours, the non-certified employee shall be entitled to a duty-free
lunch.
6. Selection for overtime shall be first
by the holder of the position involved and then on a rotating basis by
seniority among non-certified employees qualified to do the work required.
7. If the non-certified employee is called
in to work overtime on a paid holiday, the non-certified employee shall be paid
double time for the hours worked.
C. Professional
Development
1. Certified
Staff
Professional development is an approved experience planned and conducted
by the District or through an external agency for the purpose of strengthening
the certified staff and/or District in curriculum, instruction, personnel,
support services or other areas. All
professional development experiences are subject to the pre-approval of the
Administration.
Certified staff successfully
completing in-District approved professional development after regular school
hours shall be compensated in the following manner:
a.
Certified staff shall be
paid at the professional development rate; (Appendix C)or
b. Certified
staff shall be awarded CPDU credit.
Teachers
successfully completing out-of-District approved professional development shall
be compensated in the following manner:
a. District
124 will pay the registration fee; and
b. Certified
staff shall be awarded CPDU credit.
Successful
completion for purposes of this provision means completion of all stated
activity requirements as announced in the course description and as required by
ISBE certificate renewal regulations.
2. Non-Certified
Staff
Non-certified staff who are covered
by this Agreement will be eligible for staff development classes offered
through the school district. If the
class is offered outside normal work hours, non-certified staff will be compensated
at their hourly rate or with comp time, whichever the employee chooses.
D. Tuition Reimbursement
1. Certified
Staff
For each school year of this Agreement, the Board shall set aside the amount of $25,000.00 for
tuition costs for eligible certified staff members. The pool will be distributed to all certified staff members who
have completed two (2) years of service in District 124 taking graduate
courses, with reimbursement up to $150.00 per credit hour, but not to exceed
the actual tuition paid by the certified staff member. or the total dollars in
the tuition pool.
Eligibility
Certified employees eligible for Tuition Reimbursement
shall be reimbursed for the actual tuition costs of graduate-level course work
beyond a degree, subject to the maximum hourly costs set forth above, provided
that the following conditions have been met:
1.
The
graduate-level course was approved by the Superintendent or designee within two
(2) weeks of enrollment in the course.
2.
The employee
attained a grade of C or better in the course (or a grade of passing in the
event no letter grades were assigned).
3.
The costs
being submitted for reimbursement have not already been paid to, or on behalf
of, the employee by another source.
4.
Only courses taken in the school year prior to the current school year will be eligible for
reimbursement.
5.
The
Superintendent or designee may approve undergraduate course work at his/her
discretion.
6.
The employee
requested reimbursement in accordance with the procedures set forth below.
A certified staff member who receives
National Board Certification shall be reimbursed for the certification
application fee to the extent that it is not covered by State funding
Reimbursement funds will be distributed in the second payroll in October. Any certified staff member who resigns prior
to the first day of the following school year will not be eligible for
reimbursement. A certified staff member
must complete a Tuition Reimbursement Request, present official transcript(s)
and cost receipt showing payment to the Office of the Superintendent by
September 15. Tuition costs shall be reimbursed only for coursework that meets
requirements as specified in the
Eligibility requirements listed above.
2. Non-Certified Staff
The Board shall reimburse instructional
assistants/media assistants for the actual costs s/he incurs to take a test to
meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. If the District does offer the test on-site,
there shall be no cost to the employee.
If the District does not offer the test and the employee incurs cost to
take the test elsewhere, the District will cover the cost of the test if
pre-approved by the Superintendent. In
order to receive reimbursement, the non-certified employee must pass the exam and
show proof of payment.
E. Movement on Salary Schedule
Course work measured in
semester hours completed and confirmed before September 15 by official transcript or university letter (transcript must
follow) from an NCATE or comparably accredited senior college placed on file in
the office of the Superintendent will be used to determine initial placement or
horizontal advancement on the salary schedule, subject to the following
conditions:
1. Graduate
course work must be awarded an official grade of "B" (i.e.,
traditional A, B, C, D grades are awarded) or "Pass" (if Pass/Fail
grades are awarded).
