Philadelphia Federation of Teachers School District of Philadelphia

III. Union Rights and Responsibilities
(b) Union leaves for Comprehensive Early Learning Center Employees
No more than four (4) employees shall be granted such leaves of absence
for any program year.
(c) Union leaves for Food Service Managers
No more than three (3) employees shall be granted such leaves of absence
for any school year.
(d) Union leaves for Head Start Employees
No more than three (3) employees shall be granted such leaves of absence
for any school year.
(e) Union leaves for Per Diem Teachers
No more than two (2) substitute teachers who are assured consecutive run
assignment on days during which negotiations respecting this Agreement
are mutually scheduled by the parties during work hours will be released
to attend such negotiations with no loss in pay.
(f) Union leaves for Professional-Technical Employees
No more than five (5) employees shall be granted such leaves of absence
for any school year.
C. Union Visitation
1. The School District shall permit a designated regular staff member of the
Federation or off-duty employee representative of the Federation to visit the
schools to investigate working conditions, employee complaints or problems,
or for any other purposes relating to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
When one (1) representative visits the school for such purposes no
advance notice need be given; however, the representative shall notify the Principal
immediately upon arrival in the building. In cases when two (2) representatives
visit a school for any of the aforementioned purposes, the Principal shall
be notified at least one (1) school day in advance of the visit. Such advance
notification may be waived with the express consent of the Principal. In the
event of emergency circumstances or a prearranged special event, more than
two (2) representatives shall be permitted to visit a school. Such visits shall not
interfere with the educational activities of the school.
2. In the event that one (1) or two (2) representatives desire to confer with
the Principal or to have the Principal take action with regard to some problem,
a request for a conference with the Principal shall be made in such amount of
time, in advance, as is reasonable under the circumstances, and the Principal
shall then be informed of the purpose and the subject matter of the conference.
Difficulties in arranging for such conferences with the Principal to discuss problems
are to be resolved by the Superintendent and/or Chief Executive Officer
(hereinafter referred to as “CEO”) of the School District with the advice of the
Labor Relations Office. If conferences with employees are necessary, they shall
be scheduled so as not to interfere with the instructional program. In the event
that the Principal is absent, the acting administrator shall act on his/her behalf.
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