Policies

All employees are subject to a background check upon offer acceptance that may include employment history, local/state/national criminal history, certification and education verification, and other items as needed based on position. 

The organization will obtain a name-based criminal record history check from SLED on all new employees prior to their initial employment. The organization will consider the results of all criminal record history checks on an individual basis, considering factors such as the severity of the offense, age of the individual, direct impact of the offense on children, length of time since conviction or plea, restitution, conduct or remedial actions during probation, and participation in pre-trial intervention and/or expungement. The organization will not employ an individual who has been convicted of or pled guilty to a violent crime as outlined in law. The organization will also consider information relative to felony convictions as well as information that could result in the revocation or suspension of a professional certificate “for cause” as outlined in law.

The organization will not permit individuals whose names appear in the National Sex Offender Registry or individuals who have been required to register as sex offenders pursuant to state law to work or serve in the organization in any capacity.

Background checks are stored in a file separate from employee personnel files and are only accessible by the HR Department and those who have a legitimate business need to know. Such requests will be reviewed by the HR Department.

For purposes of salary administration and eligibility for overtime payments and employment benefits, the organization classifies its employees as follows:

Full-time Regular Employees – Employees hired to work the organization normal, full-time, 32- hour or more workweeks on a regular basis. Such employees may be "exempt" or "non- exempt" as defined below.

Part-time Regular Employees – Employees hired to work fewer than 32 hours per week on a regular basis. Such employees may be "exempt" or "non-exempt" as defined below.

Non-exempt Employees – Employees who are required to be paid minimum wage and overtime at the federal or state prescribed wage rate, whichever is higher. SC Learns will determine the classifications of employees.

Exempt Employees – Employees who are not required to be paid minimum wage and overtime, in accordance with applicable federal wage and hour laws, for work performed beyond 40 hours in a workweek. SC Learns will determine the classifications of employees. 

Payroll

Board employees will be paid on the 5th and 20th of each month (unless that day falls on a holiday or weekend, in which case the pay day will typically be the Friday before the 5th or 20th).  Salaried employees will be paid 1/24th of their annual salary each payroll date, subject to adjustments in accordance with the Exempt Employee Reduction of Salary Policy.  Summer break days are not accrued and any employee who separates before the conclusion of the school year will not receive pay during Summer. 

If a direct deposit is returned, the staff member will receive the returned deposit directly from the school minus any Paycom charges for the returned item. For example, if your direct deposit for $1,000 was returned and we were charged $30 for the return, you would receive a replacement payment from us for $970.

Bonuses

Similarly, any bonus eligibility is contingent, in part, on the completion of the full school year. Bonus-eligible employees who start after the first day of the school year will receive a prorated bonus based on the number of months served.

Compensation Review

Staff salaries will be reviewed at least annually. Staff under annual contracts will receive salary updates, if applicable, in April to early May. Annual contract employees will sign a full contract for each year of employment. Staff who are at-will employees will receive salary updates, if applicable, by mid-June. At-will employees will receive any salary updates to review; they will not typically receive an annual full agreement.

Misunderstandings or conflicts can arise in any organization. To ensure effective working relations, it is important that such matters be resolved before serious problems develop. Most incidents resolve themselves naturally; however, should a situation persist that you believe is detrimental to your effective employment with the organization, you should follow the procedure described here for bringing your complaint to management’s attention.

Step One. Discussion of the problem with your immediate supervisor is encouraged as a first step. If, however, you do not believe a discussion with your supervisor is appropriate, you may proceed directly to Step Two.

Step Two. If your problem is not resolved after discussion with your supervisor or if you feel discussion with your supervisor is inappropriate, you are encouraged to request a meeting with the HR department. In an effort to resolve the problem, the HR department will consider the facts and may conduct an investigation.

The organization does not tolerate any form of retaliation against employees availing themselves of this procedure. The procedure should not be construed, however, as preventing, limiting, or delaying the organization from taking disciplinary action against any individual, up to and including termination, in circumstances (such as those involving problems of overall performance, conduct, attitude, or demeanor) where the organization deems disciplinary action appropriate.

Exempt employees are paid on a salary basis and, in general, must be paid their full salary for any week in which they perform work. Their salary may be reduced only in the following circumstances:

• Employees who are absent from work must have paid time off available to cover their absence unless: (i) their manager has pre-approved their absence as an unpaid day off due to the employee having exhausted PTO: or (ii) the employee is utilizing other approved unpaid days off such as for FMLA, leave as a reasonable accommodation or Non-FMLA Medical Leave. 

