Harnamapapa Schools board adopts handbook changes to align with recent state laws

Harnamapapa Schools’ board voted Aug. 23 to adopt a set of revised board policies and handbook changes that staff said implement recent state laws affecting employee conduct, background checks and parental engagement.

The changes, presented by human-resources staff and legal counsel, update pay and benefits administration, define “first‑year” employees and unpaid leave, tighten background‑check and registry reporting requirements for employees and contractors, and add provisions required by multiple newly passed state bills on employee religious expression, certification revocation and limits on diversity, equity and inclusion duties.

Board members were told the handbook updates include a new standard requiring employees to provide direct‑deposit information (with limited one‑time exceptions), expanded benefits detail and clarified leave rules for first‑year employees. HR staff said the policy now defines a first‑year employee as someone in their first 12 months of employment or a retired individual rehired after a gap of 12 months; first‑year employees who do not qualify for FMLA will be entitled to up to six weeks of unpaid, job‑protected leave for medically qualifying reasons. The package also clarifies combined leave when two spouses are both in their first year of employment: staff…