Lincoln Public Schools

II. BENEFITS

A. Fringe Benefits

During the month of September, each continuing administrator will certify in which of the following optional programs he/she wishes in to enroll:

1. Health insurance
2. Disability Insurance
3. Life Insurance
4. Dental Insurance
5. Vision Insurance

Eligibility for enrollment or re-enrollment in the district insurance plans after a leave of absence is dependent upon any applicable provisions and underwriting guidelines of the insurance companies.

Each employee who purchases a district single health insurance policy through the Educators Health Alliance will receive $325 per month and each employee who purchases a district family health insurance policy through the Educators Health Alliance will receive $450 per month toward that purchase in 2006-2007.  In 2007-2008, each employee who purchases a district single health insurance policy through the Educators Health Alliance will receive $350 per month and each employee who purchases a district family health insurance policy through the Educators Health Alliance will receive $600 per month toward that purchase.

A summary of these options may be found in the Employee Benefits booklet that is posted on the LPS website.

B. Enrollment in Insurance Programs

New employees have 31 calendar days after their first day of employment to enroll in any of the insurance programs (vision, dental, disability, life insurance, and health insurance) provided by the school district. However, since insurance premiums are pre-paid, applications must be received by Human Resources before the 10th of the month to be effective the 1st of the following month.

Annually, current employees may enroll during the month of September, however some coverages may not be available or there may be restrictions on the coverage.

Refer to the current Employee Benefits Handbook for more details concerning timelines, qualifications, coverages and restrictions.

Public Law 99-272 (COBRA) entitles some employees and dependents to continue insurance coverage after employment termination. Please refer to Appendix C or call Human Resources, 436-1593 for more information.

C. Employee Flexible Benefit Plan

Lincoln Public Schools provides for its employees a complete IRS Section 125 Plan which is called the Employee Flexible Benefit Plan. Participants in this plan use pretax dollars from their salary or fringe allocation for any combination of the following: 1) to pay premiums on district-offered insurance plans; 2) to pay medical expenses which are not covered under their health insurance plan or are not reimbursed from other sources; and 3) to pay eligible dependent care expenses. The primary purpose for participating in the flexible benefit plan is the tax savings that results from using pretax dollars for the expenses described above. New administrators may enroll in this plan during their first thirty (30) days of employment with the school district while continuing administrators may enroll during the September open enrollment period. Call Human Resources, 436-1593, for more information about this plan.

D. Death Benefit

The Board of Education provides a $15,000 death benefit for the beneficiary of each administrator. Employees should notify the Human Resources Office of any changes in beneficiary that may have occurred since they began employment with the district.

E. Tax-Sheltered Annuities

A tax-sheltered annuity program (TSA) is available to all employees. Under this program, income is deferred until a certain age (generally 65). Usually at retirement age the deferred income is reported for income tax purposes. Administrators may refer to Business Affairs Bulletin #2 (BA #2) for more information or call Accounting, 436-1703. Information concerning the program and the vendors is also included on the LPS web site.

F. Employee Assistance Program (Policy Regulation 4630.1)

Lincoln Public Schools recognizes that a wide variety of problems not directly associated with one's job function can have an effect on an employee's job performance. In most instances, the employee will overcome such personal problems independently and the adverse effect on job performance will be negligible. However, for some employees professional assistance will be necessary.

The Lincoln Public Schools, in cooperation with the Continuum Employee Assistance Program, has training programs for supervisory and other appropriate personnel. The training will help supervisors with early recognition of behavior or medical problems adversely affecting job performance and provide supervisory techniques and strategies to assist proper usage of the Continuum Employee Assistance Program.

It shall be the policy of the district to encourage employees to seek help through effective treatment. Enlightened attitudes and honest acceptance of human problems is acknowledged and endorsed by the Lincoln Public Schools to encourage an employee to take advantage of this service. To the extent possible, the Lincoln Public Schools shall encourage self-referrals.

No employee's job security or promotion opportunities will be jeopardized by requesting or receiving assistance or treatment.

Types of Referrals

Referrals to the Continuum Employee Assistance Program will be either by (1) a self-referral by the employee or (2) a supervisory referral.

Mandatory Supervisory Referrals

When an employee's performance at work is negatively impacted by events in their life or the lives of their families, supervisors may refer the employee to Continuum after consultation with the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources.

The employee must comply with any mandatory supervisory referrals for diagnosis and cooperate with prescribed counseling or therapy.

Unacceptable job performance will continue to be addressed regardless of the employee's participation in the employee assistance program.

