5:290* - Employment Termination and Suspensions

Employment Termination and Suspensions 

Resignation and Retirement

An employee is requested to provide two weeks’ notice of a resignation. A resignation notice cannot be revoked once given. An employee planning to retire should notify his or her supervisor at least two months before the retirement date.

Non-RIF Dismissal 

The District may terminate an at-will employee at any time for any or no reason, but not for a reason prohibited by State or federal law.

Employees who are employed annually or have a contract, or who otherwise have a legitimate expectation of continued employment, may be dismissed: (1) at the end of the school year or at the end of their respective contract after being provided appropriate notice and after compliance with any applicable contractual provisions, or (2) mid-year or mid-contract provided appropriate due process procedures are provided.

The Superintendent is responsible for making dismissal recommendations to the School Board consistent with the Board’s goal of having a highly qualified, high performing staff. This includes recommending a non-licensed employee for immediate dismissal for willful or negligent failure to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect as required by 325 ILCS 5/. 

Reduction in Force and Recall 

The Board may, as necessary or prudent, decide to decrease the number of educational support personnel or to discontinue some particular type of educational support service and, as a result of that action, dismiss or reduce the hours of one or more educational support employees. When making decisions concerning reduction in force and recall, the Board will follow Sections 10-22.34c (outsourcing non-instructional services) and 10-23.5 (procedures) of the School Code, to the extent they are applicable and not superseded by legislation or an applicable collective bargaining agreement.

Final Paycheck

A terminating employee’s final paycheck will be adjusted for any unused, earned vacation credit. Employees are paid for all earned vacation. Terminating employees will receive their final pay on the next regular payday following the date of termination, except that an employee dismissed due to a reduction in force shall receive his or her final paycheck on or before the next regular pay date following the last day of employment. 

Suspension

Except as provided below, the Superintendent is authorized to suspend an employee without pay as a disciplinary measure, during an investigation into allegations of misconduct or pending a dismissal hearing whenever, in the Superintendent’s judgment, the employee’s presence is detrimental to the District. A disciplinary suspension shall be with pay: (1) when the employee is exempt from the overtime provisions, or (2) until an employee with an employment contract for a definite term is provided a notice and hearing according to the suspension policy for professional employees. Upon receipt of a recommendation from the Ill. Dept. Children and Family Services (DCFS) that the District remove an employee from his or her position when he or she is the subject of a pending DCFS investigation that relates to his or her employment with the District, the Board or Superintendent or designee, in consultation with the Board Attorney, will determine whether to: 

1. Let the employee remain in his or her position pending the outcome of the investigation; or

2. Remove the employee as recommended, proceeding with:

a. A suspension with pay; or

b. A suspension without pay.

Any criminal conviction resulting from the investigation or allegations shall require the employee to repay to the District all compensation and the value of all benefits received by the employee during the suspension. The Superintendent will notify the employee of this requirement when the employee is suspended. 

LEGAL REF.: 105 ILCS 5/10-22.34c and 5/10-23.5.

5 ILCS 430 et seq., State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.

325 ILCS 5/7.4(c-10), Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.

820 ILCS 105/4a, Minimum Wage Law.

CROSS REF.: 5:90 (Abused and Neglected Child Reporting), 5:120 (Employee Ethics; Code of Professional Conduct; and Conflict of Interest), 5:240 (Suspension), 5:270 (Employment At-Will, Compensation, and Assignment)

Adopted: April 24, 2023

* A policy on this subject is required by law