• Employees may be suspended without pay for workplace misconduct, but only in full-day increments. This refers to suspensions imposed pursuant to a written policy applicable to all employees regarding serious misconduct including, but not limited to, workplace harassment, violence, drug and alcohol violations, legal violations, etc. The possibility of such unpaid suspensions is hereby incorporated into all such policies.

• Employees who work less than 40 hours during their first and/or last week of employment will be paid a proportionate part of their full salary for the time actually worked.

• Employees who take leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act will not be paid for that time unless they have available paid time off under the organization’s paid time off policy. Their salary will be reduced by the hours missed, even if it is for less than a full day.

This policy is subject to applicable law. The organization will follow the state law regarding reduction of exempt employees’ salaries if the state law is more favorable to employees.

Exempt employees will be reimbursed in full to the extent required by law for any isolated, inadvertent, or improper deductions as defined by law. Concerns about any salary pay deductions from exempt employees should be promptly directed to the HR department for a resolution.

Waivers for any of these policies can be made only by the CEO.

Travel Policy - Introduction & Responsibility of Traveler

Business travel expenses will be reimbursed by the organization if expenses are:

• Reasonable

• Appropriately documented

• Properly authorized

• Within the guidelines of this policy.

In addition to the specific transportation, lodging, and car rental guidelines set forth in this policy, the organization provides travelers with other spending guidelines. Failure to comply with this policy may result in the denial of a reimbursement request. Please note reimbursement occurs when:

• The travel expenses were incurred while conducting organization business.

• Information contained in the expense report is accurate and in accordance with this policy.

Every effort should be made to plan your travel within a reasonable period of time in advance of the planned departure date. In addition, all expenses should be entered within 30 days of when the expense was incurred. 

Based upon organization guidelines, travelers should request the lowest available fare that meets their time requirements for travel. If you choose to upgrade from basic fare, parking, car rental, etc., you should only submit reimbursement for the basic rate. For example, if main cabin airfare is $250 and you choose to upgrade to first class, you should only request $250 as reimbursement.

This policy will be administered in compliance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Should a travel accommodation be required, employees are encouraged to work with the travel agent and HR Director to identify the necessary accommodations.

For Travel over 3 days (other than organization face to face PD), employees should submit a travel plan to the COO.

No text messaging and emailing while driving: Personnel are prohibited from text messaging and emailing while driving a government owned vehicle, or while driving their own privately-owned vehicle during official organization business, or from using government supplied electronic equipment to text message or email when driving.

Receipts

Itemized receipts are required for all travel reimbursements, other than meal and incidentals as outlined in the next section.

Meals and Incidental Expenses

Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) Per Diem is designed to cover the cost of breakfast, lunch and dinner and other miscellaneous charges employees might incur while on travel. A per diem sheet must be used for meals and incidental expenses; receipts will not be accepted without prior approval from COO or CEO.

The organization follows the federal reimbursement rates for M&IE, and for the 2023 year the daily M&IE rate is $68 except as noted below.

For work related travel over 50 miles from their home/office address, employees are eligible for the per diem of $68 for each full day of scheduled events.

Employees traveling for only a partial day must deduct the meals outside of their travel as indicated in the table below.

Additionally, if a meal is provided as part of the travel, i.e. lunch is included at a conference, then that meal must be deducted from the per diem rate.

Full Day: $68

Breakfast: $16

Lunch: $19

Dinner: $28

Incidentals: $5

Timing Eligibility

Breakfast: Departing home before 6:30am or returning home after 11:00am

Lunch: Departing home before 11:00am or returning home after 2:00pm

Dinner: Departing home before 5:00pm or returning home after 7:30pm

Any M&IE expenses for travel less than 50 miles must be pre-approved by the COO or CEO via a Needs Request Form.

Example 1: An employee travels over 50 miles for a 5pm event. Since the travel would not include breakfast or lunch, the employee would only be eligible for dinner and incidental expenses. They would be eligible for a $33 reimbursement.

Example 2: An employee travels over 50 miles for a 2 day PD. They come in the night before PD and stay at a hotel that does not include breakfast. Lunch is on their own at PD. PD ends at 5pm. Their per diem would be as follows

• Day 1: $28 + $5 = $33

• Day 2: $68

• Day 3: $68

• Total reimbursement: $169.00

Mileage

Employees are eligible for mileage reimbursement for organization sponsored travel as outlined below.

• Mileage to attend professional development training or other pre-approved business events are eligible for reimbursement.

• Mileage for outings is only reimbursed on a case-by-case basis depending on organization need. All outings should be planned locally when possible. If the need to travel arises, pre-approval for reimbursement from the CEO is needed via the Needs Request Form.

