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Minnetonka teachers’ union urges board to pause proposed change to leave policy that sets 8‑hour minimum for intermittent leave
Summary
Jennifer Lipsky, president of the Minnetonka Teachers Association, told the board the proposed Policy 4‑29 change (intermittent leaves no smaller than 8 hours) is a term/condition of employment that must be bargained; staff said the language aligns with state paid family medical leave and aims to limit classroom disruption.
Jennifer Lipsky, president of the Minnetonka Teachers Association, urged the School Board on Nov. 20 to pause and reject a proposed change to Policy 4‑29 that would require ongoing intermittent unpaid leave to be taken in minimum 8‑hour increments.
Lipsky told the board the proposed 8‑hour minimum ‘‘fundamentally changes who we are’’ as a ‘‘human centered district’’ and said the provision affects terms and conditions of employment that must be bargained with the union. ‘‘A teacher who needs radiation treatment in the afternoon can still spend the morning in their classroom,’’ Lipsky said, arguing that the policy would force partial‑day absences into full‑day leave more often and would disrupt student continuity and increase substitute costs.
Executive Director of HR/legal counsel (Miss Flowers) and board staff explained that Policy 4‑29 is being updated to align with the state’s paid family medical leave effective Jan. 1, and described other clarifications in the draft: concurrent leave rules, submission timelines (30 days for foreseeable paid family leave, 7 days for safe/sick time) and expectations that approved leave be used for its designated purpose. Miss Flowers said the intermittent‑leave language is intended to apply to ongoing intermittent leaves (for example, repeated periods related to a medical condition) and not day‑to‑day sick time or routine appointments. "This is not those day‑to‑day leaves where you just need to adjust your schedule," she said, and that principals remain flexible for short‑term needs.
Board members and staff exchanged questions seeking greater clarity on definitions and on whether the 8‑hour minimum effectively prevents employees from using existing sick time for partial days. Several board members asked staff to add clearer definitions, statutory cross‑references and examples. Staff acknowledged the potential for confusion and said they will refine the language and bring more examples back to the board for review.
No formal action was taken at the study session; Lipksy said the MTA had requested bargaining over the change and provided an email to the board. Staff said they would revise policy language to clarify that the 8‑hour minimum applies to ongoing intermittent leaves aligned to statute and not to routine partial‑day sick or appointment usage.
