Common use of Sick Leave Balloon Clause in Contracts

Sick Leave Balloon. Any certificated employee planning retirement under the TRS, and having at least fifteen (15) years of continuous service in Wood River-Hartford District 15 as well as in excess of 140 days of accumulated sick leave, may also request, in writing, an additional retirement incentive in the form of a balloon grant of additional sick leave days provided that a certificated employee must submit his/her written request hereunder, along with an irrevocable letter of retirement, at least five (5) years in advance of the effective date of retirement. The written request may be for a grant of additional sick days sufficient to increase the certificated employee’s unused, accumulated sick leave to over 170 days (or in extraordinary cases, over 340 days) with the goal of providing additional service credit for retirement purposes. The Board will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis, and may grant or deny additional sick leave days in its discretion; but such decision shall not be arbitrary or capricious, and approval will not be unreasonably withheld. In case of denial, the Board will, upon request, present evidence in writing to the union president within 10 school days as to why it was not beneficial to the District. The union may appeal this decision to the Board by providing evidence of its own to demonstrate a substantial financial benefit of granting sick leave, and if the union can prove that the District would realize a substantial economic benefit from granting leave, it will be granted. Any grant of additional sick leave days must be in accordance with applicable TRS rules, and the number of days granted may not exceed the following calculation: the number of work days remaining until the certificated employee’s retirement date or three hundred forty (340) days, whichever is less, minus the total number of unused accumulated sick leave days the certificated employee has on record with the District and TRS at the date of the written request. The parties recognize that a primary intent of this provision is to encourage retirement at the certificated employee’s earliest opportunity; accordingly, in most instances, a certificated employee must provide the District with a written irrevocable letter of retirement to be effective upon the conclusion of the school year in which he or she will first become eligible to retire without incurring a reduced pension or ERO costs, in order to be considered for this incentive. The employee acknowledges the District’s grant of sick leave balloon hereunder is based on expressedreliance on the employee’s declaration to retire. The employee acknowledges the retirement is final and irrevocable and cannot be withdrawn, delayed or otherwise modified. Any certificated employee granted additional sick leave days under this Section waives the right to receive any other Retirement Bonus and/or incentive, including under Section 10.5 of this Article. If the legislature and/or TRS amends or otherwise enacts law(s) and/or administrative regulations pertaining to the subject matter hereof, the District reserves the right to reopen Section 10.6 of this contract.

Sick Leave Balloon. Any certificated employee planning retirement under the TRS, and having at least fifteen (15) years of continuous service in Wood River-Hartford District 15 as well as in excess of 140 days of accumulated sick leave, may also request, in writing, an additional retirement incentive in the form of a balloon grant of additional sick leave days provided that days, based upon the following deadlines: • for the 2018-19 contract year, a certificated employee must submit his/her written request hereunder, along with an irrevocable letter of retirement, at least three (3) years in advance of the effective date of retirement; • for the 2019-20 contract year, a certificated employee must submit his/her written request hereunder, along with an irrevocable letter of retirement, at least four (4) years in advance of the effective date of retirement; • for the 2020-21 contract year, a certificated employee must submit his/her written request hereunder, along with an irrevocable letter of retirement, at least five (5) years in advance of the effective date of retirement. The written request may be for a grant of additional sick days sufficient to increase the certificated employee’s unused, accumulated sick leave to over 170 days (or in extraordinary cases, over 340 days) with the goal of providing additional service credit for retirement purposes. The Board will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis, and may grant or deny additional sick leave days in its discretion; but such decision shall not be arbitrary or capricious, and approval will not be unreasonably withheld. In case of denial, the Board will, upon request, present evidence in writing to the union president within 10 school days as to why it was not beneficial to the District. The union may appeal this decision to the Board by providing evidence of its own to demonstrate a substantial financial benefit of granting sick leave, and if the union can prove that the District would realize a substantial economic benefit from granting leave, it will be granted. Any grant of additional sick leave days must be in accordance with applicable TRS rules, and the number of days granted may not exceed the following calculation: the number of work days remaining until the certificated employee’s retirement date or three hundred forty (340) days, whichever is less, minus the total number of unused accumulated sick leave days the certificated employee has on record with the District and TRS at the date of the written request. The parties recognize that a primary intent of this provision is to encourage retirement at the certificated employee’s earliest opportunity; accordingly, in most instances, a certificated employee must provide the District with a written irrevocable letter of retirement to be effective upon the conclusion of the school year in which he or she will first become eligible to retire without incurring a reduced pension or ERO costs, in order to be considered for this incentive. The employee acknowledges the District’s grant of sick leave balloon hereunder ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ is based on expressedreliance on the employee’s declaration to retire. The employee acknowledges the retirement is final and irrevocable and cannot be withdrawn, delayed or otherwise modified. Any certificated employee granted additional sick leave days under this Section waives the right to receive any other Retirement Bonus and/or incentive, including under Section 10.5 of this Article. If the legislature and/or TRS amends or otherwise enacts law(s) and/or administrative regulations pertaining to the subject matter hereof, the District reserves the right to reopen Section 10.6 of this contract.