Stevensville School District

PERSONNEL                                                 

Vacations

All classified employees, except those in a temporary status, serving more than six (6) months, are eligible to earn vacation leave credits retroactive to the date of employment.  Leave credits may not be advanced nor may leave be taken retroactively.  A seasonal employee’s accrued vacation leave credits may be carried over to the next season, if management has a continuing need for the employee, or paid out as a lump-sum payment to the employee when the season ends (generally in June).  The employee may request a lump-sum payment at the end of each season.

Vacation is earned according to the following schedule:

RATE-EARNED SCHEDULE

Years of Employment                  Working Days Credit per Year

1 day – 10 years                                      15

10 – 15 years                                           18

15 – 20 years                                          21

20 years on                                            24

Time as an elected state, county, or city official, as a school teacher, or as an independent contractor, does not count toward the rate earned.  For purposes of this paragraph, an employee of the District or the university system is eligible to have school district or university employment time count toward the rate-earned schedule, if that employee was eligible for annual leave in the position held with the school district or university system.

Maximum Accrual of Vacation Leave
All full-time and part-time employees serving in permanent and seasonal positions may accumulate two (2) times the total number of annual leave credits they are eligible to earn per year, according to the rate-earned schedule.

Sick Leave Bank
An employee may contribute accumulated vacation leave to the sick leave bank provided for in 2-18-618, MCA.  Donation of vacation leave credits to and use of vacation leave credits in the sick leave bank are governed by terms of the current collective bargaining agreement.

Annual Pay-Out
The District may, in its sole discretion and/or subject to the terms of a collective bargaining agreement, provide cash compensation in January of each year for unused vacation leave in lieu of the accumulation of vacation leave.

Lump-Sum Payment Upon Termination
An employee who terminates employment for reasons not reflecting discredit on the employee shall be entitled, upon the date of such termination, to cash compensation for unused vacation leave, assuming that the employee has worked the qualifying periods set forth in § 2-18-611, MCA.  The District shall not pay accumulated leaves to employees who have not worked the qualifying period.  Vacation leave contributed to the sick leave bank is nonrefundable and is not eligible for cash compensation upon termination.

Legal Reference:
§ 2-18-611 – § 2-18-618, MCA

Policy History:
Adopted on: February 2002
Revised on: July 2010