COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

FOR

Senate Bill No. 613

(By Senators Tomblin, Mr. President, and Buckalew,

By Request of the Executive)

____________

[Originating in the Committee on Education;

reported February 27, 1998.]

____________



A BILL to amend and reenact section eighteen-a, article five, chapter eighteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended; to amend and reenact section six, article nine-a of said chapter; to further amend said article by adding thereto a new section, designated section twenty-six; to amend and reenact section twelve, article two, chapter eighteen-a of said code; to amend and reenact sections eight, eight-a, eight-b and fifteen, article four of said chapter; and to amend and reenact section one-a, article two, chapter twenty-three of said code, all relating to providing extra compensation to aides who are assigned to kindergarten teachers who have more than twenty pupils per session in the classroom; computing allowance for workers' compensation; providing workers' compensation coverage for work-based learning; evaluating service personnel; clarifying status of multiclassified bus operators; defining class titles; requiring Cook III in each school; increasing state minimum salary schedule for service personnel; increasing monthly pay for college or comparable credit; prohibiting requirement that service personnel consent to changes in daily work schedule as a condition of employment; adding to related duties for asbestos removal; retaining pay grade of involuntarily transferred service personnel; providing additional pay for certain drug tests, alcohol tests or both; providing additional salary increases for service personnel; clarifying seniority accumulation of autism mentor, braille or sign language specialist or paraprofessional who are multiclassified as aides; providing that requests for leaves of absence and approval of leaves of absence be in writing; and specifying that service personnel are not required to request leave of absence.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section eighteen-a, article five, chapter eighteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted; that section six, article nine-a of said chapter be amended and reenacted; that said article be further amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section twenty-six; that section twelve, article two, chapter eighteen-a of said code be amended and reenacted; that sections eight, eight-a, eight-b and fifteen, article four of said chapter be amended and reenacted; and that section one-a, article two, chapter twenty-three of said code be amended and reenacted, all
to read as follows:
CHAPTER 18. EDUCATION.

ARTICLE 5. COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.

§18-5-18a. Maximum teacher-pupil ratio.

County boards of education shall provide, by the school year one thousand nine hundred eighty-three--eighty-four, and thereafter, sufficient personnel, equipment and facilities as will ensure that each first and second grade classroom, or classrooms having two or more grades that include either the first or second grades shall not have more than twenty-five pupils for each teacher of the grade or grades and shall not have more than twenty pupils for each kindergarten teacher per session, unless the state superintendent has excepted a specific classroom upon application therefor by a county board.
County boards shall provide by the school year one thousand nine hundred eighty-four--eighty-five, and continue thereafter, sufficient personnel, equipment and facilities as will ensure that each third, fourth, fifth and sixth grade classroom, or classrooms having two or more grades that include one or more of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth grades, shall not have more than twenty-five pupils for each teacher of the grade or grades.
Beginning with the school year one thousand nine hundred eighty-six--eighty-seven, and thereafter, no county shall maintain a greater number of classrooms having two or more grades that include one or more of the grade levels referred to in this section than were in existence in said county as of the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred eighty-three: Provided,
That for the prior school years, and only if there is insufficient classroom space available in the school or county, a county may maintain one hundred ten percent of such number of classrooms.
During the school year one thousand nine hundred eighty- four--eighty-five, and thereafter, the state superintendent is authorized, consistent with sound educational policy, (a) to permit on a statewide basis, in grades four through six, more than twenty-five pupils per teacher in a classroom for the purposes of instruction in physical education, and (b) to permit more than twenty pupils per teacher in a specific kindergarten classroom and twenty-five pupils per teacher in a specific classroom in grades one through six during a school year in the event of extraordinary circumstances as determined by the state superintendent after application by a county board of education.
The state board shall establish guidelines for the exceptions authorized in this section, but in no event shall the superintendent except classrooms having more than three pupils above the pupil-teacher ratio as set forth in this section.
The requirement for approval of an exception to exceed the twenty pupils per kindergarten teacher per session limit or the twenty-five pupils per teacher limit in grades one through six is waived in schools where the schoolwide pupil-teacher ratio is twenty-five or less in grades one through six: Provided,
That a teacher shall not have more than three pupils above the teacher/pupil ratio as set forth in this section. Any kindergarten teacher who has more than twenty pupils per session and any classroom teacher of grades one through six who has more than twenty-five pupils shall be paid additional compensation based on the affected classroom teacher's average daily salary divided by twenty for kindergarten teachers or twenty-five for teachers of grades one through six for every day times the number of additional pupils enrolled up to the maximum pupils permitted in the teacher's classroom. Any aide assigned to a kindergarten teacher who has more than twenty pupils per session shall be paid additional compensation based on the affected aide's average daily salary divided by twenty for every day times the number of additional pupils enrolled up to the maximum pupils permitted in the teacher's classroom. All such additional compensation shall be paid from county funds exclusively.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, commencing with the school year beginning on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-four, a teacher in grades one, two or three or classrooms having two or more such grade levels, shall not have more than two pupils above the teacher/pupil ratio as set forth in this section: Provided,
That commencing with the school year beginning on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-five, such teacher shall not have more than one pupil above the teacher/pupil ratio as set forth in this section: Provided, however, That commencing with the school year beginning on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-six, such teacher shall not have any pupils above the teacher/pupil ratio as set forth in this section.
No provision of this section is intended to limit the number of pupils per teacher in a classroom for the purpose of instruction in choral, band or orchestra music.
Each school principal shall assign students equitably among the classroom teachers, taking into consideration reasonable differences due to subject areas and/or grade levels.
The state board shall collect from each county board of education information on class size and the number of pupils per teacher for all classes in grades seven through twelve. The state board shall report such information to the legislative oversight commission on education accountability before the first day of January of each year.


