The grievant, who shall have the right to have a representative present, shall meet with the Superintendent and present the grievance in writing specifying:

A. The nature of the grievance;

B. The nature and extent of the injury, loss or inconvenience; and the specific sections of this Agreement alleged to have been violated;

C. The relief sought.

If the aggrieved is dissatisfied with the decision at the Superintendent's Level, the aggrieved may request, within seven (7) workdays of receipt of the Superintendent's decision, that the Board schedule an Executive Session at the next Board meeting to hear the grievance. The grievant and his representative shall present the grievance, as specified above, to the Board. The Board shall have thirty (30) calendar days from the date of the executive Session to render its decision.

If both the aggrieved and the Association are dissatisfied with the decision at the Board Level, the Association may, within ten (10) workdays of receipt of the Board's decision, submit the grievance to the American Arbitration Association for adjudication. The parties shall then be bound by the rules and procedures of the A.A.A.

The arbitrator shall be without power to modify, add to, delete from, or alter the provisions of this Agreement. The arbitrator's jurisdiction shall be limited to issues involving the violation, misinterpretation, or misapplication of a specific section or sections of this Agreement or administrative decision affecting a member or group of members. The arbitrator's decision shall be binding.

The unsuccessful party shall pay the arbitrator's fee and expenses. Determination of which party is unsuccessful shall be at the sole discretion of the arbitrator.

Rights of administrators to representation shall be as follows:

Any grievant may be represented at all stages of the grievance procedure by himself, or, at his option, by (a) representative(s) and/or an attorney selected and approved by the Association.

When a grievant is not represented by the Association in the processing of a grievance, the Association shall, at the time of submission of the grievance to the Superintendent
or at any later level, be notified that the grievance is in process, and have the right to be present and present its position in writing at all hearing sessions held concerning the grievance and shall receive a copy of all decisions rendered.

The Board and the Association shall not engage in any conduct that would deprive the individual of his or her freedom from restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal in presenting his appeal with respect to his/her personal grievances.

No documents, communications, or other records dealing with the processing of a grievance shall be kept in the personnel file of any of the participants.

No meeting or hearing conducted under this procedure shall be public. The only parties in attendance shall be the parties in interest and the designated or selected representatives contemplated in this article.

1. Accumulative

2. Sick Leave Conversion

Any administrator who retires and qualifies for retirement benefits in accordance with the requirements of the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) shall be permitted to convert unused accumulated sick leave days into cash at the time of retirement according to the following scale:

Two (2) days leave of absence for personal, legal, business, household or family matters which require absence during school hours. Application to the Superintendent for personal leave shall be made at least three (3) calendar days before taking such leave (except in the case of emergencies). No personal days are to be requested on an in-service day (except in case of emergencies). Unused personal days shall convert to sick leave at the end of each school year.

Five (5) days absence with pay will be allowed for a critical illness or death of a spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandchild, parent-in-law, brother/sister-in-law, grandparent (hereinafter referred to as “first level extended family members”) or any other person whose relationship with the employee may be deemed appropriate by the Superintendent.

Disability/Maternity Leave

The Board shall presume that a pregnant employee is disabled for work thirty (30) calendar days before the anticipated date of childbirth and that she continue to be disabled for thirty (30) calendar days after the end of her pregnancy, except that:

a pregnant employee may present a physician’s certificate as evidence of her fitness to perform her duties during the period of thirty (30) calendar days before and thirty (30) calendar days after the expected date of birth;

a pregnant employee may present a physician’s certificate as evidence of inability to perform her duties for a period in excess of thirty (30) calendar days before or thirty (30) calendar days after the expected date of birth; and,

the Board may require that additional disability leave be taken given evidence that a pregnant employee’s physical condition or capacity is such that continued employment would impair her health. Normal sick leave provisions shall apply under the conditions described in this paragraph.

In cases of interrupted pregnancy or still birth, the disability leave may be terminated by the Board at the administrator’s request provided that the administrator’s physician certifies to her capability- to perform her required duties. When interrupted pregnancy occurs before-the onset of maternity leave as defined in paragraph one, normal sick leave provisions shall apply during the term of the disability.

The Board reserves the right to require a leave of absence prior to the period of certified disability leave when necessary to avoid the disruption of a short period of service. In such circumstances, the pregnant employee shall be provided normal sick leave benefits during the certified period of disability.

A pregnant employee who has requested and is granted an unpaid leave of absence that begins before and ends after her certified period of disability forfeits claim to sick leave pay.

Child Rearing Leave

The Board will comply with the provisions of the New Jersey Family Leave Act (“FLA”) and the Federal Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”). Upon written request, at least thirty (30) days in advance, whenever possible, the Board will grant to eligible employees child rearing leave under the FLA and the FMLA, which shall run concurrently under both laws.

3. Contractual Child Rearing Leave

Unpaid leaves of absence relating to childbirth shall be granted by the Board based upon a written request to the Superintendent. Requests shall be limited to continuous periods, which shall end eighteen (18) months after the expected date of birth. The Board may extend or shorten such leave until the nearest convenient break in the educational program in order to preserve the continuity of operations at its discretion.

An employee who adopts a child shall be afforded similar leave. Such leave shall be requested to commence upon the receipt of de facto custody of said child, or earlier when necessary to fulfill adoption requirements. The prerogatives reserved to the Board in paragraph one shall also apply in cases of adoption.

All applications for extended leaves or extensions or renewals of leaves shall be in writing at least thirty (30) days in advance of request. If granted, such approval shall be in writing.

