Catastrophic Sick Leave Bank FAQ
Why is there a requirement of 850 members to establish the committee?
The 850-member threshold was proposed to generate a sustainable number of sick days for the Bank. With approximately 3,500 employees, the Bank could quickly be exhausted if an insufficient number of employees take part.
Are all employees required to donate a day of sick leave?
No, employees have the option whether to take part in the Catastrophic Sick Leave Bank. If an employee would like to take part in the Bank, he or she must donate a sick day. If an employee does not take part in the Bank, no donation is required.
Can an employee donate a personal or vacation day in lieu of a sick day?
No, employees who wish to utilize the Bank in the event of a catastrophic illness are required to donate one of their own local sick leave.
Can multiple sick days be donated?
At this time, only one local sick day can be donated for membership in the Bank.
What qualifies as “catastrophic”?
The term “catastrophic” or “life-threatening” illness implies an illness of a very serious nature involving the need for extended absences and possible hospital confinement. A catastrophic illness or injury is a severe condition or combination of conditions affecting the mental or physical health of the employee or member of the employee’s qualifying family members. Such an illness requires the services of a licensed practitioner for a prolonged period of time and forces the employee to exhaust all leave time earned and lose compensation by the District.
Is there a list of conditions that would be considered catastrophic?
Each request will be considered on an individual basis to determine if it fits the above definition of catastrophic or life-threatening.
What is the definition of a Qualifying Family Member?
The CSLB may only be used for the employee’s own catastrophic illness or that of an immediate family member. Qualifying family members are defined as: spouse, parent or stepparent, and dependent son or daughter. A dependent son or daughter can include a biological, adopted, or foster child; a son- or daughter-in-law; a stepchild; or a child for whom the employee stands in loco parentis, or a legal ward.
Which employees can participate in the Bank?
Any full-time employee who works a minimum of 30 hours a week is eligible for participation in the Bank.
Who is on the Committee?
The CSLBC shall be represented by the following employee types:
- Human Resources Administrator (1)
- Campus Paraprofessional Staff (1)
- Elementary Teachers (4)
- Secondary Teachers (4)
- Other Campus Staff (1)
- General Counsel (1)
Will the committee members know the name of the person requesting days from the Bank?
A member’s name will be removed from the applications before review by the Committee. All requests for leave reviewed by the Committee must remain anonymous.
Do you have to exhaust all of your sick, personal and extended leave before you are eligible for days from the Bank?
Yes, you must exhaust all leave before receiving a days from the Bank.
Is routine maternity leave covered in the Bank?
Pregnancy/delivery is not considered to be a catastrophic illness covered under the Bank. However, the committee may consider extenuating circumstances.
What prohibits me from donating days to someone on my campus rather than donating to the Bank?
The purpose of the bank is to ensure fair and equitable distribution of days for catastrophic conditions. Allowing campus personnel to donate days among themselves without consistent management and direction could result in legal actions brought forward to the district. The Bank guidelines require the name of the employee requesting days remain anonymous and decisions are made objectively based on the circumstances and not the identity of the individual.
Can a retiring employee donate their remaining days to the Bank upon retirement?
The guidelines of the Bank do not allow for contributing more than one day for membership.
When can you cancel your membership to the Bank?
Participants in the Bank may cancel membership by:
- Cancellation of membership by submitting the Cancellation Form via Laserfiche;
- Change in employment status from full-time to part-time
What if an employee does not donate a day and has a catastrophic illness can they join at that point?
Employees who do not elect to join the Bank at the first opportunity provided, will not be permitted to join the Bank until the following annual open enrollment period. If employees were permitted to join at any point, the Bank could lack sustainability because of a lack of available days donated.
Will sick days be returned to members of the Bank if there are sick days remaining in the Catastrophic Leave Bank at the end of the school year?
No, there is no equitable way to select which employees would receive the remaining days, as some donated days would be used while others may not. When sick days are donated, they are combined into a single pool for the Bank.
What if an employee is enrolled in the supplemental long-term disability insurance – would they be eligible to participate in the Bank?
Yes, as long as the employee meets fits the eligibility criteria of being a full-time employee working a minimum of 30 hours per week.
What is the maximum number of days an employee can receive from the Bank?
Leave grants from the Bank shall be in units of no more than 30 consecutive working days. If a Bank member does not use all of the days granted from the Bank, the unused Bank days will be returned to the Bank.
What if an employee needs more than 30 consecutive working days?
Members of the Catastrophic Leave Bank will be contacted by Human Resources to consider a voluntary donation of a day. If a current member does not donate to the emergency request, his/her ability to use the Bank is not affected.
The identity of the employee requesting the additional days will not be provided to the members. Employees not part of the Catastrophic Leave Bank cannot voluntarily donate a day to the employee needing additional days.