Glen Rock board denies superintendent’s request for bereavement days, requires medical review

The Glen Rock Public School District Board of Education on March 17 denied the superintendent’s request to use five bereavement days while on medical leave and unanimously directed that a physician designated by the board review the superintendent’s medical documentation and determine whether a medical examination is needed before the superintendent may return to work.

Board counsel Christopher O’Hara told the board the superintendent “has been using his sick days since approximately 11/14/2024” and that the superintendent’s physician had rescheduled a requested medical examination for March 24. Counsel said the board needed to decide whether to allow the bereavement days and whether to require more detailed documentation or a fit-for-duty review.

The board’s action follows counsel’s update that the superintendent submitted medical documentation stating he could not report to work. O’Hara said the board could accept a simple statement from the treating physician or request a more detailed report that the board would forward to its school physician for review. Counsel also told the board that, if bereavement days were not allowed in this instance, the superintendent would exhaust available paid leave around May 14, given his start date of absence of Nov. 14, 2024.

Board members discussed precedent and policy implications. Board member Michael Corey said he was concerned about setting a precedent that would allow employees to reclassify previously taken leave. Several members expressed sympathy for the employee while noting the implications for district leave policy. The board conducted straw polls on both questions — whether to grant bereavement days while on medical leave, and whether to require a fit-for-duty/return-to-work notice — before moving to a hand-carried resolution.

The board adopted a resolution denying the superintendent’s request for bereavement leave while on medical leave. The resolution also requires the superintendent to submit satisfactory medical documentation that either confirms his ability to return to work or documents his inability to return and the reason, and directs a physician designated by the board to review the documentation and determine whether further medical examination is needed. The motion to adopt the resolution was made by Michael Corey and seconded by Ed Hayward; the roll call vote was unanimous: Miss Carisola, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Corey, Mr. Hayward, Miss Parlamas, Miss Rundell, Miss Stevenson, Miss Calvez and Dr. Robinson all voted yes.

The board’s counsel and members said they will revisit the matter after receiving the March 24 medical documentation and any input from the district school physician; the board scheduled further consideration for its next regularly scheduled meeting on April 7.

The board did not cite a statutory authority during the public discussion; counsel framed the decision as an interpretation of district leave policy and practice and as a personnel determination to be made by the Board of Education.