Staff Handbook

Contents:

General Philosophies and Policies

This handbook was developed in order to provide information to employees of the Summit County Educational Service Center (SCESC) concerning their employment. The provisions in this handbook are not to be deemed a provision or condition of your contract of employment. The Governing Board specifically reserves the right to modify or abrogate any provision in this handbook at any time and without any notice to its employees. This handbook is intended only for informational purposes and is not to be construed as imposing any obligation, contractual or otherwise, upon the Governing Board with respect to any subject it contains.

The Staff Handbook is designed as a guide to policies and procedures of the Summit County Educational Service Center and is assembled from the official Policy Manual of the SCESC and accompanying Administrative Guidelines. This handbook is intended for the general guidance of ESC employees and not as a substitute for ever-changing school law or the Policy Manual.

All policies contained in this document may not be inclusive of the entire policy officially adopted by the Board of Governors of the SCESC and will be noted as such. Employees should refer to the official Policy Manual for further explanations.

The Policy Manual is available in the office of the superintendent, the Treasurer, and the service team directors and is also available via the Internet at: www.neola.com/summit-oh/ or http://cybersummit.org

The administrative staff is available to address any questions or concerns regarding policies or this handbook.

ABSENCES

A. SICK LEAVE

Sick leave may be used for reasons stated in Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 3432/4432. When an employee of the Educational Service Center is not reporting to work for any reason, other than a pre-approved absence such as vacation or emergency leave, the employee is required to report their absence according to the following procedures:

  1. Call your service team director, supervisor, or building principal where you are assigned to report your absence and to discuss any work related matters that will be affected by your absence.

    • If your director, supervisor or principal is not available, leave a voice mail message and then contact the service team administrative assistant or appropriate secretary. It is important that you report your absence directly to your director or supervisor or administrative assistant or secretary rather than just leave a voice mail message.

    • If you are not able to actually speak to your director, supervisor or the secretary, call the Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent (ext. 1223) to report your absence. LEA-assigned staff members should follow the district call-off procedures.

  2. Calls to notify the ESC or district of your absence should be placed before the start of your regularly scheduled work day. Call in each day that you are absent, if not on an approved leave.

  3. Immediately upon return to work, it is your responsibility to complete and submit a Notification of Employee Absence form (and a physician’s statement, if necessary) to your director, supervisor or principal for his/her signature. These forms must then be sent to the Treasurer’s Office at the ESC.

  4. In the event that you are absent due to personal or family illness for three (3) or more consecutive days, a physician’s statement may be required stating the reason for the absence and/or authorization to return to work.

Sick leave may be used for maternity, when appropriately certified in writing by a physician. Use of sick leave may extend during the period of maternity disability for up to 6 weeks following the birth of a child, or longer if certified by a physician. An employee may request family leave to care for the child at the conclusion of the use of sick leave, for up to a total of 12 weeks (combined period of sick leave and family leave) as described below and in Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 3435.1/4435.1.

New employees may be credited with up to five (5) days of sick leave in advance, which shall be part of the fifteen (15) days that can be accumulated for the year. Regular part-time employees shall be entitled to sick leave in proportion to the time actually worked.

B. EMERGENCY LEAVE

Up to three (3) full days of emergency leave may be used each contract year by full-time employees. Emergency leave must be approved by the Superintendent. These days are not cumulative and may only be used for acceptable reasons as listed in Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 3436/4436.

Procedures to request such leave are as follows:

  1. Submit an Emergency Leave Form to the Superintendent’s Office, Summit County Educational Service Center . The reason for the leave and the appropriate signatures must be complete. Make sure that your director, supervisor or building principal approves of your leave request and signs the form.

  2. In cases of immediate emergencies, call the Office of the Superintendent (330-945-5600) for verbal approval. Be sure to notify your director, supervisor or building principal if your request for Emergency Leave is approved. The Emergency Leave Request form must be completed upon return to work.

  3. Emergency leave will not be granted immediately preceding or following a holiday/break, to extend vacation periods, for other employment, or for recreation purposes.

  4. Upon return from emergency leave, a Notification of Employee Absence form must be completed.

C. VACATION

Employees who work twelve months may earn vacation leave in accordance with Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 3433/4433. Vacation days are earned on a monthly basis accumulating up to the employee’s vacation entitlement based on position and length of service.

Vacation days may be taken as they are earned but they may not be taken in advance of being earned. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Superintendent.

