Number:

415

Section:

Professional Employees

Title:

Date Adopted:

July 9, 1979

Date Reviewed:

May 24, 2005

Purpose
Consistent with law with respect to equal opportunity and non-discrimination, it is the policy of the Board to ensure that professional employees of the district shall be physically and mentally fit to perform their assigned duties.

Authority
A professional employee may be placed on sick leave, dismissed, retired for physical or mental inability to perform assigned duties.

Guidelines
In the case of a teacher or other professional employee who, in the opinion of the Superintendent, is unfit to perform assigned duties by reason of physical or mental condition, the Superintendent shall take appropriate action.

1. The employee may be transferred to an available position for which s/he is qualified and fit upon the recommendation of the Superintendent.
   

Should the Board determine that the reasons given constitute sufficient cause to order the employee to be examined, said employee shall be given written notice of the need for such examination and an opportunity to appear before the Board, or a committee of the Board, within 10 days to explain why such an order will not be followed.

Should a hearing ensue, the hearing shall be conducted in accordance with Sections 1127 and 1128 of the School Code if dismissal is indicated or the following rules if a dismissal is not indicated:

1. The hearing will be privately held.
2. Staff members may present witnesses on their behalf.

Should the Board, following a hearing, order an examination, said examination may be conducted by:

1. a physician designated by the Board and compensated by the Board or a physician(s) selected by the employee from a list provided by the Board, to be compensated by the employee.

The examination shall be conducted within 7 days following the hearing.

If, as a result of such examination, the employee is found to be unfit to perform assigned duties, the employee shall be placed on mandatory sick leave for such period as may be indicated and with such compensation to which she/he is entitled until proof of recovery, satisfactory to the Board is furnished.

Should employee refuse to submit to examination following the exhaustion of proper appeals, the Board shall consider such as cause for dismissal.