Leave

Employees may utilize applicable leave for treatment or rehabilitation. The district will not be obligated to pay fees of referral agencies.

Dependents

Since employee work performance can be affected adversely by the problems of his/her spouse or other dependents, the program is available to the families of the employee.

Confidentiality

All records of employees seeking assistance either through self-referral or supervisory referral shall be kept strictly confidential. Self-referrals will not be noted in any official records or in the employee's personnel file.

G. Direct Payroll Deposit

Administrators are required to have automatic deposit of their payroll checks to financial institutions that will accept ACH deposits. Bank Deposit Authorization forms are available in every school office and from the Accounting Department, 436-1710.

H. Retirement

Administrators who are considering retirement are encouraged to schedule a conference with Human Resources early in their planning process. Call Human Resources, 436-1593, for information or to make an appointment.

Human Resources schedules a retirement planning orientation session for certificated employees each year during February or March. The purpose of the meeting is to provide information about the retirement process and to answer questions. Administrators are not obligated in any way by attending the session.

To begin the process of retirement, administrators must first submit a completed “Change of Status” form to Human Resources.

I. Temporary Incentive Program

A Temporary Incentive Program shall be available to Lincoln Public Schools administrators on an optional basis in 2006-2007. The Temporary Iincentive Program shall be available on the administrator’s 55th birthday and succeeding years as hereafter defined. An administrator must have completed ten (10) years of credited service to the Lincoln Public Schools in order to be eligible for the Temporary Incentive Program (TIP).  An administrator may waive his/her TIP payment in order to receive an increased payment per hour for the sell of unused annual leave.  Those administrators who choose to take the Temporary Incentive Plan (TIP) payment will receive $8.00 per hour and those who waive the TIP payment will receive $22.00 per hour as payment for unused annual leave (see page 34?) for details concerning the eligibility for the sell of annual leave). 

Credited service shall mean employment as an administrator within Lincoln Public Schools or as a certificated employee of the Lincoln Public Schools, except that authorized leaves of absence without compensation shall be excluded. Full and partial years of credited service shall be added together to calculate a total amount of credited service. Employees shall not be eligible for this plan should they be on unpaid leave in excess of one year prior to retirement unless that unpaid leave is due to health reasons for which the employee utilized all available annual leave.

J. Job-Related Travel and Expenses

Employees requesting reimbursement for traveling expenses must obtain the Business Affairs publication, "Travel and Expense Guide" prior to travel. The employee must comply with these rules in order to receive reimbursement.

1. Mileage
   
   Administrators who are required to travel out of the district on behalf of the school district shall be reimbursed for expenses at the allowable mileage rate determined by the State of Nebraska, unless otherwise required by law.
   
   Administrators receive annual compensation for in-district travel. Current allotments are provided below:

K. Professional Growth Experiences

Administrators are encouraged to develop and follow a professional growth plan during their tenure with Lincoln Public Schools. The source of funds for these professional growth activities will vary depending upon the administrative position. Some administrators receive professional development funds as part of their own budget or the budget developed within their department. For many administrators, however, professional growth activities are funded by an annual allocation coordinated by the office of staff development. The guidelines for this annual allocation are described in the following paragraph. All administrators are advised to clarify funding of their professional growth activities with their supervisor.

Many administrative positions carry an annual allocation of funds to be used for professional growth experiences not sponsored by the district. Administrators are notified annually of the amount of their professional growth allocation. Funds allocated for use during a given school year but not used during that year may be carried forward for use during the next school year only. The accumulation of professional growth allocation funds by an administrator cannot be greater than the total amount for two years. Administrators may draw from their allocation by submitting a reimbursement request well in advance of the planned function. The reimbursement request will be approved or disapproved by the office of staff development.

L. Leaves From Duty (Policy 4640)

Regular attendance is an essential function of every position in Lincoln Public Schools. Employees are expected to be at work on a regular basis. However, there are legitimate reasons for being absent from work and several types of leaves are provided to employees to accommodate these needs. Employees are expected to be at work or use appropriate leave.

Leaves will be provided in accordance with state and federal laws.

Employees are required to utilize appropriate notification and approval procedures for all leaves. In the case of communicable disease outbreak, other public health emergency or any situation in which on or more schools must be closed, the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources will determine what applicable paid leaves, if any, may be utilized by staff.