Requests for vacation must be submitted in writing, using the Notification of Employee Absence form, to your immediate supervisor and/or your service team director. Requests for vacation leave of five (5) days or more must be submitted four (4) weeks in advance of the desired leave. Requests for vacation leave of less than five (5) days must be submitted as far in advance as possible. All vacation requests are subject to final approval by the Superintendent.

Vacation leave must be used during the calendar year in which it is earned or during the next ensuing contract year. A maximum of twenty (20) days of accumulated vacation leave may be carried into the next contract year.

D. FAMILY LEAVE

Under the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), an employee working 1250 hours or more during any contract year may use up to twelve (12) work weeks of unpaid leave for one (1) of the following reasons:

  1. The birth or care of a child.
  2. The adoption or foster care of a child.
  3. The care of a spouse, son, daughter, or parent if such individual has a serious health condition.
  4. A serious health condition of the staff member which disables him/her from performing the functions of his/her position.

An employee may use accumulated/earned sick leave for maternity when appropriately certified in writing by a physician. Use of sick leave may extend during the period of maternity disability for up to 6 weeks following the birth of a child, or longer if certified by a physician. An employee may request family leave to care for the child at the conclusion of the use of sick leave, for up to a total of 12 weeks (combined period of sick leave and family leave). Family leave is unpaid and must be approved, in advance, by the Board of Governors.

E. PROFESSIONAL MEETING/STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Continued professional growth of all staff is an expectation. To that end, participation in staff development activities and attendance at professional meetings is encouraged (Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 3243/4243).

Professional meetings include educational conventions, conferences, or workshops related to the work activities, duties, or responsibilities of staff as determined by the Superintendent. Such meetings must provide a direct value for the person in attendance for later use in the performance of ESC duties.

Individuals wishing to attend a professional meeting or staff development program must fill out the necessary request form no later than 2-weeks in advance of the meeting and submit it to his/her director (immediate supervisor) for approval.

Reimbursement for costs incurred during participation in an approved professional meeting or staff development program shall be made on the basis of itemized expense reports accompanied by original receipts. Proper request and purchase order procedures shall be followed both before and after the event.

Employees attending professional meetings shall make a summary report to the Superintendent identifying what was learned and explaining the ways in which this knowledge will be applied in the work of the ESC.

F. JURY DUTY

Staff members who are called for jury duty should inform their immediate supervisor, building principal, and/or service team director.

Employees serving on jury duty will not be penalized for doing so. They will receive their regular pay and time spent on jury duty will not be charged against vacation time or emergency leave. Court-issued checks for jury duty service are to be turned in to the Treasurer’s Office.

Each day while on jury duty, employees are to report to their director, supervisor or principal as to their schedule for the following day and must report to work when excused from jury duty for a day or more.

Upon completion of jury duty, the employee must complete a Notification of Employee Absence form and submit it with an appropriate court document indicating the number of days served.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

On days of inclement weather, L.E.A.-assigned employees are to follow procedures of the district to which they are assigned. Reasonable tardiness caused by weather conditions shall not be penalized. Failure to report to the assigned district, when the district is open, for inclement weather reasons shall result in use of a vacation day (when appropriate) or use of leave without pay.

The Summit County Educational Service Center will be open even when area school districts close for most emergencies. ESC staff should report to the Center on those occasions when districts are closed. When in doubt, check with your supervisor.

FISCAL OPERATIONS

A. PAYROLL INFORMATION

Paydays are scheduled on the 5th and 20th of each month. Attendance sheets for the next ensuing pay period must be filed in the Treasurer’s office on the 6th and 21st of each month.

Employees may choose direct deposit of their paycheck, or may choose to receive the paycheck at the ESC. It is the practice of the Office of the Treasurer not to mail paychecks unless specifically requested in advance in writing.

Payroll deductions are made from an employee’s paycheck as stipulated in Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 6520.

B. FRINGE BENEFITS

Full-time employees are eligible for the following benefits (Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 3421.01/4421.01):

  • 100% of the premium paid for group term life insurance. Employees with a salary of less than $30,000 are eligible for a life insurance policy of $30,000. Employees with a salary of over $30,000 are eligible for life insurance coverage of $50,000.
  • 80% of the premium paid for group health insurance.
  • 80% of the premium paid for dental insurance.