ARTICLE 9A. PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPPORT.

§18-9A-6. Foundation allowance for fixed charges.

The total allowance for fixed charges shall be the sum of the following:
(1) The sum of the foundation allowance for professional educators and the foundation allowance for other personnel, as determined in sections four and five above, multiplied by the current social security rate of contribution; plus
(2) The sum of the foundation allowance for professional educators and the foundation allowance for other personnel, as determined in sections four and five above, multiplied by four hundredths of one percent as an allowance for unemployment compensation contribution; plus
(3) The sum of the foundation allowance for professional educators and the foundation allowance for other personnel, as determined in sections four and five above, multiplied by the rate which is derived by dividing the total estimated contributions for workers' compensation for all county boards by the sum of the foundation allowance for professional educators and other personnel, as determined in sections four and five above. The total estimated contribution for workers' compensation is determined by multiplying each county board's allowance for professional educators and other personnel, as determined by sections four and five above, by the county's actual contribution rate by using data of the most recent year for which it is available: Provided, That for the fiscal year beginning on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine, the distribution of the allowance for workers' compensation shall be made to each county based upon either the lower of the rate as determined by this section or the county's actual rate for the most recent year for which it is available: Provided, however, That as an incentive for maintaining a rate that is lower than the rate as determined by this section, each county whose actual rate is lower than the rate determined by this section shall also receive one half of the difference in the amounts determined by using the county's actual rate and the rate determined by this section: Provided, further, That the remainder of the allowance for workers' compensation shall be distributed proportional to the difference between the amount allocated using the rate as determined by this section and the amount actually required to those counties with an actual rate that is greater than the rate determined in this section; plus
(4) The teachers retirement fund allowance as determined in section six-a of this article.
§18-9A-26.
Allowance for workers' compensation for unpaid student work-based learning.

(a) The workers' compensation division shall create a classification and calculate a base premium tax rate for students participating in an unpaid work-based learning experience off school premises as a part of the school curriculum with employers other than the county board of education. The workers' compensation division shall report to the state department of education:
(1) The amount of the base premium tax rate for the class; and
(2) The amount of wages per student to be used to provide the minimum weekly benefits required by section six, article four, chapter twenty-three of this code.
(b) The state department of education shall communicate the amount of the premium to the governor and Legislature by the first day of December of each year, beginning the first day of December, one thousand nine hundred ninety-eight.
(c) The base premium tax rate reported to the state department of education shall be that which was published by the workers' compensation division prior to the first day of the immediately preceding July. That premium tax rate, however, shall not be implemented by the workers' compensation division until the first day of January and shall remain in effect through the last day of the next December. The workers' compensation division shall make no merit rate adjustment, as otherwise provided for in paragraph (A), subdivision (1),subsection (a), section four, article two, chapter twenty-three of this code, for the members of the class required to be created by subsection (a) of this section.
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any rules adopted to implement the provisions of section four, article two, chapter twenty-three of this code and for the sole purposes of this section, the workers' compensation division shall permit any county board of education affected by this section to be classified in accordance with this section and to be also classified as otherwise required by any rules adopted to implement the provisions of section four, article two, chapter twenty-three of this code.
(e) Subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, funds shall be provided to the department of education to distribute to the county boards. If the appropriation is less than the total premium calculated, the county boards, individually, shall either reduce the number of students participating in work-based learning experiences off school premises or the county boards shall pay the difference between the amount of the premium calculated by the workers' compensation division and the amount allocated to the county board by the department of education.
CHAPTER 18A. SCHOOL PERSONNEL.

