North Carolina House approves personal leave pay policy for teachers
(The Center Square) – A bill that would change how teachers get paid for time off is on its way to the North Carolina Senate.
House Bill 362 would allow teachers to receive their full salary on any day they take personal leave if they provide a reason for the leave request. Current law only guarantees teachers a full salary when they take personal time off on a workday when students do not attend school.
Rep. Jeffrey Elmore, R-Alexander, who introduced the bill, said it would increase state support of teachers.
“This bill creates an avenue for teachers to be able to utilize their personal leave benefit without being docked $50 a day from their pay,” Elmore said.
Under current law, teachers taking personal leave on any day other than a workday are docked for the cost of hiring a substitute teacher. If no substitute is hired, the teacher is refunded for the substitute deduction.
Under HB 362, if a teacher provides a reason for the leave request, the teacher will receive full salary. If the teacher does not provide a reason for the leave request, the teacher will receive a full salary minus the cost of hiring a substitute.
The House unanimously approved the measure Thursday, 112-0.
The House also approved a measure this week that extends the sunset date on a program that allows retired educators to return to work in high-need schools to 2024. House Bill 428 also expands the program to include retired instructional support personnel.
The House unanimously approved HB 428, 117-0, on Wednesday. Both bills now head to the Senate for consideration.
The North Carolina Association of Educators and the Classroom Teachers Association of NC did not respond to requests for comment Friday. It is unclear how much the changes in the legislation could cost the state.
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