Policy:

Julian Charter School, Inc. (JCS) recognizes that employees may experience a temporary disability or a severe family medical emergency that results in a need for additional time-off in excess of their available sick, personal, and vacation time. The Catastrophic Leave program allows employees who have exhausted all of their available leave time and must miss work due to a prolonged illness or injury (including that of an eligible family member), to request catastrophic leave from the Charitable Sick Bank.

All eligible employees will be allowed to donate vacation time from their unused balance to their co-workers in need in accordance with the policy outlined below. Only accrued vacation time may be donated to the bank. The Charitable Sick Bank, maintained by Human Resources, will retain a running balance of donated time, available to all eligible employees with approved requests. However, the bank may not award time in excess of the bank balance, regardless of the number of approved requests. JCS may, at its discretion, deposit funds into the bank for future use, supplementing donations.

Participation in the Charitable Sick Bank is strictly voluntary.

ELIGIBILITY

Employees who donate vacation time to the charity bank must have been employed with JCS for a minimum of one (1) year. Employees requesting to withdraw sick time for the bank must have been employed with JCS for a minimum of one (1) year.

CATASTROPHIC LEAVE REQUEST GUIDELINES

A catastrophic illness or injury is defined as a serious debilitating illness, injury, impairment, or physical and/or mental condition that is expected to incapacitate the employee or a member of the employee's family or household, which creates a financial hardship due to the exhaustion of all available leave, and that involves one or more of the following:

1. A period of illness or injury or treatment connected with inpatient care (e.g., an overnight stay) in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility; or

2. A period of illness or injury requiring absence of more than five business days from work, and that also involves continuing treatment by (or under the supervision of) a licensed healthcare provider; or

3. A period of illness or injury (or treatment) due to a chronic serious health condition (e.g. asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, etc.); or

4. A period of illness or injury that is long-term due to a condition for which treatment may be ineffective (e.g., stroke, terminal disease, etc.); or

5. An absence to receive multiple treatments (including any period of recovery there from) either for restorative surgery after an accident or other injury, or for a chronic condition, i.e., cancer, kidney disease, etc.

The requesting employee may participate in the program under the following conditions:

The request requires an absence from work for a minimum of five (5) business days.

Employee must be on an approved leave without pay for the donation period (leaves are to be designated under the Family & Medical Leave Act, as applicable).

Employee must exhaust all paid leave (sick time, vacation, personal days) before requesting donations.

Employee must not be eligible for full temporary disability benefits or receiving full disability benefits or Workers’ Compensation payments.

A doctor's note or Certificate of Healthcare Provider must accompany the Charitable Sick Bank Request Form

Employees who receive donated time may receive no more than 480 hours (12 weeks) within a rolling 12 month period. Donated time may only be used for time-off related to the approved request. Sick/personal time donated that is in excess of the time off needed will be returned to the bank.

DONATION GUIDELINES

Employees who donated vacation time from their unused vacation balance must adhere to the following requirements:

Donation minimum – 4 hours

Donation maximum – 40 hours or no more than 50% of your current balance each school year

Employees who donate time must have sufficient time in their balance and will not be permitted to exhaust their balances due to the fact that they may experience their own personal need for time off.

Employees can not borrow against future vacation time to donate.

Employees who are currently on an approved leave of absence can not donate vacation time.

Donations of vacation time and awards of donated time are anonymous.

Donating employees may not designate specific recipients for their donations.

Donations must be made by submitting a Charitable Sick Bank Donation Form

Original Policy 12/08/06

Revised Policy 09/08/17

Revised Policy 02/01/2024