ARTICLE 2. SCHOOL PERSONNEL.

§18A-2-12. Performance evaluations of school personnel; professional personnel evaluation process.

(a) The state board of education shall adopt a written system for the evaluation of the employment performance of personnel, which system shall be applied uniformly by county boards of education in the evaluation of the employment performance of personnel employed by the board.
(b) The system adopted by the state board for evaluating the employment performance of service personnel as defined in section one, article one of this chapter shall conform to, but not be limited by, the following:
(1) All school service personnel shall be evaluated by their immediate supervisor:
Provided, That if the county board or superintendent can show that good cause exists to have the evaluation of a particular service person performed by someone other than the immediate supervisor, the board or superintendent shall designate another professional employee to evaluate the service person;
(2) School service personnel who hold continuing contract status shall receive at least one evaluation by their immediate supervisor annually to be completed on or before the first day of June of the current school year;
(3) On or before the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine, the state board shall design and provide an evaluation form which shall be the only form used by the county boards; and
(4) To the extent feasible, the state board shall cause policies regarding service personnel to be consistent with the policies regarding professional personnel.
(b) (c) The system adopted by the state board of education for evaluating the employment performance of professional personnel shall be in accordance with the provisions of this section. Professional personnel means professional personnel as defined in section one, article one of this chapter. In developing the professional personnel performance evaluation system, and amendments thereto, the state board shall consult with the professional development project of the center for professional development created in section three, article three-a of this chapter. The center shall actively participate with the state board in developing written standards for evaluation which clearly specify satisfactory performance and the criteria to be used to determine whether the performance of each professional personnel meets such standards.
The performance evaluation system shall contain, but shall not be limited to, the following information:
(1) The professional personnel positions to be evaluated, whether they be teachers, substitute teachers, administrators, principals or others;
(2) The frequency and duration of the evaluations, which shall be on a regular basis and of such frequency and duration as to ensure the collection of a sufficient amount of data from which reliable conclusions and findings may be drawn;
(3) The purposes of the evaluation, which shall serve as a basis for the improvement of the performance of the personnel in their assigned duties, serve as an indicator of satisfactory performance for individual professional personnel and serve as documentation for a dismissal on the grounds of unsatisfactory performance, and serve as a basis for programs to increase the professional growth and development of professional personnel;
(4) The standards for satisfactory performance for professional personnel and the criteria to be used to determine whether the performance of each professional meets such standards and other criteria for evaluation for each professional position evaluated; and
(5) Provisions for a written improvement plan, which shall be specific as to what improvements, if any, are needed in the performance of the professional and shall clearly set forth recommendations for improvements, including recommendations for additional education and training during the professional's recertification process.
A professional whose performance is deemed to be unsatisfactory shall be given notice of deficiencies. A remediation plan to correct deficiencies shall be developed by the employing county board of education and the professional. The professional shall be given a reasonable period of time for remediation of the deficiencies and shall receive a statement of the resources and assistance available for the purposes of correcting the deficiencies.
No person may evaluate professional personnel for the purposes of this section unless such person has an administrative certificate issued by the state superintendent and has successfully completed education and training in evaluation skills through the center for professional development, or equivalent education training approved by the state board, which will enable the person to make fair, professional and credible evaluations of the personnel whom the person is responsible for evaluating. After the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-four, no person may be issued an administrative certificate or have an administrative certificate renewed unless the state board determines that such person has successfully completed education and training in evaluation skills through the center for professional development, or equivalent education and training approved by the state board.
Any professional personnel whose performance evaluation includes a written improvement plan shall be given an opportunity to improve his or her performance through the implementation of the plan. If the next performance evaluation shows that the professional is now performing satisfactorily, no further action shall be taken concerning the original performance evaluation. If such evaluation shows that the professional is still not performing satisfactorily, the evaluator shall either make additional recommendations for improvement or may recommend the dismissal of such professional in accordance with the provisions of section eight of this article.