Non-tenured administrators cannot claim employment beyond the term of their contract. The Board is under no obligation to extend a non-tenured administrator’s leave of absence beyond the contract year for which the employee is employed.

1. Salary

Upon return from leave granted by the Board, if the administrator worked 120 days during the fiscal year, the administrator will have earned the full increment and will advance on the salary guide the subsequent year following the leave. For purposes of salary guide placement, leave days taken in accordance with Article V shall not count as days worked. If the administrator did not work 120 days during the fiscal year, then the administrator will remain on the same step on the salary guide the subsequent year following the leave.

2. Benefits

All benefits to which an administrator was entitled at the time a leave of absence commenced, including unused accumulated sick leave and credits toward sabbatical eligibility, shall be restored to the administrator upon return, and the administrator shall be assigned to the same position held at the time said leave commenced, if available or, if not, to a substantially equivalent position.

3. Extensions and Renewals

All applications for extended leaves or extensions or renewals of leaves shall be in writing at least thirty (30) calendar days in advance of request. If granted, such approval shall be in writing.

An Administrator in good standing who has been employed in the district for at least seven consecutive years is eligible for a Sabbatical Leave for the purpose of study towards a degree, research or publication in a specialized field and that is mutually beneficial to the school district.

Application for a Sabbatical Leave must be received by the Superintendent at least six (6) months in advance of the commencement of the leave.

During the Sabbatical Leave, the Administrator shall receive full pay for a leave up to six (6) months in length and half-pay for an approved leave greater than six (6) months in length. The Administrator will be responsible for making all required payments for pension contributions and health benefit contributions as required by law or this contract.

After completion of the Sabbatical Leave and upon return to active duty, the Administrator shall be placed on his/her proper step of the salary guide had he/she remained in their position during the leave period. The Administrator must also return to their position with the district for a period of three (3) years upon completion of the leave. If the Administrator voluntarily leaves the district prior to the three-year period, the Administrator will be required to reimburse the district for salary and tuition reimbursement paid associated with the leave on a prorated basis.

A “B” or higher must be attained for completed coursework reimbursement.

In order to receive tuition reimbursement or additional compensation the following shall apply:
The institution where the employee takes the coursework or from where he/she obtains a degree must be a duly authorized institution of higher education as defined in N.J.S.A. 18A:3-15.3.

The employee must obtain approval from the Superintendent prior to enrolling in the course. If the Superintendent denies the request, the employee may appeal the denial to the Board of Education.

An employee can only receive tuition reimbursement or additional compensation for a course or degree that is related to the employee’s current or future job responsibilities.

Employees will not be eligible to receive reimbursement if they voluntarily terminate employment in a period of twelve (12) months after successful completion of the course or courses. In such case, the ineligible amount of tuition shall be deducted from the employee’s last paycheck(s).

The Board shall pay the premium for health care insurance protection for all Administrators employed by the Board and for family or other dependents of said Administrators’. The employee shall contribute the Tier 4 amount listed for the employee’s salary and coverage type as listed in P.L. 2011, Chapter 78. All contributions shall be made through payroll deductions on a pre-tax basis.

C. Benefit Waiver

Employees who elect to waive their medical, vision and dental benefits in lieu of payment shall be compensated according to the chart below based on the eligible level of coverage waived. Members will receive a prorated waiver benefit only for the actual months waived.

Eligible Coverage Status	Annual Waiver Amount
Family	$5,000
2 Adult	$4,350
Parent/Child	$2,850
Single	$2,000

Administrators shall communicate, in writing, their intention to participate in the insurance opt-out waiver to the school business administrator no later than June 15th for the forthcoming school year.

Waiver payments shall be made in 2 equal payments on December 15^th and June 15^th annually.

D. Prescription Drug Coverage

The Board shall provide prescription drug coverage for all eligible employees who elect to enroll and their dependents. The co-payments for Prescription Drug coverage shall be at the rate of $20 Non-Preferred Brand /$10 Preferred Brand and $5 Generic at the retail pharmacy and $25 Non-Preferred Brand/$15 Preferred Brand and $5 Generic through mail order.

E. Vision Care Coverage

The Board shall provide vision care coverage for all eligible employees who elect to enroll and their families where appropriate.

F. Dental Coverage

The Board will provide each employee eligible for insurance coverage, who elects to enroll, a 100-50-50 with orthodontic dental plan. The Board will extend the plan to family coverage where appropriate.

G. Disability Insurance

Each administrator is entitled to receive up to $150 per month towards the purchase of a Board approved Disability Insurance Plan, or to be reimbursed for the actual cost of a privately owned plan to a maximum of $150 per month during his/her period of employment. The reimbursement shall be distributed to the administrators at the time of the last pay period of the school year.

H. Flexible Spending Account

Administrators shall have the option of participating in the Section 125 Flexible Spending Account Program. Administrators shall be permitted to annually contribute the maximum annual contribution limit established by the Internal Revenue Service for both Unreimbursed Medical Expenses and Dependent Care.

Cell Phone Reimbursement

Administrators are expected to use their personal cell phones for business purposes to efficiently perform their duties. Each administrator shall receive reimbursement in the amount of Fifty Dollars ($50) per month for the use of their personal cell phone.

E. An administrator shall be compensated for assuming teaching responsibilities to cover classes in the event of staff member resignation, removal or leave of absence. The rate of pay shall be $32/hour when the administrator is assuming teaching responsibilities while a teacher is on a paid leave of absence and $47/hour when the position is vacant.