1. Annual Leave
   
   Full-time administrators shall receive 15 days (120 hours) of paid annual leave each year. This includes full-time administrators with less than a twelve-month (260-day) work assignment. The fifteen (15) days will be prorated for employees who are not assigned to work full days. Annual leave will accrue at the rate of one and one-quarter (1.25) days or ten (10) hours per month. Accumulation of unused annual leave shall be without limit. Annual leave may be used as sick leave or emergency leave. When administrators have used all fifteen (15) days of current annual leave, they may use accumulated leave as sick leave.
   
   Annual leave is not to be used as vacation leave.
   
   Use of Annual Leave as Sick Leave Provision is made for use of annual leave as sick leave during the course of the contract. Absence due to personal injury or accident not arising in the course of employment, absence due to illness of a person residing in the same home as part of the family, and also children, parents, parents-in-law, and siblings not residing in the same home, and absence due to quarantine laws of the State are interpreted as eligible for annual leave. In addition, an administrator who is temporarily disabled from a medical standpoint by reason of pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy and child delivery is within this provision for the period of such medical disability. Annual leave is classified as current or accumulative.
   
   The following items relate to the use of annual leave for health reasons:
   1. If the period of physical disability occurs during the term of his or her contract period, the employee will receive pay for the actual contract days lost due to the disability up to the amount of accumulated annual leave. No annual leave or any other paid leave will be granted for non-contract days.
   2. If an administrator requests, and is granted a leave of absence, and thereafter becomes physically disabled, he or she will not receive any annual leave pay.
   3. If a member of the immediate family is recommended for treatment through the Employee Assistance Program counselor, an administrator may use accumulated annual leave for the duration of the prescribed treatment, but not to exceed fifteen (15) working days per incident.
   4. Administrators who have exhausted their cumulative annual leave may borrow up to ten (10) days of the next year's allotment. If the administrator resigns before earning the borrowed days from the succeeding year, the administrator will have his or her pay reduced before final payment is made. Should illness, however, be the reason leading to resignation or termination, the administration shall not be required to pay back the borrowed days.
   5. An administrator may request permission of the superintendent to use annual leave days for absences during an extended family illness or crisis that lasts beyond their current accumulated annual leave.

Holidays as annual leave. Holidays occurring within the period that the administrator is absent shall not be charged against current or cumulative annual leave.

Vacation as annual leave. Any administrator having available vacation credit at the time of personal illness, personal injury, and/or compensable injury may elect to use it in lieu of annual leave.

Absences due to illness in cases of administrators receiving vacation allowances shall be interpreted as "continuous service" and vacations shall be granted as per contract. A physician's statement is required.

Absence when annual leave is exhausted. Persons absent due to illness and using time beyond current annual leave are required to file with the Human Resources Office a physician's statement stating the nature of the illness and the request for continued absence. A similar physician's statement may be required periodically after 30 days of absence until the individual returns to work or all of the cumulative annual leave has been used.

Administrators who have exhausted their accumulated annual leave and are under the care of a physician may request up to twenty (20) continuous working days of extended annual leave. A five-day waiting period will take place prior to the administrator's use of this leave. If an administrator has exhausted the twenty (20) days of extended annual leave and continues to be under the care of a physician, the administrator may request an additional twenty-five (25) days of extended annual leave after ten (10) days of leave without pay have elapsed. Extended annual leave pay will be 50 percent of the administrator's daily rate of pay.

After the total accumulated annual leave is used, pay for absences not covered by accumulated time shall be deductible at the daily rate of pay as computed in accord with the terms of the contract of each employee.

Return to work. (Policy Regulation 4640.1)

Paid leave for personal illness will not be authorized after five days without presenting a statement from the treating physician for approval by Human Resources.

Employees who have an accident (regardless of where or when) resulting in injury or treatment; have a major health issue such as loss of consciousness, heart attack, stroke, etc.; or a major illness must have a release to return to work that details dates of treatment, diagnosis, and whether or not there are any physical restrictions. The release must be presented to Human Resources for approval to return to work.

All health-related absences of five or more days require a written statement from the treating physician stating that the employee is physically able to return to duty. Supervisors may request a release to return to work at any time they deem circumstances warrant. The release must be presented to Human Resources for approval to return to work.

Employees released to return to work with restrictions must provide written documentation to the supervisor in advance of the designated return date. The supervisor will confer with Human Resources to determine if and when the employee is able to return to work.

Reporting illness. When administrators are ill, they are to inform their immediate supervisor and make other appropriate work-related arrangements.