C. ANNUITY INVESTMENTS

Employees may choose to contribute to an annuity fund. Deductions for this contribution are made directly from an individual’s paycheck. The funds available for investment include:

  • Variable Annuity Life Insurance Co.
  • Oppenheimer Funds.
  • Aetna Life Insurance.
  • Phoenix Home Life Mutual.
  • Ohio Deferred Compensation.

Information about annuity investments and contact personnel is available in the Treasurer’s Office.

D. SALARY SCHEDULE PLACEMENT

The Governing Board retains the authority to specify the salary of new positions and to determine credit to be awarded for placement on an existing salary schedule in accordance with Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 3411/4411. The Superintendent is authorized to credit past service of an applicant for salary schedule placement.

E. SEVERANCE PAY

Employees who present evidence of retirement from active service shall be granted severance pay for their accrued but unused sick leave days as stipulated in Governing Board Policy/ Administrative Guidelines 3415/4415.

F. PURCHASING PROCEDURES

Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 6320 shall govern all purchasing for the ESC. No employee shall make purchases for the ESC or enter into contracts with consultants/presenters or vendors without following the established procedures. A purchase request form must be completed and submitted for approval to the service team director. A purchase order may then be generated by the service team office. All purchase orders must be submitted for review by both the Superintendent and the Treasurer. Only upon receipt of such approval can the purchase proceed. Employees may be held personally responsible for anything purchased without a properly signed purchase order or the necessary authorization.

G. MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT

The Governing Board of the Summit County Educational Service Center will provide for the reimbursement of approved traveling expenses incurred in the course of performing services on behalf of the Board.

Miles traveled to and from home and your assigned work site are not reimbursable. Other travel necessary during the day is reimbursable according to the guidelines set forth in the Mileage Reimbursement Procedures. Mileage is reimbursed at the Internal Revenue Service approved rate. Supervisor-approved Travel Report forms are to be filed in the Treasurer’s Office by the 5th of each month. Mileage to and from professional meetings is to be reported on the Reimbursement for Professional Leave form.

H. ETHICS

An effective educational program requires the services of men and women of integrity, high ideals, and human understanding. To maintain and promote these essentials, the Governing Board expects all professional staff to maintain high standards of thought and behavior in their working relationships, and in the performance of their professional duties as stipulated in Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 3210/4210.All employees of the Summit County Educational Service Center are expected to abide by the provisions of the Ohio Ethics Law. A copy of the law is made available to all employees at the time of hire.

I. CREDIT UNION

Employees are invited to join the Summit Federal Credit Union. Information about credit union benefits is available in the Treasurer’s Office.

J. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The maintenance of unusually high standards of honesty, integrity, impartiality, and professional conduct by ESC employees is essential. Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 1130 and 6460 address issues of potential conflict of interest. To that end, no employee shall engage in or have a financial interest, directly or indirectly, in any activity that conflicts or raises a reasonable question of conflict with his/her duties and responsibilities in the system. Employees shall not engage in business, private practice of their profession, the rendering of services, or the sale of goods of any type where advantage is taken of any professional relationship they may have with any student, client, or parents of such students or clients in the course of their employment with the Educational Service Center.

CALENDAR

ESC-assigned staff members follow the calendar adopted annually by the Board of Governors. This calendar is made available to staff members as soon as possible following adoption. The current calendar may be found at the back of this Handbook.

Employees assigned to a district follow the school calendar of that district. A copy of the district calendar and the employee’s specific work calendar (showing days to be worked throughout the school year as agreed to by the supervisor and/or building principal) should be submitted to the appropriate service team director at the ESC and to the Treasurer’s Department by September 1 of each year. Staff employed on an extended contract should indicate those additional days on their calendar. This time also requires the approval of the building principal and supervisor.

All calendar adjustments require written approval of the supervisor and/or building principal and must be submitted to your service team director and the Treasurer’s Office.

The following holidays are recognized:

  • New Year’s Day (January 1)
  • Martin Luther King Day
  • Presidents Day
  • Good Friday
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day (July 4)
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Day after Thanksgiving
  • Christmas Day

These are paid holidays for eligible employees only if they occur during the individual’s contract period.

