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Bus drivers, monitors urge Jefferson County board to restore sick‑day rollover
Summary
At a Jefferson County School Board meeting, bus drivers and monitors urged the board to reinstate the ability to roll over unused sick days. Drivers said the change reduces a safety net and may affect retention; the board’s policy committee will review the matter on Jan. 27.
Bus drivers and monitors urged the Jefferson County School Board to restore a previously available sick‑day rollover policy, saying the change forces employees to choose between delaying medical care or losing accrued time.
A bus driver told the board, "This is a benefit that just helps the drivers and it doesn't cost you anything until we use it," and later said the current practice effectively tells employees "use it or lose it." Drivers said the district reduced accrual so that employees now start each school year with five sick days and do not carry unused days forward. Several drivers said long‑tenured employees still have a large number of grandfathered days but that no new accruals are permitted.
The topic surfaced during the meeting’s public‑comment period and drew multiple speakers. Board members and staff said the policy will be reviewed: "So at January 27th policy committee meeting, we will bring that to the committee," a board representative said. Board staff also said they will gather the minutes and records that document when the policy changed and circulate that information to drivers.
Drivers and monitors described practical impacts. One speaker said an employee who needs extended medical leave might be forced to reschedule elective but necessary surgery because the employee cannot rely on accrued time. Speakers estimated roughly 60 licensed drivers and about 10 monitors in the district may be affected; monitors requested that any change include them as well.
Board members clarified that days already earned will be retained for employees who were grandfathered, while additional accruals were stopped in the policy change several years ago. A speaker referenced an internal policy code during discussion ("5.302," as noted in the meeting) and board staff said they would locate the policy history and the minutes that recorded the earlier change.
The policy committee will take up the matter at its Jan. 27 meeting at 5:30 p.m., and staff said they will send a summary of the change and supporting minutes to board members and to employees who requested the review.
Drivers asked the board to consider reinstating rollover accrual to improve retention and provide a safety net for extended medical leaves; board members did not adopt a policy change at the meeting but directed follow‑up and review by the policy committee.