(During State Testing, the distance required for reimbursement will be reduced to 25 miles one-way). Once the travel destination has been reached, in-town mileage is not eligible for reimbursement.

• For mileage over 100 miles one way, the employee may get a rental car.

• Employees that live out of state may request reimbursement for mileage starting at the South Carolina state line.

• Employees may use their personal car for business. Mileage, parking, and tolls will be reimbursed. It is the responsibility of the owner of the vehicle to carry adequate insurance coverage for their protection, including personal effects, and the protection of any business passenger(s).

• Travelers will be reimbursed for business usage on personal cars at the Federal Government's prevailing rate per mile (current mileage rate is 70 cents/mile) if the trip is >/= 50 miles one-way. Employees will not be reimbursed for any of the following, even if these costs were incurred during business travel.

  • Car repairs, tickets, fines, or traffic violations

  • Damage to personal vehicles

  • Theft of personal vehicle or vehicle content

• The most economical mode of transportation should be used to and from air, bus, and rail terminals. Many major hotels provide transportation to and from airports free of charge. Public transportation and shuttle services should be considered. Staff traveling to the same location should share ground transportation whenever possible.

• Mileage reimbursement will be at the Federal Rate in place at the time of travel.

• You must use the map feature in Paycom to record mileage; please do not manually enter your miles.

Hotel Accommodations

The employee will be fully reimbursed up to $120, plus tax, per night if travel is over 100 miles from the organization employee’s home office; otherwise, overnight stay must be pre-approved by the COO. Receipts are required for all lodging reimbursements. Lodging for higher than $120 must be pre-approved by the COO or CEO.

It is the traveler's responsibility to notify the hotel to cancel a room reservation prior to the cancellation time. Reimbursement of no-show charges must have the same approvals as the initial travel request. The business unit manager has the discretion not to approve reimbursement requests for no-show charges.

When traveling to a conference, it is appropriate to stay at one of the hotels hosting the conference even if the rate exceeds the guidelines. The room booked must be covered by the conference rates and should not be in excess of need. Documentation stating the conference rate must accompany the original receipts when submitting for reimbursement. Consideration should be given to staying at a more reasonably priced hotel if conference hotel rates are high.

The original detailed hotel bill must be manually submitted and attached to the expense reimbursement form. Personal expenses should be labeled on the hotel bill and should not be claimed on the Travel Expense Report.

Airline Travel

Employees must use the lowest non-refundable fare coach class tickets for domestic and international flights. It is the employee's responsibility to verify exceptions with the COO.

If the traveler chooses a business or first class airfare on a flight, he/she must absorb the additional cost and the rate differential must be clearly documented for reimbursement purposes. Only the coach class rate will be reimbursed unless pre-approved by the COO.

Reservations should be made as early as possible to receive the maximum advance purchase discounts. Travel should be booked in advance whenever possible to achieve lower fares. 

Electronic tickets (E-Tickets) must be used for all domestic travel unless the electronic ticketing service is not available. Electronic ticketing is more cost effective due to multiple airlines charging additional fees for paper tickets.

Travelers are permitted to join frequent flyer programs, and the benefits earned may be used by the traveler for personal use. Frequent flyer memberships should not influence travelers to select a flight that is not the lowest priced flight available. Staff may use personal frequent flyer miles to upgrade their ticket only if there is no additional cost to the organization. The selection of circuitous routes on particular carriers to accrue frequent flyer credits is not allowed.

Car Rental Procedures

Travelers may rent a car for local travel when it is the least expensive mode of transportation and meets the minimum standards of safety and time efficiency. In large cities, high rental and parking rates generally make vehicle rental impractical. Alternative modes of transportation such as taxis, subways, and airport or hotel shuttles should be given first consideration. The COO must approve the use of rental cars before reimbursement will be processed.

Every reasonable effort should be made to return the rental car with a full tank of gas to avoid expensive refueling charges. The fuel purchase option (FPO) offered at time of rental should be accepted if there is a concern about personal safety at refueling locations.

Travelers are permitted to rent compact to mid-sized cars for individual travel or full-sized for group travel. Larger car rental is only permitted if approved in advance by the COO. Larger cars and utility vehicles are allowed for group travel if that will avoid the rental of multiple smaller vehicles.

Proof of payment is required for rental car reimbursement.

Travelers should decline insurance coverage from the rental company. The organization’s insurance covers hired or borrowed auto coverage that is used on behalf of the organization.

Home Office Expenses 

Staff ISP Reimbursement

The organization requires that teachers and staff acquire high speed internet access. Monthly internet/phone connection will be reimbursed at the rate charged, up to $50. Only charges for service are eligible for reimbursement. Charges for non-services related features are not eligible for reimbursement. A mobile hotspot may be reimbursed in lieu of traditional high speed internet.

