12-13 Employee Handbook Cover.psd - Southwest ISD

Leaves and Absences
Policies DEC, DECA, DECB
The district offers employees paid and/or unpaid leave of absence in times of personal
need. This handbook describes the basic types of leave available and the restrictions that
apply to a leave of absence.
An employee absent from duty shall be required to immediately make personal phone
contact with his/her supervising administrator. An employee absent for three or more
consecutive days without such notification may be subject to dismissal. If the absence was
due to a medical condition, the employee will be required to bring a note from the attending
physician authorizing his/her return to work with/without restrictions. Employees who
expect to be absent for an extended period of more than five consecutive days should call
the Benefits Department for information about applicable leave benefits, payment of
insurance premiums, and requirements for communicating with the district.
Reporting Absences: Short absences for situations such as employee illness, illness of an
immediate family member, jury duty, or personal business are coordinated through the
campus or department. An employee who is on a shift work schedule must call their
immediate supervisor before the start of the work day to report all absences. Any employee
working in a position that requires use of the District’s automated online and/or telephonic
absence reporting system (AESOP) shall use the system to report all absences and must
also notify their immediate supervisor of the absence. It is the employees’ responsibility to
call AESOP at (800) 942-3767 or go online at www.aesoponline.com to report the need for
a substitute and/or to cancel an absence before the campus/department cut-off time(s).
Failure to report an absence as described above may result in disciplinary action up to and
including separation from employment due to job abandonment.
Use of Leave: Leave is available for the employee’s use at the beginning of the school
year. Personal and local sick leave is earned on a scheduled basis. If an employee leaves
the district before the end of the work year, the cost of any unearned leave days taken shall
be deducted from the employee’s final paycheck.
Leave must be used in half day increments. However if an employee is taking family and
medical leave, leave may be recorded in two-hour increments. Earned comp time must be
used before any available paid state and local leave. Unless an employee request a different
order, available paid state and local leave will be used in the following order:
• Comp Time
• Local
• State sick leave accumulated before 1995-96 school year
• State personal leave
• Vacation
Southwest ISD Employee Handbook 28
August 15, 2013