ARTICLE 4. SALARIES, WAGES AND OTHER BENEFITS.
§18A-4-8. Employment term and class titles of service personnel; definitions.

The purpose of this section is to establish an employment term and class titles for service personnel. The employment term for service personnel may be no less than ten months. A month is defined as twenty employment days: Provided, That the county board may contract with all or part of these service personnel for a longer term. The beginning and closing dates of the ten-month employment term may not exceed forty-three weeks.
Service personnel employed on a yearly or twelve-month basis may be employed by calendar months. Whenever there is a change in job assignment during the school year, the minimum pay scale and any county supplement are applicable.
Service personnel employed in the same classification for more than the two hundred-day minimum employment term shall be paid for additional employment at a daily rate of not less than the daily rate paid for the two hundred-day minimum employment term.
No service employee, without his or her agreement, may be required to report for work more than five days per week and no part of any working day may be accumulated by the employer for future work assignments, unless the employee agrees thereto.
Should an employee whose regular work week is scheduled from Monday through Friday agree to perform any work assignments on a Saturday or Sunday, the employee shall be paid for at least one half day of work for each day he or she reports for work, and if the employee works more than three and one-half hours on any Saturday or Sunday, he or she shall be paid for at least a full day of work for each day.
Custodians, aides, maintenance, office and school lunch employees Service personnel required to work a daily work schedule that is interrupted, that is, who do not work a continuous period in one day, shall be paid additional compensation equal to at least one eighth of their total salary as provided by their state minimum salary and any county pay supplement, and payable entirely from county funds: Provided, That when engaged in duties of transporting students exclusively, aides shall not be regarded as working an interrupted schedule: Provided, however, That bus operators may not be regarded as working an interrupted schedule unless they hold a multiclassification title. Bus operator interrupted work schedule additional pay may be no less than whichever is the greater of the one-eighth pay as provided in this section or at the federal minimum hourly rate of pay for each hour worked other than as a bus operator.
Upon the change in classification or upon meeting the requirements of an advanced classification of or by any employee, the employee's salary shall be made to comply with the requirements of this article, and to any county salary schedule in excess of the minimum requirements of this article, based upon the employee's advanced classification and allowable years of employment.
An employee's contract as provided in section five, article two of this chapter shall state the appropriate monthly salary the employee is to be paid, based on the class title as provided in this article and any county salary schedule in excess of the minimum requirements of this article.
The column heads of the state minimum pay scale and class titles, set forth in section eight-a of this article, are defined as follows:
"Pay grade" means the monthly salary applicable to class titles of service personnel.
"Years of employment" means the number of years which an employee classified as service personnel has been employed by a board in any position prior to or subsequent to the effective date of this section and including service in the armed forces of the United States, if the employee were employed at the time of his or her induction. For the purpose of section eight-a of this article, years of employment shall be limited to the number of years shown and allowed under the state minimum pay scale as set forth in section eight-a of this article.
"Class title" means the name of the position or job held by service personnel.
"Accountant I" means personnel employed to maintain payroll records and reports and perform one or more operations relating to a phase of the total payroll.
"Accountant II" means personnel employed to maintain accounting records and to be responsible for the accounting process associated with billing, budgets, purchasing and related operations.
"Accountant III" means personnel who are employed in the county board office to manage and supervise accounts payable and/or payroll procedures.
"Aide I" means those personnel selected and trained for teacher-aide classifications such as monitor aide, clerical aide, classroom aide or general aide.
"Aide II" means those personnel referred to in the "Aide I" classification who have completed a training program approved by the state board, or who hold a high school diploma or have received a general educational development certificate. Only personnel classified in an Aide II class title may be employed as an aide in any special education program.
"Aide III" means those personnel referred to in the "Aide I" classification who hold a high school diploma or a general educational development certificate, and have completed six semester hours of college credit at an institution of higher education or are employed as an aide in a special education program and have one year's experience as an aide in special education.
"Aide IV" means personnel referred to in the "Aide I" classification who hold a high school diploma or a general educational development certificate and who have completed eighteen hours of state board-approved college credit at a regionally accredited institution of higher education, or who have completed fifteen hours of state board-approved college credit at a regionally accredited institution of higher education and successfully completed an in-service training program determined by the state board to be the equivalent of three hours of college credit.
