The Wauwatosa School Board has established this policy regarding educational assistant benefits. Authorized Leave of Absence After five (5) years of full-time service, a full-time educational assistant is eligible to take one (1) year unpaid leave of absence subject to discretion of the Board and recommendation of the Superintendent. The request will be due by February 1st in the school year prior to school year of requested leave. The educational assistant on leave must request reinstatement by February 1st of school year prior to the school year of such reinstatement. The leave is limited to one (1) year in duration except as approved by the Board for one (1) additional year. The Board has the right to make exceptions. An educational assistant returning from a leave of absence shall retain fringe benefits, accrued sick leave, and salary in effect prior to the leave, except that no length of service credit shall be earned while on leave, and the District shall not contribute toward an educatonal assistant’s insurance premiums or other fringe benefits during the leave. Childrearing Leave of Absence In addition to any available leave under federal or state FMLA laws, all full-time educational assistants who have been employed for a minimum of one (1) year immediately prior to the request, may request an unpaid leave immediately following birth or placement of a child for adoption or foster care. Requests must be made in writing to the Director of Human Resources at least three (3) months prior to beginning of leave and must identify length of leave requested. No such leave will be granted more frequently than once every three (3) years or exceed one (1) calendar year. During non-FMLA unpaid childrearing leave, the District shall not contribute toward an educational assistant’s insurance premiums or other fringe benefits. No extension will be granted unless there are highly unusual circumstances based on recommendation of Superintendent and discretion of Board. If granted, this leave shall run concurrent with FMLA leave under state and federal law. Days Worked Educational assistants shall normally work on days when students are present at school. Additional days may be authorized by the Superintendent of Schools. Dental Insurance The Board will pay an amount equal to the full single premium per month for dental insurance. Regular part-time educational assistants may participate in the District’s dental plan, with premiums paid by the board on a pro-rata basis up to the amount of the full single premium. The dental plan design and benefits may be modified at any time at the discretion of the Board. Vision Insurance The education assistant has the option to purchase vision insurance through payroll deduction in accordance with the terms of the district’s group vision insurance plan. Post Employment Benefits There are no post-employment benefits for educational assistants. Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account The educational assistant has the option to establish a limited purpose flexible spending account and to have dollars deducted from paycheck on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified dependent care expenses, in accordance with the terms of the District’s limited purpose flexible spending plan. Health Savings Account The educational assistant has the option to establish a health savings account and to have dollars deducted from paycheck on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified medical expenses, in accordance with the terms of the District’s health savings account. Funeral Leave Up to five (5) days’ leave will be granted for the funeral of father, mother, brother, sister, wife, husband, child, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, or domestic partner of the educational assistant or spouse/domestic partner. In addition, one (1) day/year will be allowed for other relatives not listed above. Days taken as funeral leave are charged to sick leave. Group Life Insurance For educational assistants who are regularly scheduled to work 17.5 hours per week or more, the Board shall pay the cost of Group Life Insurance in multiples of $1,000 to a maximum to the next even $1,000 above the prior calendar year's earnings, at no cost and without a medical examination. Prior year’s earnings shall exclude any overtime payments or additional hours of work. Prior year’s earnings shall be limited to the amount paid to the educational assistant for regularly scheduled work hours at his or her regular pay rate. Educational assistants may purchase additional insurance, up to the plan maximum, at no additional expense to the Board. Health Insurance Educational assistants choosing health insurance coverage may select between two plans:
The health care plan design and benefits may be modified at any time at the discretion of the Board. Holiday Pay A total of two (2) days are paid holidays and included as days worked on the Payroll Calendar: In order to be eligible for holiday pay, an employee must work the employee's regularly scheduled workdays immediately preceding and following the holiday, unless the employee is on an excused absence with pay. Employees on an unpaid leave of absence shall not be eligible for holiday pay if the holiday falls during the absence period. Short-Term Disability Insurance The educational assistant has the option to purchase short-term disability income insurance through payroll deduction in accordance with the terms of the District’s group short-term disability insurance plan. Long-Term Disability Insurance The Board will pay the cost of long-term disability income insurance for full-time educational assistants with maximum monthly benefit of ninety percent (90%) of monthly salary up to the plan maximum. Personal Leave Up to one day of personal leave per school year with pay shall be granted for personal business that cannot be conducted on other than a work day. A day is equal to the number of hours an educational assistant is regularly scheduled to work per day. Such leave shall not be granted on the day immediately preceding or following a vacation recess, any day in the month of June, any day that has been designated a “Heavy Sub. Day” by the Department of Human Resources & Communications, or when ten percent (10%) or more of the District’s teaching staff may be absent, unless granted by the Superintendent at his/her discretion. At the discretion of the Superintendent of Schools, additional personal days may be allowed. Retirement Fund The Board will pay the required employer contribution to the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS). The educational assistant will pay an amount equal to one-half of all actuarially required contributions to WRS. Sick Leave Educational assistants shall earn sick leave benefits at the rate of one (1) day per month, not to exceed ten (10) days in a year and not to exceed one hundred (100) days at any time. A day is equal to the number of hours an educational assistant is scheduled to work per day. An educational assistant moving to a position with more or fewer hours per day shall have the sick leave accumulation adjusted to reflect the new number of days. Educational assistants may utilize sick leave in increments of one (1) hour for personal illness or medical appointments. Up to one-half (½) of accumulated days or fifteen (15) days, whichever is less, may be used in case of illness of the educational assistant’s spouse/domestic partner, child or parent. To the extent permitted by applicable law, use of sick days for leave which qualifies under state or federal FMLA provision shall run concurrently with such FMLA leave. Mileage Authorized mileage pay for educational assistants shall be computed on a mileage basis and based on the IRS mileage rate. Full-time For the purpose of this policy, a full-time educational assistant is one who is regularly scheduled to work thirty-five (35) hours or more per week during the school term. Benefits For the purposes of Wauwatosa’s benefit policies, a “domestic partner” is defined as an individual who has signed and filed a declaration of domestic partnership in the office of the register of deeds in the county in which he or she resides. Approved/Adopted: August 29, 2011 Revised: July 8, 2013 Revised: August 22, 2013 Approved: September 16, 2013 Revised: April 9, 2015 Approved: November 9, 2015 Revised: August 8, 2016 |
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