Part time employees that qualify will be reimbursed their FTE equivalent of the reimbursement. Disbursements will occur twice a year (roughly at the end of each semester). Employees must be actively employed during the payroll internet reimbursement is issued, in order to receive reimbursement.  Partial payments will not be made if an employee separates before disbursement is issued. 

Reimbursement periods are typically as follows (you will receive an email notifying you when the expense is available to submit):

• January-June: May 1st - June 10th

• July-December: December 1st - January 10th

• You are not eligible for reimbursement if you end employment prior to the start of the reimbursement period. If your employment ends during the reimbursement period, it is your responsibility to submit a request for reimbursement through Paycom on your last day of work. 

Office Supplies

Certified classroom teachers, certified special organization classroom teachers, certified media specialists, and certified guidance counselors who are employed by an organization district as of November 30th of the current fiscal year are eligible for $400 reimbursement for teacher supplies. 

Any funds dispersed that exceed a teacher’s expenses are required to be returned to the organization by March 31st of a given school year. Our office will comply with all federal and state laws and regulations. Receipts must be saved and available upon request. In addition, the receipts must contain enough detail to make it clear that funds have been expended for appropriate purpose

Board employees that do not qualify for the $400 teacher supply funds will be able to seek reimbursement for home office expenses up to $175 per school year.

Cell Phone Reimbursement

The following positions categories (see Appendix E for definitions) are eligible for cell phone reimbursement, up to $65 per month. Any positions outside of this must have approval from the CEO and COO:

• Managers

• Principals/Administrators

• Directors

• Executives

Certification Expenses

Maintaining a valid teaching certificate is a condition of employment with the organization. As such, this expense is a regular part of continued employment and will not be reimbursed.

Adding an area of certification or endorsement at the request of administration may be reimbursed with approval of the CEO.

http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/fmlaen.pdf

Employees are eligible for FMLA leave 1 calendar year after start date (Stride employees currently working at the organization and transferring to Board employment will have their “years of service” accepted by the organization) FMLA requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees for the following reasons (The organization uses the 12-month measured backwards period):

• For incapacity due to pregnancy, prenatal medical care or child birth;

• To care for the employee’s child after birth, or placement for adoption or foster care;

• To care for the employee’s spouse, son or daughter, or parent, who has a serious health condition; or

• For a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the employee’s job.

The organization may designate FMLA on your behalf if there is an obvious FMLA-qualifying situation (for example, if you are incapacitated in a hospital).

To submit an FMLA request, please find the FMLA Request page in the Zoho knowledge base.

Intermittent or Reduced Schedule Leave for Instructional Employees

If an eligible employee employed principally in an instructional capacity requests leave to care for a serious ill spouse, child, or parent or for the employee's own serious health condition, which is foreseeable based on planned medical treatment and the employee would be on leave for greater than 20 percent of the total number of working days in the period during which the leave would extend, the CEO or their designee, in consultation with the organization principal, may require that the employee elect either of the following: 

• to take leave for periods of a particular duration, not to exceed the duration of the planned medical treatments

• to transfer temporarily to an available alternative position for which the employee is qualified and that has equivalent pay and benefits and which better accommodates recurring periods of leave

Rules Applicable to Periods near the Conclusion of an Academic Term for Employees

Employed Principally in an Instructional Capacity

If an eligible employee employed principally in an instructional capacity begins leave more than five weeks prior to the end of an academic semester, the CEO or their designee, in consultation with the organization principal, may require the employee to continue taking leave until the end of the semester under the following conditions:

• The leave is of at least three weeks duration.

• The return would occur during the three-week period before the end of the term.

If an eligible employee employed principally in an instructional capacity begins leave for the birth or placement of a child or to care for a seriously ill child, spouse, or parent during the period that commences five weeks prior to the end of an academic semester, the CEO or their designee, in consultation with the organization principal, may require the employee to remain on leave until the end of the semester under the following circumstances:

• The leave is greater than two weeks.

• The return to employment would occur during the two-week period before the end of the term.

If an employee employed principally in an instructional capacity begins leave for the birth or placement of a child or to care for a seriously ill spouse, child, or parent during the period that commences three weeks prior to the end of an academic semester and the duration of the leave is greater than five working days, the CEO or their designee, in consultation with the organization principal, may require the employee to continue taking leave until the end of the term.

