Staff Absences and Tardiness

FILE: GBCBC

Critical

STAFF ABSENCES AND TARDINESS

Consistent contact with students and coworkers is necessary for an optimal learning environment and an effective working environment. Therefore, consistent attendance is an essential dutyof any employee's position. While some absences are unavoidable, when an employee is routinely tardy, frequently absent ar is absent for an extended period of time, the learningenvironment and district operations are negatively impacted.

Employees may be disciplined or terminated for excessive absences or tardiness, which includes situations where employees come to work late, leave early or abandon their duties withoutpermission from a supervisor. Unless authorized by the Board or the superintendent or otherwise authorized by law, an employee's absence or tardiness will be considered excessive or unreasonable in any of the following circumstances:

1. The absence is for a reason not granted as paid or protected leave under Board policy or law.

2. The absence results in the employee exceeding the amount of leave granted by the Board.

3. The employee has not otherwise exhausted applicable leave days, but the absence exceeds 5 days a month, 20 days in a semester or 40 days per school year or is otherwise disruptive todistrict operations, as determined by the district.

4. The employee fails to appropriately notify the district of an absence as soon as possible after the employee knows he or she will be absent (commonly called No-Call, No-Show).

5. The employee does not provide the district complete and accurate information about the absence, does not respond to requests for information, or does not provide documentationrelated to the absence as requested or required.

6. The employee does not first obtain permission to be absent from the appropriate supervisor when required to do so.

   1. The absence is for any reason other than the one given for the absence.

Even if the absence or tardiness is authorized by the Board or the superintendent, if the absence or tardiness occurs for a reason not granted as paid leave under Board policy or if it exceedsthe number of days the employee has been granted under a designated leave, the employee's salary will be docked. Violation of this policy constitutes misconduct and may result in theloss of unemployment benefits if a claim is filed.

Employees will not be disciplined or terminated for absences qualifying for protection under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Uniformed Services Employment andReemployment Rights Act (USERRA) or other applicable law.

Failure to Contact the District

If an employee without an employment contract is absent from work, does not contact his or her supervisor, and does not respond to attempts by the district to contact the employee andthe employee's emergency contact, the district will assume the employee has resigned his or her employment with the district and will consider the position vacant.

If an employee with an employment contract is absent from work, does not contact his or her supervisor, and does not respond to attempts by the district to contact the employee and theemployee's emergency contact, the district will send a letter and any other appropriate communication to the employee stating that if the employee does not contact the district, the district willassume that the employee has voluntarily resigned from his or her position with the district. If the employee still does not contact the district, the district will assume that the employee hasresigned and will consider the position vacant.

The district may share with potential employers seeking information about a former employee the fact that the employee failed to contact the district or resign.

Adopted : 5/20/2015

Revised:

Cross Refs:

DLB, Salary Deductions

HPA, Employee Walkouts, Strikes and Other Disruptions

Legal Refs:

' ' 168.114, .116, 288.030, RSMo.Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 29 U.S.C. ' ' 2611 - 2619Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, 38 U.S.C. ' ' 4301-4333Willis v. Schoo/ Dist. of Kansas City, 606 S.W.2d 189 (Mo. Ct. App. 1980

New Franklin R-1 Schools, New Franklin, Missouri