After meeting membership guidelines, employees are eligible to donate a minimum of one local leave day and a maximum of ten local leave days to the sick leave bank per school year. As a result of membership, the donating employee is also eligible to receive days from the bank in the case of catastrophic illness or injury.

Leave contributed to the SLB shall be solely for the use of participating members.

In order to be a member of the Sick Leave Bank, you must meet the following requirements:

1. Full-time benefits eligible;
2. Completed 12 consecutive months of employment with the district;
3. Accrued at least 1 local leave day (Local Sick or Local Personal) and;
4. Completed enrollment during the membership window

To check your current absence balances, please log into PeopleSoft My-Self Service > FBISD Self Service Tile > FB-SS Absence Balances

Sick Leave Bank (SLB) members may initiate a request for Sick Leave Bank benefits by submitting the form below. The properly completed claim form must be received within 30 days of the date the employee begins to lose pay for which they are requesting leave from the SLB. Failure to submit a timely request will constitute a waiver of benefits from the SLB. Members must exhaust all accumulated state personal leave (STPB), local sick leave (LSL), local personal leave (LPL), state sick leave (SS), vacation (VAC), paid time off (PTO), compensatory time and catastrophic leave benefit prior to payment from the SLB. Additionally, the Leaves Department must have medical certification from the physician validating the catastrophic illness or injury. 

To Request: 

Sick Leave Bank Benefit Claim Form

FBISD’s Voluntary Leave Transfer Program allows you to receive local leave days donated by district employees to assist with the loss of pay due to a)  catastrophic illness or injury or b) bereavement. Please note that before receiving additional days, all leave balances must have been exhausted including catastrophic benefits and any compensatory time.  Under this application, employees may receive a maximum of up to 30 additional full days. 
  

To Apply: 

Voluntary Transfer of Days Benefit Application Form

**Claims must be accompanied by medical certification from the physician validating the catastrophic illness or injury prior to approval.

The Voluntary Transfer Program allows employees to donate days to other employees who are experiencing either catastrophic illness or injury or bereavement. The employee you are donating days to must have exhausted all pay including catastrophic benefits and any compensatory time. 

In order to donate days to another employee, you must meet the following criteria:
1. Full-time benefits eligible employee;
2. Completed 12 consecutive months of employment with the District; and
3. Accrued at least 1 local leave day

If you have met eligibility to donate days, you may complete this form. 

To Transfer:

Voluntary Transfer Program Form

**Please note: The receiving employee will be required to submit a medical certification from their physician to confirm eligibility under catastrophic illness or injury prior to receiving additional days. Employees requesting days due to bereavement will also be required to submit documentation such as a funeral program, death certificate or published obituary. 

Sick Leave decisions made by the program committee may be appealed upon denial of a claim.  These are processed and coordinated by the FBISD Human Resources Leaves Office.  If a claim is denied an appeal may be submitted using this form.

Time limits shall apply to the appeals process and will be strictly enforced.  Submissions must be received by the Leaves Office no later than ten (10) days after a request was denied. If an appeal is untimely, the complaint may be dismissed, on written notice to the employee, at any point during the complaint process. Such appeal shall be limited to the issue of timeliness.

To Appeal:

Appeals Form

Q. What are the eligibility requirements to donate local leave days?

Eligibility – Sick Leave Bank

All active FBISD employees are eligible to participate in the SLB if:

• The employee is full-time and benefits-eligible;

• The employee has completed twelve (12) months of employment with the District;

• The employee has earned and accrued one (1) local sick leave day;

• The employee has completed registration to contribute at least one (1) local leave day to the SLB during the enrollment period; and

• The employee renews membership each school year

 

Eligibility – Voluntary Transfer of Days

• The employee is full-time and benefits-eligible;

• The employee has completed twelve (12) months of employment with the District;

• The employee has earned and accrued one (1) local leave day

 

Under Voluntary Transfer of Days, a donating employee who is not a member of the Sick Leave Bank is ineligible to receive days from the Sick Leave Bank; however the donating employee may receive a Voluntary Transfer of Days from a donating employee should they become eligible due to catastrophic illness or bereavement.

A donating employee will be able to transfer up to ten (10) days of local leave to a fellow employee who is experiencing a life-threatening or catastrophic illness or injury, and up to five (5) days to an employee who has experienced a death in their immediate family. 

Q. What is the process to become a member of the Sick Leave Program?

To become a member of the Sick Leave Bank, an employee must contribute at least one (1) earned local day during the school year. All donated days become the property of the Sick Leave Program and will not be returned to the employee for any reason. Sick Leave Bank members may only elect to terminate membership by not enrolling during the next school year.

To donate through the Voluntary Transfer of Days program, District employees may voluntarily transfer available local days up to a total of ten (10) to another approved employee via the application link found on the Human Resources website. As part of the application process, the donating employee will be asked to provide a unique identification code to associate the donation to the approved requesting employee. Unlike the Sick Leave Bank, transferring days does not require membership; However, it is important to note that non-Sick Leave Bank members are ineligible to receive sick days through the Sick Leave Bank.

A donating employee will be able to transfer up to ten (10) days of local leave days to a fellow employee who is experiencing a life-threatening or catastrophic illness or injury, and up to five (5) days to an employee who has experienced a death in their immediate family.