If the organization requires an employee to remain on leave until the end of an academic term and this results in the employee taking more leave than is necessary to resolve the condition which necessitated the leave, the additional leave time required to be taken will not be deducted from the employee's total available FMLA leave. The employee, however, will continue during this time to be entitled to the maintenance of health benefits and job restoration in accordance with FMLA rule.

The organization encourages employees to act to resolve concerns that may arise in the course of employment through the grievance procedure outlined herein. Employees should review this grievance procedure thoroughly, including the timelines for exercising grievances and the officials to whom grievances must be directed. 

The organization grievance process may be used by a organization employee as follows:

• To address concerns pertaining to the aggrieved employee’s employment arrangements.

• To address an alleged violation of applicable law or regulations that directly affects the aggrieved employee. 

• To address an alleged violation of organization Board policy that directly affects the aggrieved employee.

• To address an alleged violation of the organization’s charter compliance that directly affects the aggrieved employee.

• To address alleged discrimination or harassment against the aggrieved employee.

An aggrieved employee has the right to be represented by legal counsel at the employee’s own expense.  

If an aggrieved employee fails to meet any of the timelines set forth herein, the employee’s grievance may be deemed waived by the organization’s official(s) charged with investigating and deciding the grievance. 

The organization official(s) charged with investigating and deciding grievances are entitled to extend the timelines herein for investigating and issuing decisions if necessary to conduct a thorough and complete investigation into a grievance or appeal. 

The provisions of Article 5, Charter 25, Title 59 do not apply to the employment and dismissal of teachers at the organization. 

Step One:  Informal Discussion 

Subject to the following paragraph, the aggrieved employee must first initiate an informal discussion with the other person(s) involved in the incident giving rise to the grievance within ten (10) work days of the incident or when the aggrieved employee learned of the incident for the purpose of attempting to resolve the grievance. 

If the grievance includes allegations of discrimination or harassment against the aggrieved employee, the aggrieved employee is not required to initiate an informal discussion with the person(s) allegedly discriminating against or harassing the aggrieved employee, and the aggrieved employee may proceed immediately to Step Two.  

Step Two:  Submit a Written Grievance

If the informal discussion cannot resolve the aggrieved employee’s concerns, the aggrieved employee has ten (10) work days after the informal discussion to submit a written Grievance Form to the aggrieved employee’s direct supervisor.  If the grievance includes allegations of discrimination or harassment, the aggrieved employee shall submit a written Grievance Form within ten (10) work days of the incident or when the aggrieved employee learned of the incident to the person closest up the chain of command who is a supervisor to both the aggrieved employee and the employee(s) who allegedly engaged in the discrimination or harassment, or to the Board pursuant to Step Four if such allegations are against the Chief Executive Officer. 

The aggrieved employee should include in the Grievance Form a description of the grievance, the actions already taken by the aggrieved employee to attempt to resolve the grievance, and the relief requested.  A Grievance Form that does not contain such information will be deemed incomplete and returned to the aggrieved employee to complete within the required timeline.  Submission of an incomplete Grievance Form does not extend the required timeline.  Only the issues set forth in the written Grievance Form shall be considered thereafter.

Upon receipt of a Grievance Form, the supervisor shall schedule a conference with the aggrieved employee and any other individual(s) deemed necessary by the supervisor within fifteen (15) work days after receiving the Grievance Form. The supervisor shall issue a written decision to the aggrieved employee within ten (10) work days of the conclusion of the conference(s).  

Step Three: Appeal to the Chief Executive Officer

If the aggrieved employee is not satisfied with the supervisor’s written decision, the aggrieved employee may submit a written appeal to the Chief Executive Officer within ten (10) work days of receiving the supervisor’s written decision.  The written appeal must include a copy of the original Grievance Form, a copy of the supervisor’s written decision, and a written description of why the aggrieved employee is not satisfied with the supervisor’s written decision.  An appeal that does not contain such information will be deemed incomplete and returned to the aggrieved employee to complete within the required timeline.  Submission of an incomplete appeal does not extend the required timeline.  

Upon receipt of a written appeal, the Chief Executive Officer may, in his or her discretion, schedule a conference with the aggrieved employee and any other individual(s) deemed necessary by the Chief Executive Officer within fifteen (15) work days after receiving the written appeal.  The Chief Executive Officer shall issue a written decision to the aggrieved employee within ten (10) work days of the conclusion of the conference(s), or in the event no conferences are scheduled, within fifteen (15) work days of receiving the written appeal. 

If the Chief Executive Officer issued the written decision in Step Two, the aggrieved employee shall skip Step Three and proceed to Step Four.  

