IBB drafts leave‑without‑pay procedure for certified staff; district to add to communique and board agenda

Moscow — The IBB reviewed a drafted procedure for certified staff leave without pay and agreed the document should live under the board policy procedures section and be summarized in the negotiation communique so administrators and employees know how to request and process such leave.

Participants noted leave‑without‑pay is distinct from extended leave or sabbatical and raised several administrative and financial clarifications: leave without pay requires administrative approval; employees must meet with payroll before taking the leave; insurance coverage and billing depend on pay‑period timing and FMLA eligibility; and caseload and paperwork considerations complicate application scenarios.

The draft procedure describes steps employees must follow before taking leave without pay, including meeting with building administration and payroll and documenting how benefits and insurance will be affected. Members stressed the importance of notifying building administrators — principals are the first point of contact — and asked for the procedure to be placed where building administrators will see it when advising staff.

The board staff said the procedure will be summarized in the communique circulated at the end of negotiations and that the full procedure can be added to the board policy procedures (section 4,200) without elevating it to a standalone policy. IBB members also agreed administrators should inform staff about the procedure when appropriate so employees are not surprised by insurance or payroll consequences.

Next steps: staff will place the leave‑without‑pay procedure under the certified personnel procedures in board policy, include a summary in the communique, and plan to present it for first reading at the May board meeting.