"Audiovisual technician" means personnel employed to perform minor maintenance on audiovisual equipment, films, supplies and the filling of requests for equipment.
"Auditor" means personnel employed to examine and verify accounts of individual schools and to assist schools and school personnel in maintaining complete and accurate records of their accounts.
"Autism mentor" means personnel who work with autistic students and who meet standards and experience to be determined by the state board: Provided, That the state board shall determine these standards and experience on or before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-two: Provided, however, That if any employee has held or holds an aide title and becomes employed as an autism mentor, the employee shall hold a multiclassification status that includes aide and autism mentor titles. in accordance with section eight-b of this article.
"Braille or sign language specialist" means personnel employed to provide braille and/or sign language assistance to students: Provided, That if any employee has held or holds an aide title and becomes employed as a braille or sign language specialist, the employee shall hold a multiclassification status that includes aide and braille or sign language specialist title. in accordance with section eight-b of this article.
"Bus operator" means personnel employed to operate school buses and other school transportation vehicles as provided by the state board.
"Buyer" means personnel employed to review and write specifications, negotiate purchase bids and recommend purchase agreements for materials and services that meet predetermined specifications at the lowest available costs.
"Cabinetmaker" means personnel employed to construct cabinets, tables, bookcases and other furniture.
"Cafeteria manager" means personnel employed to direct the operation of a food services program in a school, including assigning duties to employees, approving requisitions for supplies and repairs, keeping inventories, inspecting areas to maintain high standards of sanitation, preparing financial reports and keeping records pertinent to food services of a school.
"Carpenter I" means personnel classified as a carpenter's helper.
"Carpenter II" means personnel classified as a journeyman carpenter.
"Chief mechanic" means personnel employed to be responsible for directing activities which ensure that student transportation or other board-owned vehicles are properly and safely maintained.
"Clerk I" means personnel employed to perform clerical tasks.
"Clerk II" means personnel employed to perform general clerical tasks, prepare reports and tabulations and operate office machines.
"Computer operator" means qualified personnel employed to operate computers.
"Cook I" means personnel employed as a cook's helper.
"Cook II" means personnel employed to interpret menus, to prepare and serve meals in a food service program of a school and shall include personnel who have been employed as a "Cook I" for a period of four years, if the personnel have not been elevated to this classification within that period of time.
"Cook III" means personnel employed to prepare and serve meals, make reports, prepare requisitions for supplies, order equipment and repairs for a food service program of a school system.
"Crew leader" means personnel employed to organize the work for a crew of maintenance employees to carry out assigned projects.
"Custodian I" means personnel employed to keep buildings clean and free of refuse.
"Custodian II" means personnel employed as a watchman or groundsman.
"Custodian III" means personnel employed to keep buildings clean and free of refuse, to operate the heating or cooling systems and to make minor repairs.
"Custodian IV" means personnel employed as head custodians. In addition to providing services as defined in "Custodian III", their duties may include supervising other custodian personnel. "Director or coordinator of services" means personnel who are assigned to direct a department or division. Nothing herein may prohibit professional personnel or professional educators as defined in section one, article one of this chapter, from holding this class title, but professional personnel may not be defined or classified as service personnel unless the professional personnel held a service personnel title under this section prior to holding class title of "director or coordinator of services": Provided, That funding for professional personnel in positions classified as directors or coordinators of services who were assigned prior to the first day of May, one thousand nine hundred ninety-four, may not be required to be redirected from service personnel categories as a result of this provision until the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-six. Thereafter, directors or coordinators of service positions shall be classified as either a professional personnel or service personnel position for state aid formula funding purposes and funding for directors or coordinators of service positions shall be based upon the employment status of the director or coordinator either as a professional personnel or service personnel.
"Draftsman" means personnel employed to plan, design and produce detailed architectural/engineering drawings.
"Electrician I" means personnel employed as an apprentice electrician helper or who holds an electrician helper license issued by the state fire marshal.
"Electrician II" means personnel employed as an electrician journeyman or who holds a journeyman electrician license issued by the state fire marshal.
"Electronic technician I" means personnel employed at the apprentice level to repair and maintain electronic equipment.
"Electronic technician II" means personnel employed at the journeyman level to repair and maintain electronic equipment.
"Executive secretary" means personnel employed as the county school superintendent's secretary or as a secretary who is assigned to a position characterized by significant administrative duties.