Step Four: Final Appeal to the South Carolina Learns Board 

If the aggrieved employee is not satisfied with the Chief Executive Officer’s written decision, the aggrieved employee may submit a written appeal to the the organization Board within ten (10) work days of receiving the Chief Executive Officer’s written decision, which can be accomplished by submitting the written appeal to the CEO.  The written appeal must include a copy of the original written Grievance Form, a copy of the supervisor’s written decision, if any, a copy of the CEO’s written decision, if any, and the written descriptions of why the aggrieved employee was not satisfied with the supervisor’s and CEO’s written decisions, if any. An appeal that does not contain such information will be deemed incomplete and returned to the aggrieved employee to complete within the required timeline.  Submission of an incomplete appeal does not extend the required timeline. 

Within thirty (30) days of receipt of a written appeal, the CEO will schedule a hearing date with the organization Board for the appeal and provide the aggrieved employee with notice of the hearing date and the procedures for the hearing.  All hearings conducted pursuant to this Grievance Policy are considered non-adversarial.  After the hearing, the organization Board will issue a written decision within ten (10) business days, which will be final and binding. The organization Board is entitled to extend these timelines if necessary for the purpose of conducting a thorough and complete investigation.  

Adopted 6/21//2018

Legal Reference(s):

S.C. Code Ann., 1976, as amended:

Section 59-4-60(F)(13) – Charter School Grievance Procedure

The organization maintains an open-door policy and employees are encouraged to communicate with any and/or all organization personnel as needed. Any employee may approach any of the management staff on an as-needed basis to address questions, concerns, problems, or other matters. Our expectation is that employees will use good judgment and communicate in a professional manner throughout the organization. In many cases, it would be appropriate for employees first to address questions or concerns with their direct supervisor and then follow up with higher management as needed, taking concerns up to the most senior level of management if necessary. 

Cyber Academy of South Carolina and Heron Virtual Academy are entities of the nonprofit entity SC Learns. SC Learns reserves the right to make all employment assignments (and reassignments if necessary) based on need. Refusal to accept an organization reassignment may be grounds for dismissal. 

Parental leave under this policy is a paid leave associated with the birth of an employee’s own child during the employee’s employment with the organization or the placement of a child with the employee in connection with adoption or foster care during the employee’s employment with the organization.

Parental leave is not charged against the employee’s leave credits and the amount of paid days received is six weeks (exact hours per pay period for non-exempt employees will be based on average hours worked per pay period over the previous 12 months). These six weeks must be taken continuously at any point in the first 12 months of the birth of the child. Parental leave for foster placement can be split with approval from the employee’s supervisor and the CEO. 

Organization holidays and breaks when the employee would not have been scheduled to work are not counted against paid parental leave. If the leave entitlement would extend into a designated summer break, the employee will, if they desire, be able to resume the leave when they return from summer break. If the employee starts paid parental leave prior to a break and does not resume it upon returning from the break, the balance of the time is forfeited.

The paid leave is compensated as follows (employees transferring from Stride will have their “years of service” accepted by the organization):

All staff members – 100% of salary up to six weeks.

Health insurance benefits will continue to be provided during the paid parental leave under this policy at the same rate as in effect before the leave was taken regardless of length of service. The employee must provide 30 days notice (or as much notice as practicable if the leave is not foreseeable) to the department head of the request for leave. The balance of FMLA leave beyond the 6 weeks of paid parental leave is unpaid unless the employee chooses to use sick and/or vacation time. Parental leave is considered time used against the maximum twelve weeks of family medical leave and runs concurrently with FMLA or any other leaves for which the employee is eligible.

The organization maintains a personnel file on each employee. You may review your personnel file upon request. If you are interested in reviewing your file, contact the HR department at hr@sclearns.org. The file may include, but not be limited to, any of the following records:

• Performance evaluations

• Teaching credentials

• Resumes

• Written performance corrections and/or improvements made by administration

No information in a personnel file will be disclosed to anyone outside the organization without the employee’s consent, except as permitted or required by law. The organization reserves the right, at its discretion, to comply with official requests for information by law enforcement, public safety, or government agencies without notice.

To ensure that your personal information is updated at all times, please log into Paycom to update any changes in your telephone number, home address, the individuals to notify in case of an emergency, etc.

Reassignment and Reduction in Force

Staff are employed by South Carolina Learns, not by a specific organization within. Changes in enrollment and other factors may contribute to organization assignment decisions. Refusal to accept an organization reassignment may be grounds for dismissal.

Student and organization needs will serve as major factors in determining organization assignments. Additional factors include, but are not limited to, staff tenure with South Carolina Learns, individual qualifications, administrative needs, and staff requests. Final assignment is at the discretion of the CEO and organization needs may supersede any point system or other process outlined below.