Q. Am I eligible to receive transferred days if I am not a member of the Sick Leave Bank?

Yes. Employees who experience a) catastrophic illness or injury or b) bereavement but who are not members of the Sick Leave Bank may receive additional sick days donated by other employees through the voluntary transfer of days. 

Q. What’s the difference between the Sick Leave Bank and Voluntary Transfer of Days?

The Sick Leave Bank requires membership through the donation of up to ten (10) local leave days per school year and automatically makes the employee eligible for additional sick days should they experience catastrophic illness or injury themselves.

The Voluntary Transfer of Days program allows employees to transfer up to ten (10) local days to a fellow employee in need due to a catastrophic illness or injury, or up to five (5) days due to the loss of an immediate family member. The donating employee may also receive transferred days from other employees should they experience a catastrophic illness or injury but are ineligible for days from the Sick Leave Bank.

 

Q. What is considered a catastrophic illness or injury?

According to DEC (Local) a catastrophic illness or injury is defined as, “a severe condition or combination of conditions affecting the mental or physical health of the employee that requires the services of a licensed practitioner for a prolonged period of time. The illness or injury forces the employee to exhaust all leave time earned by that employee and to lose compensation from the District. Such conditions typically require prolonged hospitalization or recovery or are expected to result in disability or death. Conditions relating to pregnancy or childbirth shall be considered catastrophic if they meet the requirements of this paragraph.” (Exceptions may be granted by the Sick Leave Program Committee in atypical cases of serious illness or injury.)

NOTE: Medically related issues such as pregnancy, childbirth, extended hospital stays, and elective surgeries that occur without complication are not considered catastrophic illnesses and are not covered by the Sick Leave Program.

 

Q. Are employees eligible for additional sick days through either program to care for an immediate family member experiencing catastrophic illness or injury?

No. The Sick Leave Program is for full-time, benefits eligible employees only.

 

Q. How does an employee request days from the Sick Leave Bank?

The member may initiate a request for benefits by submitting the Sick Leave Bank Form located on the Human Resources webpage. The properly completed claim form must be received within thirty (30) days of the date the employee begins to lose time for which they are requesting leave from the Sick Leave Bank.

 

Q. How many days can I receive through the Sick Leave Program?

Eligible employees may receive up to thirty (30) full days in a school year.

 

Q. What is the process for receiving voluntary transferred days?

Applications are located on the Human Resource website for employees requesting additional sick days under the transfer of days process as well as for those wanting to donate to a specific employee. Employees in need should initiate an application which will be matched with applications from donors identifying them as the recipient. Donated days will be deducted from the donor’s account and placed into the recipient’s leave balance.

 

Q. What types of leave can I donate?

Employees may donate local sick leave days --- (LSL) or local personal leave days (LPL) to the Sick Bank Program.

 

Q. Can retiring employees donate their remaining local leave balance?

Yes, up to ten (10) days. Donations may be made during the announced enrollment window, only.

 

Q. Can I donate days through both the Sick Leave Bank and the Transfer of Days option?

Yes, employees may contribute through both options but must complete the appropriate forms separately. Forms are located on the Human Resources website.

 

Q. Are employees eligible to receive thirty (30) days from the Sick Leave Bank and thirty (30) transferred days for a total of sixty (60) days per school year?

No. After exhausting all accumulated state personal leave (STPB), local sick leave (LSL), local personal leave (LPL), state sick leave (SS), vacation (VAC), paid time off (PTO), compensatory time and catastrophic illness benefits, employees are eligible to receive a combined total of thirty (30) days between the two programs per school year. Any additional donated days will be deposited in the Sick Leave Bank for distribution to other eligible employees.

 

Q. May I donate my days as soon as I receive my entitlements at the beginning of the school year?

No. Local entitlements must be earned before an employee is eligible to donate them through the Sick Leave Program.

 

Q. Will I automatically be re-enrolled in the Sick Leave Program each year?

No. Employees wishing to become members of the Sick Leave Bank will need to enroll each year during the announced enrollment window. Information about the enrollment window will be shared with all staff via an Internal Communications email. 

 

Q. When is the enrollment period for the 2023-204 school year?

The Sick Leave Bank Membership Enrollment window will be announced in the fall of 2024. Please be on the lookout for details via an Internal Communications email. 

  

Q. I am out on maternity leave and do not have enough days to cover my approved leave. Will I be eligible to receive days through the Sick Leave Program?

Medically related issues such as pregnancy and childbirth that occur without complications are not considered catastrophic illnesses and are not covered by the Sick Leave Program. Should a condition occur that meets criteria as catastrophic, the Sick Leave Committee will review the medical certification and any related documentation for consideration.

 

Q. May an employee have their days returned upon request should they unexpectedly need them later?

No, employees are reminded to check their leave balance before donating days to the Sick Leave Program and to only donate what they can afford for the school year. Donated days will not be returned for any reason and the employee will be docked should they report an absence without the necessary days to cover it.

 

Q. Will I be taxed on any donated days I receive?

Donated days are considered wages, and for purposes of income may be subject to taxes in the same manner as other income earned from employment.

 

Q. How do I contact someone in Human Resources with questions about the Sick Leave Program?

You may submit questions via Talent Connection under the “Sick Leave Program” interest area located on the Human Resources webpage. 

For specific questions, please use the “Sick Leave Program” interest area in Talent Connection.