Pay for Accumulated Annual Leave. Administrative employees who separate from Lincoln Public Schools during the 2006-07 school year following ten (10) years of employment as an administrator or as a certificated employee within Lincoln Public Schools will receive eight dollars ($8.00) or twenty-two dollars ($22.00) per hour for each hour of accumulated annual leave. Those administrators who choose to take the Temporary Incentive Plan (TIP) payment will receive $8.00 per hour and those who waive the TIP payment will receive $22.00 per hour. In the 2007-2008 school year, administrative employees who separate from Lincoln Public Schools following ten (10) years of employment as an administrator or as a certificated employee within Lincoln Public will receive $22.00 per hour for each hour of accumulated annual leave. 

The accumulated annual leave held by continuing administrators at the end of a contract year will be carried into the succeeding contract year to become part of their accumulated annual leave and will have the value per hour upon separation from the district as listed above.

An administrator desiring to receive the payment for accumulated annual leave must notify the Human Resources Office by January 15 of the year of retirement.  This deadline maybe waived by the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources due to extenuating circumstances.  Retirement shall be effective as of July 1 of that year unless another date is approved by the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources.

Administrators retiring during the 2006-07 school year will be paid the amount due under this plan by September15, 2007, subject to the provisions of the district non-elective 403(b) plan and the district’s HRA plan.

For retirements after September 1, 2006 and prior to February 1, 2007, a payment for unused accumulated leave upon retirement, which meets the qualifications of the district non-elective 403 (b) plan, will be paid through a contribution to such plan subject to the annual contribution limit under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 415.  Any amount in excess of the annual contribution limit of IRC section 415 will be contributed to the plan as soon as administratively feasible over a period not to exceed five years following retirement. The amount contributed to the plan on behalf of the participant in the years following retirement must satisfy the contribution limits under IRC section 415 each year.

For Administrators retiring after February 1, 2007, a payment for the accumulated annual leave, which satisfies the qualifications of the District’s non-elective 403(b) plan and the District’s Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) plan, will be paid as follows:

1. 50% of the amount payable will be contributed to the District’s non-elective 403(b) plan, subject to the annual contribution limit under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 415, and
2. 50% of the amount payable will be contributed to he District’s HRA plan.

Any non-elective 403(b) amount payable in excess of the annual contribution limit under IRC section 415 will be contributed to the participant’s account in the non-elective 403(b) plan as soon as administratively feasible over a period not to exceed five years following retirement.  The amount contributed to the non-elective 403(b) plan on behalf of the participant each year following retirement must comply with the annual contribution limits under IRC section 415 each year.

2. Bereavement Leave
   
   A total of not more than five (5) consecutive work days on full pay is allowed each administrator for absence in case of death of the immediate family, defined as spouse, children, mother, father, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother, sister, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law, grandchild or person residing in the same home as part of the family for the purpose of attending the funeral or attending to matters related to the death. A total of not more than three (3) consecutive work days on full pay is allowed for each administrator for absence in case of death of other members of the family, defined as brother-in-law, sister-in-law, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew for the purpose of attending the funeral or attending to matters related to the death.
   
   Bereavement leave is not limited to five or three days respectively in one year but covers each death in the immediate family that occurs during the year.
   
   An administrator shall be excused for a maximum of one day per year, without loss of pay, to attend funeral services of relatives and/or friends other than those listed above. Additional time required will be charged to annual leave.

3. Professional Leave (Policy Regulation 4640.8)
   
   Employees may request paid professional leave for the purpose of attending local, state and national professional meetings, activities or conferences. Paid professional leave may be granted if the District or supervisor determines that the attendance at such meeting or conference will directly benefit the District.

Requests by individual staff members for professional leave and related expenses will be submitted to the staff member's immediate supervisor and/or the person responsible for the budget from which expenses, if allowed, will be paid. The request should be submitted with sufficient time to make appropriate arrangements and to secure a substitute where necessary. Reimbursements of expenses will be provided in accordance with procedures provided by the Business Office. Employees shall not be reimbursed for expenses for any school-business-related or District travel by private or noncommercial aircraft.  All school-business-related or District travel by private or noncommercial aircraft is prohibited unless preauthorized by the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources.

Professional leave is defined as time away from an employee's normal work assignment to participate in work-related activities, including, but not limited to professional meetings, staff development, curriculum writing, or supervision at student activities.

Professional leave will not be granted to administrators who attend or participate in commencement exercises of the various colleges and universities; except, any administrator of the Lincoln school district who is a bona fide candidate for a degree shall be granted professional leave.

4. Jury Duty (Policy Regulation 4640.7)
   
   Administrators of the district are encouraged to fulfill their citizenship obligation of jury duty. Their salary will continue during time spent in jury service.
   
