Workshop: Proposed 2025–26 handbooks standardize leaves, add unpaid-leave options and tighten inclement-weather pay

District human-resources staff outlined proposed changes to the 2025–26 employee handbooks at a March 10 workshop, seeking board input and explaining the rationale for standardizing language across employee groups.

Mrs. Lombardo, district staff member leading the presentation, told the board the updates aim to make rules consistent across four handbooks and to add clarity and some expanded leave options. Key changes include a reorganization of absence and leave sections into paid leave, FMLA/ADA, and unpaid leave; clearer definitions of bereavement leave and appeal rights; and a new two-tier unpaid personal leave provision.

Under the proposed unpaid-leave language, staff would be able to request unpaid personal leaves of up to 30 consecutive calendar days and a separate category for leaves of 31 or more calendar days. The shorter leave requires an eight-week notification while the 31-days-or-more leave requires a four-week notification, per the language presented. Requests for longer unpaid leaves must be submitted in writing to the superintendent for consideration.

The handbooks would also standardize the shared/donated leave program by adding a sentence that donated…