Transfer

If a determination is made that a position seat needs to move from one organization to another, South Carolina Learns will first seek voluntary transfers. If no qualified staff volunteer for a transfer, a point system will determine the order in which staff will be asked to transfer; generally, this will be the person with the fewest points unless an override is granted as outlined later.

Certified Staff

• Service to South Carolina Learns: One point for every year of service and one additional point for every five years of service. Example: If you have worked with South Carolina Learns for seven years, you would receive 7 pts + 1 additional for passing five years = 8 pts

• Academic Preparation: Points awarded based on current certificate class.

  1. Bachelor's: 4 pts

  2. Bachelor's + 18: 5 pts

  3. Master's: 6 pts

  4. Master's + 30: 7 pts

  5. Doctorate: 8 pts

  6. National Board Certification: 2 pts

• Overall Length of Service: One point for every five years of experience on the current certificate

Non-Certified Staff

Transfer decisions are made by South Carolina Learns administration and are primarily based on the best interests of students and the organization. Additional factors may include years of service to the organization, performance evaluation, and overall professional experience and education. The weights of these factors are at the discretion of the Chief Executive Officer and will be communicated to those affected by the transfer.

Reduction in Force

If a determination is made that a position seat will be eliminated and there are multiple incumbents in the role, South Carolina Learns will first seek voluntary resignation(s) or transfer(s) (if eligible transfer positions exist). Position elimination should consider staff across all organizations rather than a specific organization where the seat elimination exists. For example, if a CASC Science Teacher position needs to be eliminated, the process below should consider all organization Science Teachers, not just CASC teachers.

If no qualified staff volunteer for resignation or transfer, the following procedures will determine which staff are terminated or transferred.

Certified Staff

• Service to South Carolina Learns: One point for every year of service and one additional point for every five years of service. Example: If you have worked with South Carolina Learns for seven years, you would receive 7 pts + 1 additional for passing five years = 8 pts

• Academic Preparation: Points awarded based on current certificate class.

  1. Bachelor's: 4 pts

  2. Bachelor's + 18: 5 pts

  3. Master's: 6 pts

  4. Master's + 30: 7 pts

  5. Doctorate: 8 pts

  6. National Board Certification: 2 pts

• Overall Length of Service: One point for every five years of experience on the current certificate

Non-Certified Staff

Position elimination decisions are made by South Carolina Learns administration and are primarily based on the best interests of students and the organization. Additional factors may include years of service to the organization, performance evaluation, and overall professional experience and education. The weights of these factors are at the discretion of the Chief Executive Officer and will be communicated to those affected by the elimination.

Return of Eliminated Position

If South Carolina Learns reopens the eliminated position prior to April 30th of the following year, South Carolina Learns will first offer the position to the staff whose position(s) was/were reduced. This message will be sent to the last known personal email address. The staff member will have ten (10) calendar days from the date the email is sent to respond before the position can be filled by someone else (note that the position may be posted publicly as soon as it becomes available; if the staff member expresses interest in returning, they will be given this position).

Internal Transfers

South Carolina Learns recognizes the importance of staff feeling fulfillment in roles that best suit their interests and qualifications. We have set forth guidelines for those interested in applying for an open role.

Eligibility

An employee must have held their current position for at least six months; exceptions to this may be made for hard-to-fill positions at the discretion of the CEO. The employee must also be in good standing; those who are currently under a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) or those who have had a written corrective action issued in the past 12 months are not eligible for consideration for a position change.

Before expressing interest in an open role, the employee must inform their immediate supervisor that they are planning to apply for another role. Depending on the role, they may be required to participate in elements of the standard application process, including but not limited to completing an application online, completing a video interview prior to a virtual or in-person interview with the hiring team.

Employment of Family Members

To maintain a fair, objective, and productive work environment, it is essential to ensure that family relationships do not impact professional responsibilities, create conflicts of interest, or affect employee performance. This policy outlines the company's approach to hiring and employment practices for family members. This policy applies to all employees and candidates for employment, including full-time, part-time, and temporary positions.

Definitions

For the purpose of this policy, family members include spouses, domestic partners, parents, children, step-relations, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, and in-laws. Additional relationships, such as close relatives living in the same household, may also be subject to review by the CEO in consultation with HR.

Policy

Family members, defined above, of Cabinet members and the Human Resources department are not permitted to work at SC Learns. For all other staff members, a family member may work at SC Learns as long as they are not in a reporting line relationship, including direct reporting relationships as well as second-degree and beyond reporting relationships.