   Employees shall give their immediate supervisor notice within a reasonable time of receiving a jury summons. If an administrator, upon reporting for jury duty in the morning, learns that he or she is dismissed from jury duty for the remainder of the day, he or she is to resume duties for the balance of the day. When entirely dismissed from jury duty, the administrator is directed to return to work.

Pay may be reduced in an amount equal to any compensation, other than expenses, paid by the court for jury duty.

5. Assault Disability
   
   Any administrator missing contract days due to job-related injury as a result of physical assault while within the scope of his/her employment with the Lincoln Public Schools shall not have those days charged against accumulated annual leave days. After five (5) workdays, continued absence is authorized only upon recommendation of the personal physician.
   
   The term "assault and battery" shall be defined for purposes of this section as an assault or battery inflicted within the scope of the administrator's employment. Assault is defined as the threat or use of force on another that causes that person to have a reasonable apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive contact; the act of putting another person in reasonable fear or apprehension of an immediate battery by means of an act amounting to an attempt or threat to commit a battery. Battery is defined as the application of force to another, resulting in harmful or offensive contact.
   
   In the event that an administrator of the Lincoln schools should be subject to an assault or battery while within the scope of his or her employment with the Lincoln Public Schools, the administrator should take the following action:
   1. The administrator should immediately notify the Lincoln Police Department of the alleged assault or battery.
   2. The administrator should notify his/her immediate supervisor of the alleged assault or battery.
   3. The standard procedures for reporting accidents shall thereafter be followed.
   4. If the administrator is not satisfied that the prosecuting officials are taking appropriate action with regard to the alleged incident, the administrator may report the same to the office of human resources. The office of human resources should attempt to ascertain the status of any criminal proceedings and coordinate efforts to obtain appropriate action by the prosecuting officials.
   5. In the event that the administrator wishes to take any civil action to recover his or her damages against the perpetrator of the assault or battery, this is a private legal proceeding; therefore, the administrator will need to obtain his or her own legal counsel to assist in presentation of such claims.
   6. Administration should recognize that the determination of what criminal proceedings will be commenced against the perpetrator of an assault or battery is the function and responsibility of either the legal department of the City of Lincoln or the County Attorney of Lancaster County. The Board of Education has no standing to actually commence any such proceedings. The Board of Education will, however, endeavor to assist the administrator in bringing relevant information to the attention of the appropriate prosecuting officials.
      
6. Professional Leave to Study or Travel Abroad
   
   Leaves of absence to study or travel abroad do not include provision to accept employment elsewhere during the period of the leave, nor does it provide for "exchange" of administrators between different school systems. All exchange assignments must have board approval.
   
   Permission to be absent from duty without pay for a semester, a year, or other clearly defined period for this purpose may be obtained upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools and the approval of the Board of Education.
   
7. Military Leave (Policy Regulation 4640.2)

Military leave will be granted to the extent required by state and federal law.

Employees must notify Human Resources as soon as they receive notification of activation.

Employees will attach a copy of their orders to their request for leave form when they prepare the request for military leave.

8. Civic and Political Leave (Policy Regulation 4640.4)
   1. Paid Civic Leave for Certificated Employees

   A certificated employee appointed to an unpaid position with a city, county or state committee, board or
   commission, or who is serving as an officer or on a board, excluding advisory or adjunct, in a community organization, may request civic leave with pay on the appropriate form provided by the Human Resources Division. Human Resources reviews the request and forwards those recommended for approval to the Board of Education. The maximum time approved for paid civic leave will not exceed the equivalent of two (2) work days or fourteen (14) hours per month.

   A certificated employee requesting or taking leave under this regulation with pay shall be required to keep the school district informed and disclose to the school district any pay or funds received while on civic leave. Failure to comply with this regulation may be considered cause for disciplinary action, including ending employment. A certificated employee on paid civic leave who is paid by another source while on such leave agrees the leave should be unpaid, agrees to reimburse any District pay during such period and agrees the District may deduct from future wages all amounts necessary to fully reimburse any District pay during such period.

   2. Unpaid Civic Leave for Certificated Employees

      Any certificated employee elected, appointed or otherwise, to a paid public office contained in Chapter 32 of the Nebraska Statutes, or serving in any other paid civic, political or public office or position shall be granted civic leave without pay and may be eligible for participation in group insurance programs in accordance with the contract provisions of the carrier. Depending on the public office, leave may be half time, one semester, or other arrangements as developed between the employee and Human Resources.

   Prior to submitting their name for public office, certificated employee shall notify the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources in writing of their intent allowing sufficient time for the Board of Education to be notified.