2. Only with the Superintendent's or
his/her designees prior approval will undergraduate course work earned after
the bachelor degree be used for advancement.
3. Graduate
course work must be:
a. Directly
related to the present educational program of District #124; or
b. Part of a course of study approved by
an assigned graduate degree advisor, leading to a graduate degree in any area
related to elementary school teaching as presently exists in District #124,
including such graduate programs as elementary education, special education or
curriculum, with an emphasis toward elementary level education, and
administration.
c. Courses not covered under paragraphs 3a
or 3b above must be approved by the Superintendent or designee prior to the
beginning of the course to be used for advancement.
4. Advancement
will be retroactive to the beginning of the school year for completion of
coursework that is substantiated by September 15 of the current school year. . Salary adjustments will be made for the
remaining pay checks as soon after the Sept. 15th notification
deadline as possible, but no later than the first pay check in November.
Advancement will be retroactive to the beginning of the second half of the
school year for completion of coursework that is substantiated by February 15
of the school year. Salary adjustments will be made for the remaining pay
checks as soon after the February 15th notification deadline as
possible, but no later than the first pay check in April. A teacher is limited
to one (1) move per school year. A teacher is limited to one (1) move per
school year.
5. A certified staff member must have pre‑approved,
graduate‑level course work to move beyond the MA lane. To obtain prior approval of a graduate
course from MA to MA+30, a certified staff member must submit an application
for approval and attach a course description.
6. LPDC approved professional development
completed after regular school hours shall be equated to graduate credit hours
for purposes of horizontal advancement.
a. Hours of class time shall be equated to
graduate work taken at the university level.
One (1) semester hour of credit will be awarded for each fifteen (15)
hours of class attendance.
b. Graduate credit awarded for
professional development cannot be considered for eligibility in moving from
the BA to MA Lane. The credit shall
allow movement within the BA and MA Lanes, such as movement from BA to BA+15,
MA to MA+15, and MA+15 to MA+30.
7. Vertical movement on the compensation
schedule shall be limited to one (1) step per year. A certified staff member who works one-half or more of a normal
full-time work year for his/her position shall receive full credit for one
years service on the compensation schedule provided, however, that such
certified staff member shall work at least seven full days, scheduled at the
discretion of the principal, for use as institute days and parent-teacher
conferences. Work for purposes of this contract is defined as actual days
worked. Up to 60 accumulated sick leave
days and or personal days will be considered as days worked. A certified staff
member who works less than one-half of a normal full-time work year for his/her
position shall receive full credit for one years service on the compensation
schedule for every two years worked.
F. Summer School Compensation
1. Certified bargaining unit members will
be compensated per hour at the summer
school rate set forth in Appendix C of this Agreement.
2. Non-certified bargaining unit members
who work summer school year will be paid at their current contract hourly rate,
for actual hours worked.
G. Toileting
and/or Feeding Students
1. An instructional assistant who is responsible for providing constant
assistance for toileting a child will receive an additional forty (40) cents
per hour.
2. An instructional assistant who is
responsible for providing constant assistance for feeding a child will receive
an additional one dollar ($1.00) for such day.
H. Check
Withholding
Upon receipt of a written request
from the bargaining unit member, the Board shall deduct from such bargaining
unit members regular paychecks any money designated by the bargaining unit
member for purposes of credit union, union dues, or Board approved tax
sheltered annuity or insurance plan(s) as requested and shall remit the amount
to the person or company designated.
I. Insurance
1. Group
Medical, Dental and Vision
The Board shall provide each
bargaining unit member an amount annually (pro‑rated for less than one
(1) year of employment) to be used to reduce the costs of Group Medical, Dental
(optional to the bargaining unit member) and Vision insurance premiums at the
following rate:
a.
The Board shall contribute 90% of the cost of the bargaining unit members individual medical, dental and
vision premium.
b. In the event that
a bargaining unit member elects family or single plus one coverage, the Board
will contribute 75% of the medical dental and vision premium costs.