CERTIFICATION/LICENSURE

It is required that personnel meet the requirements for certification/licensure as an expectation for employment since that certificate is a license to teach or perform other service duties in Ohio schools. It is also required that personnel meet the requirements for renewal and updating of their license by following the procedures in the Educational Service Center ’s LPDC (Local Professional Development Committee) manual. The schedule of the Educational Service Center ’s LPDC meetings is posted in the mailroom, printed in the ESC staff newsletter, and posted on the ESC’s web site (http://cybersummit.org). These meetings are subject to Ohio ’s Sunshine Law.

Obtaining, updating, and filing of valid licenses/certificates/permits with the Office of the Superintendent, Summit County ESC is the responsibility of the employee. ESC staff will provide assistance, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the employee to have a valid license/certificate on file.

COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

Employees are to make judicious use of appropriate printed materials, sound recordings, and electronic programs in their work and may do so only in accordance with the provisions of Federal law, applicable to public school districts. Such laws are intended to protect authors and composers from the unauthorized use of their copyrighted work. Employees are responsible to follow the guidelines providing fair and reasonable use for educational purposes (Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 2531).

DRESS CODE

All staff members shall follow Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 3216/4216 regarding staff dress and grooming.

DRUG & ALCOHOL FREE WORKPLACE

As stipulated in Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 3122.01/4122.01, the ESC will maintain a setting that meets the requirements in the Drug-Free Workplace Act. The manufacture, possession, use, distribution, or dispensing of any controlled substance, including alcohol, by any member of the ESC’s staff at any time while on ESC property or while involved in any ESC-related activity or event is prohibited.

SMOKE FREE WORKPLACE

The use of tobacco, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, snuff, or any other matter or substances that contain tobacco, is prohibited in the ESC and all surrounding grounds (Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 3215/4215). School district policies shall prevail upon ESC employees regarding smoke free school district buildings and grounds when working in the district.

STAFF EVALUATION

Evaluation of staff is the responsibility of the Superintendent and shall be conducted in accordance with Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 3220/4220 and in accordance with the provisions of Ohio Revised Code. The program of personnel assessment is intended to be a process of continuous and systematic evaluation of professional staff to provide for the improvement of the overall ESC program of services and the continuous improvement and professional development of staff.

APPROPRIATE WORK ENVIRONMENT

It is the policy of the Governing Board to maintain an education and work environment which is free from all forms of unlawful harassment, including sexual harassment, as stipulated in Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 3362/4362. This commitment applies to all Center operations, programs, and activities. All students, administrators, teachers, staff, and all other school personnel share responsibility for avoiding, discouraging, and reporting any form of unlawful harassment. All incidents should be reported to the Superintendent and/or Treasurer.

ACCEPTABLE USE OF TECHNOLOGY

As stipulated in Governing Board Policy/Administrative Guidelines 7540.01, all computers, telephone systems, electronic mail systems (e-mail), and voice mail systems are the property of the Summit County ESC and are to be used primarily for business purposes. Personal messages via ESC-owned technology should be limited. The ESC retains the right to access and review all electronic and voice mail, computer files, data bases, and any other electronic transmissions contained in or used in conjunction with the ESC’s technology. Staff members are prohibited from sending offensive, discriminatory, or harassing computer, electronic, or voice mail messages.

ESC-owned cell phones are also governed by these stipulations. Use of ESC cell phones for personal calls is prohibited.

To ensure the proper, safe and secure transportation and handling of mobile devices (such as laptops, projection equipment, cameras, PDAs, etc.), all such devices are to be stored in a safe, secure, and out of sight location (trunk of car, covered in the backseat of a locked vehicle). Mobile devices used in the performance of daily duties should remain in the employee’s possession or locked in a secure location during the work day. The devices should be returned to the office or carried into the employee’s home at the end of the work day.

BUILDING PROCEDURES

The Summit County Educational Service Center , located at 420 Washington Avenue in Cuyahoga Falls , Ohio is open weekdays from 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM .

The last person to leave the building is responsible for making sure that the building is secure and the alarm is set. Employees are prohibited from giving the security code to individuals not employed by the ESC.

Use of meeting room space must be scheduled in advance through the appropriate service team director and with the receptionist. “After Hours” use of the facility must be scheduled with the Office of the Superintendent

The Summit County Educational Service Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

It is the policy of the Board that no professional or classified staff member or candidate for such a position in this Center shall, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, creed or ancestry, age, gender, marital status, or disability, be discriminated against, excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to, discrimination in any program or activity for which the Board is responsible or for which it receives financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education.

Last Edited: August 2004