FILE: GBRB
Cf: GBN
EMPLOYEE ATTENDANCE
Employees of the Plaquemines Parish School Board shall be expected and required to report to their designated work locations in the prescribed manner and at the prescribed time work activity is to commence. Employees shall also be expected to remain at work for the entire work period. Tardiness, unexpected absence, or failure to report to work as scheduled may result in disciplinary action. In cases of anticipated absence or where the employee cannot report to work as scheduled, the employee shall notify his/her supervisor as soon as possible after the employee becomes aware that he/she will be absent from work. Continual absence by the employee shall be conveyed to the employee’s supervisor on a regular basis. The frequency of contact that may be required shall be determined by the supervisor.
ABSENCES DURING DAY
No teacher or other employee shall leave the school campus or work location without having first obtained permission from the principal/building administrator or designee. Teachers shall be required to sign out, stating the reason for leaving school. Upon returning, the teacher shall sign back in and note the time of his/her return. An employee's immediate supervisor may authorize an absence during the business day. The Superintendent or designee must grant permission for a period of one day or more.
Director, Supervisors, Principals
Administrators (directors, supervisors, principals) are to inform the Superintendent when he/she plans to be absent from his/her school/office, whether for illness, personal reasons, conferences, or professional development/in-services other than local professional development/in-services. The Superintendent should be notified at least three (3) days in advance of anticipated absence(s). When a last-minute or emergency situation occurs, he/she should be notified as soon as possible.
Notification is to be by calling the Superintendent on his/her cell phone. This call should be followed up with an email to the Superintendent and a “cc” to the Attendance Specialist.
Reporting Absences
The following reasons shall be considered as authorized absences for employees by the Plaquemines Parish School Board: personal illness, vacation, personal leave, professional leave, military leave, extended sick leave, annual leave (vacation), workers’ compensation, jury duty, court summons, and approved school business.
Absences for any other reasons may be considered as unauthorized absences, resulting in the employee being docked full pay for the time reported.
All absences of one (1) hour or more shall be reported by the principal or immediate supervisor and shall be recorded and counted toward an employee's leave time on the monthly report forms provided. However, the principal or immediate supervisor shall be allowed to record and count less than one (1) hour at his/her discretion.
UNAUTHORIZED ABSENCE
Any employee who is absent from work and who has not received an authorized leave shall be considered on unauthorized leave. Any employee on unauthorized leave shall receive no pay for those days which constituted the unauthorized leave and may be subject to dismissal and/or other disciplinary actions.
Any unapproved days missed in the circumstances as stated below shall result in a pay deduction of 100% for each day absent:
Attendance is mandatory for Teacher Work Days, Professional Development days (PDs), Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), and Curriculum Development Meetings (CDMs), and testing days for standardized tests;
Days missed during the opening three (3) full weeks or the closing two (2) weeks of the school year, the closing week of the first semester, the opening week of the second semester, and prior to and after School Board approved holidays;
The only exception for days missed shall be in the case of unusual circumstances, said days having been reviewed and approved in advance by the Superintendent, using the 30-day rule. Emergency situations shall be handled on a case by case basis by the Superintendent. The Human Resources Department must be notified as soon as possible, and the proper paperwork must be turned in, upon return to work.
Job Abandonment
An employee who is absent from his/her assigned work location or schedule without authorization for three (3) or more days shall be considered absent without authorized leave. If an employee is absent for ten (10) or more days without explanation or approved leave, the School Board may consider the job as abandoned and the employee terminated, unless the employee can provide acceptable and verifiable evidence of extenuating circumstances, as determined by the Superintendent.
TARDINESS
Employees who are habitually tardy or who leave the workplace prior to employee dismissal time shall have the behavior recorded and verified and shall receive counseling. Continued tardiness or early departures shall be investigated to determine if the employee is in willful neglect of his/her job responsibilities. These matters shall be handled by the building principal or appropriate authority, who shall follow personnel guidelines in recording, investigating, and referring the matter for further action.
New policy: April, 2010;
Adopted: November 1, 2010
Revised and Adopted: August 20, 2012
Revised: July 9, 2013
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:1186, 17:1201, 17:1202, 17:1203, 17:1204, 17:1206, 17:1208, 17:1208.1
Board minutes, 5-7-12, 8-20-12, 4-8-13, 7-9-13
Plaquemines Parish School Board