"Food services supervisor" means qualified personnel not defined as professional personnel or professional educators in section one, article one of this chapter, employed to manage and supervise a county school system's food service program. The duties would include preparing in-service training programs for cooks and food service employees, instructing personnel in the areas of quantity cooking with economy and efficiency and keeping aggregate records and reports.
"Foremen" means skilled persons employed for supervision of personnel who work in the areas of repair and maintenance of school property and equipment.
"General maintenance" means personnel employed as helpers to skilled maintenance employees and to perform minor repairs to equipment and buildings of a county school system.
"Glazier" means personnel employed to replace glass or other materials in windows and doors and to do minor carpentry tasks.
"Graphic artist" means personnel employed to prepare graphic illustrations.
"Groundsmen" means personnel employed to perform duties that relate to the appearance, repair and general care of school grounds in a county school system. Additional assignments may include the operation of a small heating plant and routine cleaning duties in buildings.
"Handyman" means personnel employed to perform routine manual tasks in any operation of the county school system.
"Heating and air conditioning mechanic I" means personnel employed at the apprentice level to install, repair and maintain heating and air conditioning plants and related electrical equipment.
"Heating and air conditioning mechanic II" means personnel employed at the journeyman level to install, repair and maintain heating and air conditioning plants and related electrical equipment.
"Heavy equipment operator" means personnel employed to operate heavy equipment.
"Inventory supervisor" means personnel who are employed to supervise or maintain operations in the receipt, storage, inventory and issuance of materials and supplies.
"Key punch operator" means qualified personnel employed to operate key punch machines or verifying machines.
"Locksmith" means personnel employed to repair and maintain locks and safes.
"Lubrication man" means personnel employed to lubricate and service gasoline or diesel-powered equipment of a county school system.
"Machinist" means personnel employed to perform machinist tasks which include the ability to operate a lathe, planer, shaper, threading machine and wheel press. Such personnel should also have ability to work from blueprints and drawings.
"Mail clerk" means personnel employed to receive, sort, dispatch, deliver or otherwise handle letters, parcels and other mail.
"Maintenance clerk" means personnel employed to maintain and control a stocking facility to keep adequate tools and supplies on hand for daily withdrawal for all school maintenance crafts.
"Mason" means personnel employed to perform tasks connected with brick and block laying and carpentry tasks related to such laying.
"Mechanic" means personnel employed who can independently perform skilled duties in the maintenance and repair of automobiles, school buses and other mechanical and mobile equipment to use in a county school system.
"Mechanic assistant" means personnel employed as a mechanic apprentice and helper.
"Multiclassification" means personnel employed to perform tasks that involve the combination of two or more class titles in this section. In such instances the minimum salary scale shall be the higher pay grade of the class titles involved.
"Office equipment repairman I" means personnel employed as an office equipment repairman apprentice or helper.
"Office equipment repairman II" means personnel responsible for servicing and repairing all office machines and equipment. Personnel shall be responsible for parts being purchased necessary for the proper operation of a program of continuous maintenance and repair.
"Painter" means personnel employed to perform duties of painting, finishing and decorating of wood, metal and concrete surfaces of buildings, other structures, equipment, machinery and furnishings of a county school system.
"Paraprofessional" means a person certified pursuant to section two-a, article three of this chapter to perform duties in a support capacity including, but not limited to, facilitating in the instruction and direct or indirect supervision of pupils under the direction of a principal, a teacher or another designated professional educator: Provided, That no person employed on the effective date of this section in the position of an aide may be reduced in force or transferred to create a vacancy for the employment of a paraprofessional: Provided, however, That if any employee has held or holds an aide title and becomes employed as a paraprofessional, the employee shall hold a multiclassification status that includes aide and paraprofessional titles: in accordance with section eight-b of this article: Provided further, That once an employee who holds an aide title becomes certified as a paraprofessional and is required to perform duties that may not be performed by an aide without paraprofessional certification, he or she shall receive the paraprofessional title pay grade.
"Plumber I" means personnel employed as an apprentice plumber and helper.
"Plumber II" means personnel employed as a journeyman plumber.
"Printing operator" means personnel employed to operate duplication equipment, and as required, to cut, collate, staple, bind and shelve materials.
"Printing supervisor" means personnel employed to supervise the operation of a print shop.
"Programmer" means personnel employed to design and prepare programs for computer operation.
"Roofing/sheet metal mechanic" "Roofer" means personnel employed to install, repair, fabricate and maintain roofs, gutters and flashing. and duct work for heating and ventilation.
"Sanitation plant operator" means personnel employed to operate and maintain a water or sewage treatment plant to ensure the safety of the plant's effluent for human consumption or environmental protection.
"School bus supervisor" means qualified personnel employed to assist in selecting school bus operators and routing and scheduling of school buses, operate a bus when needed, relay instructions to bus operators, plan emergency routing of buses and promoting good relationships with parents, pupils, bus operators and other employees.
