BCPS Employee Sick Leave Bank Procedures

1. Eligible employees from ESPBC and AFSCME applying to draw from the Unified Sick Leave Bank (USLB) must complete an “USLB Application Form” and send it to their bargaining unit’s USLB Committee prior to using all of their accrued sick and urgent personal business leave. Eligible employees from CASE and OPE will obtain an “USLB Application Form” from the Office of Risk Management and submit the completed form to the Office of Risk Management prior to using all of their accrued sick and urgent business leave.
2. Except in an emergency, the USLB Application Form should be submitted as noted above at least 10 duty days prior to the date the employee wants to begin drawing from the USLB.
3. The bargaining unit’s USLB committee for ESPBC and AFSCME or the Office of Risk Management for CASE and OPE will review the employee’s application within 10 duty days of its receipt.
4. The bargaining unit’s USLB committee for ESPBC and AFSCME will notify the employee and the Office of Risk Management in writing of its recommendation regarding the use of the USLB. The committee will send the employee’s application and its recommendation to the Office of Risk Management. The Office of Risk Management will notify CASE and OPE employees in writing of its recommendation regarding the use of USLB.
5. The Office of Risk Management will review the applications for CASE and OPE employees as well as the bargaining unit’s USLB committee’s applications and recommendation for ESPBC and AFSCME employees.
   Approved. If the request to draw from the USLB is consistent with BCPS policies and rules and the rules of the USLB, the Office of Risk Management will approve the employee’s request and notify the bargaining unit’s USLB committee. The bargaining unit’s USLB committee will notify ESPBC and AFSCME employees of the approval. The Office of Risk Management will notify CASE and OPE employees of the approval along with the designated contacts for the CASE and OPE. The Office of Risk Management will notify the Office of Payroll of decisions for all bargaining groups within 5 duty days.
   Denied. If the Office of Risk Management denies the employee’s request to draw from the USLB, it will notify the bargaining unit’s USLB committee, CASE- or OPE-designated contacts, and the employee of its decision within 10 duty days.
6. The employee or his/her representative may submit a written appeal of the decision of the Office of Risk Management to deny the request to draw from the USLB. The employee should send the completed USLB application and copies of the appeal to the bargaining unit’s USLB committee, designated contact for CASE or OPE, and to the chief human resources officer for the Department of Human Resources.
7. The chief human resources officer will respond to the appeal within 10 duty days of the receipt of the appeal. However, he/she may request additional information from the employee’s physician or health care provider or obtain an independent medical opinion regarding the employee’s condition, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and anticipated date of return to work. The employee will continue to be paid his/her regular salary pending the outcome of the appeal. The employee maintains the right to file a grievance if the chief human resources officer denies his/her appeal.
8. Withdrawals from the USLB may not exceed 20 days per application, unless otherwise medically necessary and documented.
9. Employees drawing from the USLB may submit a request for an extension of the USLB benefit prior to the expiration of the current request made by completing a Unified Sick Leave Bank Application and sending it to their bargaining unit’s USLB Governing Committee for ESPBC and AFSCME and to the Office of Risk Management for CASE and OPE. The review and notification process will follow the process described above.
10. The bargaining unit’s USLB committee will notify ESPBC and AFSCME employees if the request is approved. The Office of Risk Management will notify CASE and OPE employees if the request is approved. If the Office of Risk Management denies the employee’s application received from the bargaining unit’s USLB committee or from the employee, the Office of Risk Management will notify the employee of the decision, the reason(s) for the denial, and the employee’s right to appeal.
11. If the employee’s request to continue to draw from the bank is denied by the Office of Risk Management, the employee may appeal this decision by following the appeals procedures described above.