The Hamilton County School Board will vote on vacation days accrual and on parental approval for treatment by a school nurse at its monthly meeting Aug. 15.
The policy committee discussed the vacation days accrual cap for 12-month employees and local implementation of the Tennessee Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act at its meeting Monday night.
Hamilton County Schools allows 12-month employees to bank 1,680 hours of vacation, or 210 eight-hour days.
Most employees cash out their accrued days upon retirement at the current hourly pay rate.
A proposal would have lowered the cap to 360 hours, or 45 days, but board Chair Joe Smith said he favors a “fair” and “reasonable” 800-hour cap, which matches county employee perks outside of the school system.
“I don’t want our employees to have less,” said board member Jill Black.
Greg Wilkey, president of the Hamilton County Principals Association and principal of East Side Elementary School, spoke to the committee to request the 800 hours.
Ten percent of staff, or 640 employees, are eligible for the 1,680 cap and 150 have already attained it. Teachers are not 12-month employees but included are assistant principals, principals, human resources administration, maintenance staff and others.
If approved Aug. 15, the new policy would come into effect July 1, 2025. Employees hired before that date will not lose banked hours up to 1,680, but they can no longer bank hours past the 800 or 360 mark specified in the new policy. New days accrued throughout the year must be used or lost up to 800 or 360.
“You’ll still get your days for this year,” said school board attorney Scott Bennett. “Anything that someone has already accrued is theirs.”
“If you’re a new hire, we’re transitioning to a new plan,” he said.
Board member Karitsa Jones predicted “a lot of people on vacation at the same time,” an overload crisis as hundreds of employees who have already banked the 800 or 360 hours use all vacation days they earn every year, ranging from 12 to 20 days, she said.
Board member Gary Kuehn pointed out that many district employees rely on cashing out as part of a modest retirement plan.
“We’re talking about a large group of individuals that really count on this as their retirement,” he said.
On the other hand, he said, a note from a constituent mused that a policy of fewer banked days – use it or lose it – will spur the district to “move from a culture of work to a culture of family,” Mr. Kuehn read.
Board member Ben Connor proposed a vacation-day gift program for colleagues in need, but Mr. Bennett said the idea opens up problems of workplace privacy and equity.
“The cool kids get a benefit and the maybe less popular people don’t,” Mr. Bennett said.
Board member Rhonda Thurman said even the 360-hour cap is generous.
“This is still the richest one that I’ve been able to find,” she said.
This policy also specifies power to negotiate yearly vacation days during high-level recruitment, a strong tool when salary may not be enough.
But board member Larry Grohn said that’s not fair to current employees.
“To me that’s not rewarding the dedication and faithfulness of folks that have been with us the entire time,” he said.
Families Rights and Responsibilities Act
Under the Tennessee Families Rights and Responsibilities Act enacted this summer, parents must sign a blanket permission slip for their child to be treated by the school nurse, or sign a blanket refusal.
In cases of medical emergencies when families have not specified their wishes, the policy committee wanted clarity that school nurses who must act quickly will be protected from legal attacks as specified in the Act.
“We are going to support our nurses and their professional judgement,” Dr. Robertson said.
Mr. Bennett said he is in close communication with state Rep. Greg Martin to revise Act language if needed to specifically protect school nurses going forward.