"Secretary I" means personnel employed to transcribe from notes or mechanical equipment, receive callers, perform clerical tasks, prepare reports and operate office machines.
"Secretary II" means personnel employed in any elementary, secondary, kindergarten, nursery, special education, vocational or any other school as a secretary. The duties may include performing general clerical tasks, transcribing from notes or stenotype or mechanical equipment or a sound-producing machine, preparing reports, receiving callers and referring them to proper persons, operating office machines, keeping records and handling routine correspondence. There is nothing implied herein that would prevent the employees from holding or being elevated to a higher classification.
"Secretary III" means personnel assigned to the county board office administrators in charge of various instructional, maintenance, transportation, food services, operations and health departments, federal programs or departments with particular responsibilities of purchasing and financial control or any personnel who have served in a position which meets the definition of "Secretary II" or "Secretary III" herein for eight years.
"Sheet metal mechanic" means personnel employed to install, repair, fabricate and maintain gutters, flashing and duct work for heating and ventilation.
"Supervisor of maintenance" means skilled personnel not defined as professional personnel or professional educators as in section one, article one of this chapter. The responsibilities would include directing the upkeep of buildings and shops, issuing instructions to subordinates relating to cleaning, repairs and maintenance of all structures and mechanical and electrical equipment of a board.
"Supervisor of transportation" means qualified personnel employed to direct school transportation activities, properly and safely, and to supervise the maintenance and repair of vehicles, buses and other mechanical and mobile equipment used by the county school system.
"Switchboard operator-receptionist" means personnel employed to refer incoming calls, to assume contact with the public, to direct and to give instructions as necessary, to operate switchboard equipment and to provide clerical assistance.
"Truck driver" means personnel employed to operate light or heavy duty gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles.
"Warehouse clerk" means personnel employed to be responsible for receiving, storing, packing and shipping goods.
"Watchman" means personnel employed to protect school property against damage or theft. Additional assignments may include operation of a small heating plant and routine cleaning duties.
"Welder" means personnel employed to provide acetylene or electric welding services for a school system.
In addition to the compensation provided for in section eight-a of this article, for service personnel, each service employee is, notwithstanding any provisions in this code to the contrary, entitled to all service personnel employee rights, privileges and benefits provided under this or any other chapter of this code without regard to the employee's hours of employment or the methods or sources of compensation.
Service personnel whose years of employment exceed the number of years shown and provided for under the state minimum pay scale set forth in section eight-a of this article may not be paid less than the amount shown for the maximum years of employment shown and provided for in the classification in which he or she is employed.
The county boards shall review each service personnel employee job classification annually and shall reclassify all service employees as required by the job classifications. The state superintendent of schools is hereby authorized to withhold state funds appropriated pursuant to this article for salaries for service personnel who are improperly classified by the county boards. Further, the state superintendent shall order county boards to correct immediately any improper classification matter and with the assistance of the attorney general shall take any legal action necessary against any county board to enforce the order.
No service employee, without his or her written consent, may be reclassified by class title, nor may a service employee, without his or her written consent, be relegated to any condition of employment which would result in a reduction of his or her salary, rate of pay, compensation or benefits earned during the current fiscal year or which would result in a reduction of his or her salary, rate of pay, compensation or benefits for which he or she would qualify by continuing in the same job position and classification held during that fiscal year and subsequent years.
Any board failing to comply with the provisions of this article may be compelled to do so by mandamus, and is liable to any party prevailing against the board for court costs and the prevailing party's reasonable attorney fee, as determined and established by the court.
There shall be at least one "Cook III" employed in each school where meals are prepared.
Notwithstanding any provisions in this code to the contrary, service personnel who hold a continuing contract in a specific job classification and who are physically unable to perform the job's duties as confirmed by a physician chosen by the employee shall be given priority status over any employee not holding a continuing contract in filling other service personnel job vacancies if qualified as provided in section eight-e of this article.
§18A-4-8a. Service personnel minimum monthly salaries.
Each service person shall receive the amount prescribed in "state minimum pay scale pay grade I": Provided, That effective the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-eight, and thereafter, each service person shall receive the amount prescribed in the "state minimum salary schedule II" as set forth in this section.
STATE MINIMUM PAY SCALE PAY GRADE I

