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Teacher urges change to sick-leave donation policy; board later approves edits to GCBDC
Summary
Teacher Amanda Dean testified that Bedford County's sick-leave donation policy is overly restrictive and proposed allowing donated days earlier and with fewer conditions. The board later approved a revision to policy GCBDC following review by the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee.
Amanda Dean, a Bedford County Public Schools teacher and Jefferson Forest High School graduate, told the school board at the May 8 meeting that the division—s sick-leave donation policy is too restrictive and can force staff into unpaid leave or to work while unwell.
Dean described her personal experience: after months of illness and a hospital stay she said she had to "exhaust all of my sick days and personal days before I was eligible to request donated days" and that "Only after missing 15 consecutive days could I ask for help." She told the board that colleagues had been willing to donate leave but the policy—s conditions meant donated days were not available when she needed them most.
Dean proposed changes including allowing employees to access donated days before depleting all personal leave or allowing donated days to be held in reserve for return from leave; removing the requirement that donated days be for consecutive days missed; and increasing the cap on donated days to cover extended medical absences. "By allowing teachers to access donated days without such restrictive conditions, we can foster a more compassionate and supportive work environment," she told the board.
Later in the meeting the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee—s recommended policy revisions to GCBDC (sick-leave donation) were presented for action. The proposal added a requirement that employees be members of VRS Plan 1 or 2 to receive donated sick leave and clarified that an employee who is a member of the sick-leave bank may use either the sick-leave bank or the donation plan in the same year, but not both. The board voted to adopt the committee—s revisions (motion moved by Mr. Holbrook), and the updated policy will be posted and take effect consistent with board procedures.
Dean told the board that a neighboring division allows more-flexible donations and urged Bedford County to adopt similar flexibility. Board members who heard public comment did not dispute her account and the board moved ahead with the committee-recommended edits rather than the broader changes Dean had requested.
