Article VII

LEAVE

Section A. Sick Leave

Each full-time Professional Employee shall begin each school year with seventy (70) hours of
sick leave credit. The unused portion shall accumulate until a total of ninety (90) days is acquired.
When requested by the Board, payment for sick leave shall be subject to medical certification
from the Professional Employee's medical doctor for any absence of seven (7) or more contract days.
Instructors transferring to Colby Community College from other colleges and school systems shall
retain their accumulated sick leave for up to thirty (30) days. If the employee misses more than three
days consecutively for medical purposes, FMLA will automatically run concurrently with sick and/or
personal leave.
1. Each full-time Professional Employee will be notified of their accumulated sick leave at
the beginning of each school year.
2. Sick leave shall be used for the illness (defined as an unhealthy condition of the body or
mind) or injury of a full-time Professional Employee or their family, including when the
Professional Employee is physically unable to perform regular work assignments because
of childbearing. Family shall be defined as spouse, adult children, minor children,
stepchildren, grandchildren, step-grandchildren, siblings, parents, and stepparents.
Individualized consideration regarding the use of sick leave in special circumstances not
included in the definition of family can be evaluated by the administration. In the event a
full-time Professional Employee uses all of their sick leave and is still unable to return to
work owing to their personal illness or injury, and said Professional Employee's inability
to return to work is certified in writing by the attending physician, the Board will grant up
to a maximum of 130 working days total during the Professional Employee's employment
at the College, including the Professional Employee's own sick leave. After the employee
has used up their accumulated sick leave, and if they become eligible for another form of
assistance to which the Board contributes, the Board will not be bound to the emergency
sick leave days. The Board has the option to request a second physician's opinion.
3. If a person has experienced a catastrophic medical emergency, they may request sick days
from the Colby Community College Leave Pool (sick leave) to assist with their medical
needs. The employee will request the use of the Leave Pool from the Human Resource
Director. Employees may contribute to the collective Leave Pool for five days per fiscal
year by contacting Human Resources. Additionally, the donating employee may request to
Human Resources that a specific individual is allowed to use the donated leave days. This
request may or may not be approved by the Human Resource Director.
4. A Professional Employee with ten years of service to the institution will be compensated
fifteen (15) percent of sick days the employee has accumulated upon retirement or
fulfillment of the terms of the current contract year. Only whole numbers will be counted;
there will be no fractions or rounding of days.
10

Section B. Adoptive Leave

The Board and the Alliance agree to abide by the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave
Act of 1993 (or as amended) as to adoptive leave and other forms of leave provided by the Act and
that the Board may implement employee policies applicable to Professional Employees covered by
this Agreement consistent with the provisions and regulations of that Act.
Section C. Personal and Institutional Leave
In addition to sick leave, the College will grant leave time for personal, professional, and
institutional purposes to full-time Professional Employees. Forty-two (42) hours per academic year
will be awarded to a full-time Professional Employee for personal leave. Said employees are
expected to use discretion in requesting leave. Professional Employees shall provide at least one
week's notice for personal leave or gain approval from the supervising administrator. That
administrator may grant exceptions for exigent circumstances. A Professional Employee requesting
more than two consecutive contract days (14 hours) of personal leave must provide rationale and
notice of at least two weeks to the administration. The administration shall determine the merit of
such leave request and, if denied, will provide a rationale for such denial. Any personal or
professional leave, in addition to the 42 hours awarded, deemed necessary by the employee may be
requested and subject to the administration's approval.
1. Personal Leave: Any absence that a Professional Employee takes for personal reasons or
is not covered by institutional leave is considered personal leave.
2. Institutional Leave: Any absence requested by a Professional Employee and approved by
the administration to attend a professional meeting or workshop, being responsible for a
student activity, or representing the institution at an activity or meeting will be
considered institutional leave.

Section D. Bereavement Leave

Up to four (4) days per occurrence shall be awarded to each full-time Professional Employee for
bereavement due to the death in the Professional Employee's extended and blended family. All leave is
to be taken within two (2) weeks after the employee learns of the death of the relative. Bereavement
leave for regular part-time Professional Employees is described in Section F in this Article.

Section E. Leave of Absence

A full-time Professional Employee applying for a leave of absence for up to one (1) year
without pay shall sign a contract to teach at Colby Community College for the year following. The
contract to return for the next year shall be signed prior to leaving. Upon return, the employee will be
paid in accordance with the negotiated agreement as though no leave had occurred and employment had
continued during the year of absence. Leaves under this provision will be granted only upon
recommendation of the President and approval by the Board.
11

Section F. Paid Sabbatical Leave

The Board may grant sabbatical leave for any activity that will contribute to the professional
employee's personal and professional growth and allow the institution to accomplish its stated mission
and goals. Sabbatical leave may be granted in accordance with the following conditions:
A. Eligibility for Paid Sabbatical Leave:
1. Professional Employees shall be eligible for one semester of sabbatical leave upon
attaining tenured standing at the institution. The Professional Employee must submit a
request in writing to the Vice President of Academic Affairs at least one semester in
advance of the requested leave.
2. Professional Employees will be granted the opportunity for sabbatical leave once every
seven years during their employment at the institution.
B. Considerations for granting Paid Sabbatical Leave:
1. The request for paid sabbatical leave will be reviewed by the Vice President of
Academics, Faculty Alliance Officers, and the Board. Potential value to the institution
and seniority in service shall be considered the request.
2. Further consideration shall be given if the professional employee wants to teach classes
using an online format so as not to disrupt student services.

Section G. Regular Part-Time Professional Employees

Regular Part-Time Professional Employees in the Negotiating Unit will be granted a pro-rata
portion of leave as defined previously in Article VII, excluding Section E.

Section H. Inclement Weather

Professional Employees will not be required to attend school when the students are not
required to attend because of inclement weather. Professional Employees who regularly perform nonteaching duties may be required to perform those duties. No salary deduction or leave will be due to
school missed during inclement weather. The decision to close is exclusively that of the College
President or designee.
When time is missed owing to inclement weather, Professional Employees shall report to their
immediate supervisors how they will make up the time lost before the end of the term.