Changes in medical coverage may only
be made annually during the month of June to become effective July 1st. The only time a change to medical coverage
will be allowed other than June would be during a qualifying event. Qualifying events include marriage, divorce,
birth/adoption of a child and loss of a spouses coverage. Evidence of insurability may be required
before the insurance can become effective.
If Plan D medical coverage is no
longer available, the Board and the Union, with the recommendation of the
Insurance Committee, will endeavor to find a policy of insurance that provides
comparable benefits at a comparable cost.
The Board shall establish and
maintain a flexible benefits plan in compliance with Section 125 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986. Prior to each
plan year, a bargaining unit member may elect to have the Board reduce his or
her pay and contribute such amounts, in accordance with the plan document,
towards the premiums for the Districts health, dental and vision insurance
plans which are not paid by the Board. The
Board shall pay the administrative costs and expenses for maintaining the
plan. The Board does not warrant that
the payment reductions made in the amounts as listed on the compensation
schedule by the Board for the bargaining unit member as set forth above are
deemed excludable from the bargaining unit members gross wages, and as such,
the Union and each individual bargaining unit member shall and do hereby
indemnify and hold harmless the Board, its members, its agents, and its
employees from any and all claims, demands, actions, complaints, suits,
assessments or deficiencies or other liability by reason of the payments of
insurance premiums in accordance with the provision of the flexible benefits
plan.
2. Life
Insurance
The Board shall provide each
bargaining unit member with group term life insurance coverage in the amount of
$20,000 until the age of seventy (70) is attained, or in accordance with the
terms and conditions of the insurance carrier, at which point the amount shall
be reduced by 50%.
Each bargaining unit member may
purchase additional group term life insurance subject to availability and rules
of acceptance by the life insurance carrier. The additional insurance may be
purchased up to a total additional amount not exceeding the annual salary of
the bargaining unit member.
J. Part‑Time
Bargaining Unit Member Benefits
Part‑time bargaining unit members shall be provided with salary,
sick/personal leave, religious and bereavement leave on a pro-rata basis. Medical, dental and vision insurance on a
pro-rata basis of the Board contribution set forth in Section I above will be
provided if the bargaining unit members is eligible under the Districts Group
Medical and Dental plan.
Eligible part-time employees (those who
work 600 hours or more per year) shall be afforded group medical, dental and
vision insurance premiums on a pro-rata basis.
The Board shall pay its share of premiums on a pro-rata basis. Such amount shall not exceed the actual
costs of the annual premiums for the employees elected coverage.
K. Job Sharing
1. Two
full-time bargaining unit members with a minimum of two (2) years experience
interested in sharing a single position during the coming school year shall
develop a written proposal and shall submit it to the Superintendent no later
than March 1.
2. Approval
of a job sharing proposal shall be at the discretion of the Superintendent, and
the granting of such a request shall not create a practice or precedent.
3. Job
sharing proposals shall be submitted and approved on a one-year basis. Extensions for subsequent years may be
requested, but are not guaranteed for approval. Employees whose proposal is granted shall renew the request for
job sharing each year by March 1.
4. Employees
who are job sharing shall be treated as part-time employees under this
Agreement.
L. Travel
1. Bargaining unit members who are
required to travel between buildings during the work day shall be protected
from liability in accordance with Section III - item K of this Agreement. In addition, the Board may reimburse any
such bargaining unit member, to the extent not covered by the bargaining unit
members personal insurance and not to exceed $500, for damage to his/her
automobile while traveling during the work day, provided the bargaining unit
member was acting within the scope of employment.
2. The use of personal automobiles during
the work day by bargaining unit members who may be required to travel shall be
reimbursed according to the current Internal Revenue Service mileage
allotment.
