Leave Information
Types of Leave
State Personal
Local Sick
- Requires medical certification after 5 days or a questionable pattern of absences because of a personal or family illness
- Illness of employee
- Illness of immediate family
- Family emergency
- Death of employee’s immediate family
- Birth or adoption
- Extended leave for 10 days after paid leave exhausted (you must apply for this and please refer to the section Extended Sick Leave in DEC (LOCAL) for further clarification)
- Requires release to return to work
- Unused Local Sick Leave at the end of the contract year will roll over and is not transferable to other school districts
Bereavement
Information About Bereavement Leave Policy
On September 11, 2023, the Northwest ISD Board of Trustees approved an update to local policy, DEC(LOCAL), that grants three days of paid leave for the death of an immediate family member. These three days are provided for each situation in which an immediate family member dies. For additional information, please view the frequently asked questions below.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When did the NISD Board of Trustees approve bereavement leave?
- How many paid bereavement days are available for the death of an immediate family member?
- Who is considered an immediate family member?
- What if there is a need to take more than three days for the death of an immediate family member?
- What if I need to take more than eight days for the death of an immediate family member?
- Will bereavement-related absences from before the policy's approval be changed to the new leave type?
- Is there any documentation needed to apply for bereavement leave?
- Do the bereavement days roll over into the next school year?
- Does the bereavement leave need to be taken immediately following the death of an immediate family?
When did the NISD Board of Trustees approve bereavement leave?
How many paid bereavement days are available for the death of an immediate family member?
Who is considered an immediate family member?
Per Board Policy DEC(Local), an immediate family member for bereavement leave is defined as:
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Spouse.
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Son or daughter, including a biological, adopted, or foster child, a son- or daughter-in-law, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child for whom the employee stands in loco parentis.
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Parent, stepparent, parent-in-law, or other individual who stands in loco parentis to the employee.
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Sibling, stepsibling, and sibling-in-law.
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Grandparent and grandchild.
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Any person residing in the employee's household at the time of illness or death.
What if there is a need to take more than three days for the death of an immediate family member?
What if I need to take more than eight days for the death of an immediate family member?
Please contact Tracy Schutz (tschutz@nisdtx.org) at 817-215-0043 to discuss the need for additional leave options.
Will bereavement-related absences from before the policy's approval be changed to the new leave type?
Is there any documentation needed to apply for bereavement leave?
Do the bereavement days roll over into the next school year?
Does the bereavement leave need to be taken immediately following the death of an immediate family?
Catastrophic Sick Leave Bank
Northwest ISD staff members can now opt into the district’s Catastrophic Sick Leave Bank, during annual open enrollment periods.
The CSLB allows employees who take part to apply for up to 30 days of sick leave – after other leave has been taken – following a catastrophic event. To take part, an employee must donate one sick day. Collectively, these employee sick day donations fill the bank for its implementation.
Employees can opt into the CSLB through this form or by visiting portal.nisdtx.org, clicking on “NISD Forms” and selecting “Catastrophic Leave.”
To request Catastrophic Sick Leave, please complete this form and email to shannon.barton@nisdtx.org..