SPONSOR:

Sen. Sturgeon & Sen. Townsend & Rep. K. Williams

Sens. Gay, Hansen, Hoffner, Richardson, Walsh; Reps. Baumbach, Carson, Harris, Heffernan, Lambert, Morrison, Romer

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 60

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL EMPLOYEE LEAVE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 1318, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 1318. Sick leave and absences for other reasons; accumulation of annual leave.

(f) (1) An employee may be absent without loss of pay no more than 3 days per fiscal year for personal reasons of the employee. Such absences shall be These absences are included in the employee’s sick leave of the employee. Such absences and must be approved by the employee’s chief school officers. officer.

(2)a. An employee may be absent without loss of pay for any of the following reasons:

1. To appear under subpoena to testify, unless the employee is one of the parties in the proceeding or the subpoena arises from other employment or activities of the employee.

2. To report to serve on a jury.

b. The time an employee is absent under this paragraph (f)(2) is not an absence for personal reasons under paragraph (f)(1) of this section and does not count toward the days provided under paragraph (f)(1) of this section.

c. An employee shall notify the employee’s chief school officer in advance of the need to be absent under this paragraph (f)(2) and provide a copy of the subpoena or jury duty notification.

SYNOPSIS

This Act provides teachers and other school employees with the same protection to be absent without a loss of pay as State merit employees for all of the following reasons:

(1) To appear under subpoena to testify in a matter, other than a matter in which they are a party or which arises from other employment or activities of the employee.

(2) To report to serve on a jury.

This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Author: Senator Sturgeon