M. Retirement Benefits
1. Certified Staff
a. Eligibility
The Board shall provide retirement benefits to
certified staff with a minimum of fifteen (15) years full time employment in
District 124 and who are at least 55 years of age by December 31 of the
retirement year. To be eligible, a
certified staff member must submit a letter of intent to retire to the
Superintendent by May 1 of the school year prior to which benefits will begin.
b. Salary Increase(s)
1. Under the retirement plan, an eligible
certified staff member at least 55 years of age and with 35 years of creditable service under the TRS
retirement benefits provisions, or a certified staff member who is age 60 or
over, will receive a benefit equal to a
6% increase in the prior years base salary for each of the last four (4) years prior to retirement. In the event a certified staff member is
unable to give four (4) years notice,
the Board will provide a benefit equal to 6% increase in the prior years base
salary for each of the last three (3), two (2) or one (1) year(s) prior to
retirement that follow(s) the notice given by the teacher.
2. If an eligible certified staff member
at least 55 years of age and with less than
35 years of creditable
service under the TRS retirement benefits provisions chooses the TRS Discounted
Retirement Annuity, s/he will receive a benefit equal to a 6% increase in the
prior years base salary for each of the last four (4) years prior to
retirement. In the event a certified staff member is unable to give four (4)
years notice, the Board will provide
a benefit equal to 6% increase in the prior years base salary for each of the
last three (3), two (2) or one (1) year(s) prior to retirement that follow(s)
the notice given by the teacher.
3. If a certified staff member retires
under the TRS Early Retirement Option (known as Modified ERO) (i.e., with less
than 35 years of service or under age
60), the certified staff member will receive a benefit equal to a 6% increase
in the prior years base salary for each of the last four (4) years prior to
retirement.
In the event a certified staff member is
unable to give four (4) years notice, the Board will provide a
benefit equal to 6% increase in the prior years base salary for each of the
last three (3), two (2) or one (1) year(s) prior to retirement that follow(s)
the notice given by the teacher. However, if the teachers total increase in
creditable earnings for any year used by TRS to calculate the teachers pension
exceeds 6%, the teacher will be ineligible for this benefit.
The compensation
benefits shall be distributed evenly over the certified staff members regular
payroll.
For purposes of
determining a certified staff members base salary under this Section, the
longevity stipends will be included. In
addition, other stipends will be included if the certified staff member has earned
the stipend(s) prior to the beginning
of the certified staff members receipt of a retirement related salary
increase, and continues to perform the stipend duties until retirement. Subject to the foregoing, other stipends
for purposes of determining base salary will be deemed to include Extra Duty
Stipends and SWIC Conference Stipends on Appendices C and D, and Summer School.
c. Accumulated
Sick Leave Severance Bonus
In addition to the above
compensation benefit, the Board shall pay to an eligible retiring certified
staff member $25.00 per day for any unused accumulated sick days not applied to
retirement, not to exceed two hundred fifty (250) days, which a certified staff
member has accrued. This payment shall
be made as a severance payment by August 15 following the last full school year
of employment.
d. Additional
Severance Bonus
In addition to the above compensation
benefit and the accumulated sick leave severance bonus, the Board shall also
pay to a retiring teacher, except for a teacher who retires under the TRS Early
Retirement Option (known as Modified ERO), an additional severance bonus of
twenty percent (20%) of the teachers last years base salary. Such severance bonus shall be paid in
January following the completion of the last full school year of
employment. If the teachers total
increase in creditable earnings for any year used by TRS to calculate the
teachers pension exceeds 6% and the Board incurs a penalty, the teacher will
be ineligible for the additional severance bonus. However, the Board may exercise its discretion to offer the
additional severance bonus to a teacher ineligible on such basis; the Board
exercise of its discretion to grant or deny the additional severance bonus
shall be deemed non-precedential in effect and shall not be subject to the
grievance procedures. A teacher who
retires under the TRS Early Retirement Option (known as Modified ERO) will not
be eligible for the additional severance bonus.
e. Death
Benefit
In the event any
certified staff member approved for retirement benefits dies before the end of
the school term, the certified staff members estate shall be paid the
remaining salary for the current school term and the sick leave severance bonus
due. Additionally, in the event that a certified staff member dies after April
1 of their final year before retirement, their estate will also be paid the 20%
severance bonus.
f. Rescission
of Intent to Retire
The Board may rescind a
certified staff members notification of intent to retire for one of the
following reasons:
1. Death of the retirees spouse, child,
parent, or parent-in-law; or
2. Other reasons of compelling emergency
as determined solely by the Board, and not revisable, said reasons to be
non-precedential with respect to granting or denying requested changes in
retirement election.