Example: Mary is a supervisor with two direct reports. One of those direct reports has an open position under them. Mary’s family members are not eligible to accept this position as it is in Mary’s reporting line. 

Hiring Process

Family members of eligible current employees may apply for open positions within the organization. However, they must not be considered for roles where a reporting line relationship would be established with their family member.

Internal Transfers

If employees become related (e.g., through marriage or domestic partnership) or circumstances change, creating a reporting relationship, one of the employees may need to transfer to a different position if one exists or the organization may need to terminate the employment of one of the employees to comply with this policy. The organization will work with the impacted individuals to attempt to find a mutually agreeable resolution that complies with this policy.

Exceptions

In rare cases, where no alternative arrangement is feasible, a family reporting relationship may be temporarily allowed with specific safeguards and approvals from HR and senior management. This arrangement must be reviewed annually and on an as-needed basis if concerns arise.

EMPLOYMENT AT-WILL (Excludes Teachers, Counselors, School Psychologists, Speech-Language Pathologists)

Certain positions at the organization are “at will,” as governed by South Carolina law. Either party has the right to terminate the relationship at any time for any reason, with or without notice. The organization also retains its discretion to make all other decisions concerning employees, including such items as demotions, transfers, job responsibilities, increases or reductions in salary, bonuses, other compensation, or any other decision by management with or without cause or notice. It is further understood that the “at-will” nature of employment with the organization is one aspect of employment that cannot be changed.

Neither this policy, anything else in this manual, nor any statement (whether written or oral, express or implied) in any way changes or alter the “at-will” employment relationship for at-will employees. Either the organization or the employee has the right to terminate the relationship at any time for any or no reason, with or without notice.

Termination of At-Will Employees

An employee may be separated from employment voluntarily or involuntarily by retirement, resignation, lack of work, or termination. Whether a termination is voluntary or involuntary, supervisors must bear in mind that each termination may involve consideration of unique facts or circumstances.

When appropriate, the organization may consider a development plan, a performance improvement plan or other appropriate action prior to terminating an employee. However, the organization has the right to terminate an employee without using one or any of these methods.

The organization has the right to terminate an employee for any or no reason and specifically reserves the right to terminate an employee immediately when there is a basis for believing that the employee has engaged in conduct that the organization considers serious and unacceptable.

Resignation of At-Will Employees

Any at-will employee who voluntarily resigns is expected to provide the organization with advance written notice of no less than two weeks, as is customarily done as a business courtesy. Failure to provide such notice may result in the employee not being eligible for rehire.

Upon receipt of the written notice, the organization reserves the right to accept the resignation as well as deciding the effective date of resignation, which may be earlier than the employee’s stated date.

Resignation of Cabinet-Level Staff

Continuity of school operations is crucial to honoring our school values. To aid in this continuity, the organization requests all Cabinet-level staff to provide a notice of 30 calendar days when submitting a resignation to minimize disruption to school operations. This notice period allows adequate time for recruitment, onboarding of replacement personnel, and transfer of responsibilities.

If the administrator is unable to provide the required 30-day notice, they should notify their supervisor and HR immediately. Requests for a shorter notice period will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may impact eligibility for rehire.

EMPLOYEE TERMINATION INFORMATION

Termination of State Health Plan Participants

The State Health Plan provides coverage on a monthly basis, including for employees who terminate/resign prior to the last day of the month. If an employee who participates in the State Health Plan terminates prior to the last day of the month, any remaining premiums owed for coverage will be deducted from the employee’s final paycheck. For example, if you terminate on the 14th of April and your final paycheck is the 20th, that paycheck will include premiums to cover the entire month of April, which will likely result in paying twice the usual premium.

Exit Interviews

A member of organization administration may send an exit survey to solicit feedback on an employee’s reason for leaving and any other impressions they may have about the organization. During the exit survey, an employee can provide insights into areas for improvement for the organization and their specific position.

Return of Organization Property

Any organization property issued to an employee, such as software, computer equipment, databases, files, PDAs, cell phones, and all confidential and proprietary information must be returned at the time of your termination. The employee will be responsible for any lost or damaged items. An organization representative will contact you regarding how to return your equipment.

Rehire

A rehire is defined as someone who previously worked for the organization as a regular employee and who returns to the organization. In the event the employee leaves the organization and returns within one year of their termination date, any prior service will be restored at the time of rehire. If previous employees return to the organization after the specified one-year period, they will not receive credit for such prior service.

If a supervisor wants to rehire a former employee, he or she should contact the Human Resources Department to discuss the person’s prior work performance and whether the person is eligible for rehire. When completing the new hire paperwork, it should be clearly indicated that the employee is a rehire.