If
the Board rescinds a certified staff members notification of intent to retire
for one of the above reasons, the certified staff member shall reimburse the
board any retirement benefits received.
The certified staff member shall have a period of six (6) months in
which to complete the reimbursement.
g. Post-retirement Services
The Board shall have the
option to allow a retired certified staff member to perform services for the
District as a consultant or as a self-employed contractor. A retiree may apply for substitute status or
other non-permanent positions.
h. Indemnification/Hold
Harmless
The Union shall hold the Board harmless from and will
indemnify the Board from any and all suits, claims for taxes, and otherwise
against the District as a result of the Boards participation in this
retirement provision.
i.
Retirement Re-opener
In the event that the Pension Code is amended or the
Illinois Teachers Retirement System adopts final rules that modify the
employers penalty for increases in creditable earnings in excess of 6% under
40 ILCS 16-158(f), the Board and the Union agree that negotiations to address
retirement benefits will be reopened within sixty (60) days of notice by either
party.
2. Non-Certified Staff
Bargaining unit members may elect to participate in
the retirement incentive program provided they have a minimum of fifteen (15)
years of full-time service in District 124 and creditable service with the
Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund and meet all other requirements as set forth
by the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund.
To be eligible, the employee must also be at least fifty-five (55) years
of age by December 31 of the retirement year and must notify the Board by not
less than six (6) months prior to the proposed date of retirement.
Each bargaining unit member participating in this
program will receive a bonus of three hundred fifty dollars ($350.00) for each
full year of service to District 124.
In addition, the Board shall pay to each eligible full-time employee an
additional amount of $25.00 per day for any unused accumulated sick days not to
exceed two hundred fifty (250) days. In
the event the employee chooses to claim service credit with the Illinois Municipal
Retirement Fund for unused sick days, then those days are not eligible for
bonus payment.
This one time severance payment shall be considered as
salary and shall be subject to IMRF, IRS, and Social Security regulations in
effect at the time. This severance
payment will be distributed over the last four (4) months paychecks.
N. Retirement Health Benefits
1. Certified
For a certified staff member with
fifteen (15) years of consecutive service in the District who retires from
employment, in accordance with the Illinois Teachers' Retirement System's
general retirement programs, the Board shall contribute towards the cost of
individual health insurance coverage in the TRS group health plan until the
retiree becomes eligible for Medicare Benefits, or if not eligible for
Medicare, at age 65.
For any certified staff member who
provides written notice of retirement to the Superintendent prior to the May 1
deadline set forth in Section L.1. above preceding the effective date of
intended retirement, the Board's contribution to the individual retiree's TRS
group health insurance premium shall not exceed 90 % of the cost of the last
premium for individual coverage under the plan option available at the lowest
cost to District certified staff members on the date of retirement, or 100% of
the premium for individual coverage under the lowest cost TRS managed care
program option, whichever is less.
2. Non-Certified
The Board shall provide each non-certified
staff member with fifteen (15) years of consecutive service in the District who
retires from employment, in accordance with the Illinois Municipal Retirement
System, with a contribution towards the cost of the premium for individual
health insurance coverage for up to five (5) years following the date of retirement. For a non-certified staff member who
provides written notice of retirement to the Superintendent prior to the
deadline set forth in Section L.2. above preceding the effective date of
intended retirement, the Board's contribution to the individual retiree's group
health insurance premium shall not exceed 90% of the cost of the last premium
for individual coverage under the plan option available at the lowest cost to
District non-certified staff members on the date of retirement, or 100% of the
premium for individual coverage under the lowest cost IMRF managed care program
option (if any), whichever is less.
To be eligible for the health insurance
benefit, the retiring employee must have been enrolled in the districts health
insurance plan effective July 1 prior to the year of retirement. This provision can be waived in the case of
a qualifying event. A qualifying event
is defined as:
a. Death in the retirees immediate
family; or
b. The loss of health insurance which was
to be provided by a spouse; or
c. Other reasons of compelling emergency
as determined solely by the Board.
3. Revision
of Retirement Health Benefits
In the event that the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission or a court of competent jurisdiction rules that the termination of
the health benefits provided under this Section M at the time of the retirees
Medicare eligibility or age 65 is not permitted under the Age Discrimination in
Employment Act of 1967 and the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990,
either the Board or the Union may provide notification to renegotiate
retirement health benefits. Bargaining
will begin within sixty (60) days. The
parties agree to negotiate for sixty (60) days at which time if no agreement
has been reached the Board may suspend paying its contribution towards the
retirees health insurance. The
retirees may continue to pay for their health insurance until an agreement is
reached.
ARTICLE IX
EFFECT AND DURATION OF AGREEMENT
A. Complete
Understanding
The terms and conditions
set forth in the Agreement represent the full and complete understanding and
commitment between the parties hereto. The terms and conditions may be altered,
changed, added to, deleted from, or modified only through the voluntary mutual
consent of the parties in a written amendment executed according to the
provisions of this Agreement.
B. Savings Clause
1. If any article, section, or provision
of this Agreement be declared illegal or unenforceable by a court of competent
jurisdiction, said article, section or provision shall be automatically deleted
from this Agreement to the extent that it violates the law. The remaining
articles, sections, and provisions shall remain in full force and effect for
the duration of the Agreement if not affected by the deleted article, section,
or provision.
2. Any previously adopted policy, rule or
regulations of this Board of Education which is in conflict with this Agreement
shall be superseded and replaced by this Agreement.
C. Negotiations Procedures
Either party may demand to bargain a
successor agreement by giving notice for same not earlier than December 15th,
nor later than February 15th of the school year in which the Agreement expires.
Bargaining shall begin, unless mutually extended, within sixty (60) days of the
demand notice.
D. Duration
This Agreement shall be effective as of July 1, 2006,
and shall remain in full force and effect until June 30th, 2010.
EVERGREEN PARK FEDERATION BOARD OF EDUCATION
OF TEACHERS EVERGREEN PARK
SCHOOL
LOCAL 943, AFT, AFL-CIO DISTRICT NO. 124
COOK
COUNTY, ILLINOIS
By By
President President
By By
Secretary Secretary
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX B
APPENDIX C
APPENDIX D
APPENDIX E
APPENDIX F
Memorandum of Understanding
Re: Additional Time
The Evergreen Park Federation of Teachers, Council 1250,
Local 943, Southwest Suburban Federation of Teachers, AFT-IFT-CIO (the Union)
and the Board of Education of Evergreen Park Elementary School District No. 124
(the Board) herby agree that the additional time per school day will not be
added to the school day until the 2007-2008 school year.
Evergreen Park Federation Board of Education
of Teachers, Local 943, Evergreen
Park School District 124
AFT, AFL-CIO
By: ______________________ By: _________________________
Date: ____________________ Date:
_______________________
MEMORANDUM
OF UNDERSTANDING
Re: Providing Notice of Retirement (2006-07
only)
The Board and the Union acknowledge that the
provisions of ARTICLE VIII COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS, Section M. Retirement Benefits, 1. Certified
Staff, a. Eligibility require that a certified staff member must
submit a letter of intent to retire to the Superintendent by May 1 of the
school year prior to which benefits will begin. However, notwithstanding such provisions, the Board and the Union
agree that for benefits to begin during the 2006-07 school year, a certified
staff member will have forty-five (45) calendar days from the date that the
collective bargaining agreement is ratified by the Union and the Board to
provide such letter of intent.
Evergreen Park Federation Board of Education
of Teachers, Local 943, Evergreen
Park School District 124
AFT, AFL-CIO
By: ______________________ By: _________________________
Date: ____________________ Date:
_______________________