Years of
Employ-
ment AB C D E F
0 1,040.00 1,060.00 1,100.00 1,150.00 1,200.00 1,260.00
1 1,066.00 1,086.00 1,126.00 1,176.00 1,226.00 1,286.00
2 1,092.00 1,112.00 1,152.00 1,202.00 1,252.00 1,312.00
3 1,118.00 1,138.00 1,178.00 1,228.00 1,278.00 1,338.00
4 1,144.00 1,164.00 1,204.00 1,254.00 1,304.00 1,364.00
5 1,170.00 1,190.00 1,230.00 1,280.00 1,330.00 1,390.00
6 1,196.00 1,216.00 1,256.00 1,306.00 1,356.00 1,416.00
7 1,222.00 1,242.00 1,282.00 1,332.00 1,382.00 1,442.00
8 1,248.00 1,268.00 1,308.00 1,358.00 1,408.00 1,468.00
9 1,274.00 1,294.00 1,334.00 1,384.00 1,434.00 1,494.00
10 1,300.00 1,320.00 1,360.00 1,410.00 1,460.00 1,520.00
11 1,326.00 1,346.00 1,386.00 1,436.00 1,486.00 1,546.00
12 1,352.00 1,372.00 1,412.00 1,462.00 1,512.00 1,572.00
13 1,378.00 1,398.00 1,438.00 1,488.00 1,538.00 1,598.00
14 1,404.00 1,424.00 1,464.00 1,514.00 1,564.00 1,624.00
15 1,430.00 1,450.00 1,490.00 1,540.00 1,590.00 1,650.00
16 1,456.00 1,476.00 1,516.00 1,566.00 1,616.00 1,676.00
17 1,482.00 1,502.00 1,542.00 1,592.00 1,642.00 1,702.00
18 1,508.00 1,528.00 1,568.00 1,618.00 1,668.00 1,728.00
19 1,534.00 1,554.00 1,594.00 1,644.00 1,694.00 1,754.00
20 1,560.00 1,580.00 1,620.00 1,670.00 1,720.00 1,780.00
21 1,586.00 1,606.00 1,646.00 1,696.00 1,746.00 1,806.00
22 1,612.00 1,632.00 1,672.00 1,722.00 1,772.00 1,832.00
23 1,638.00 1,658.00 1,698.00 1,748.00 1,798.00 1,858.00
24 1,664.00 1,684.00 1,724.00 1,774.00 1,824.00 1,884.00
25 1,690.00 1,710.00 1,750.00 1,800.00 1,850.00 1,910.00
26 1,716.00 1,736.00 1,776.00 1,826.00 1,876.00 1,936.00
27 1,742.00 1,762.00 1,802.00 1,852.00 1,902.00 1,962.00
28 1,768.00 1,788.00 1,828.00 1,878.00 1,928.00 1,988.00
29 1,794.00 1,814.00 1,854.00 1,904.00 1,954.00 2,014.00
30 1,820.00 1,840.00 1,880.00 1,930.00 1,980.00 2,040.00
Years of
Employ-
ment G H
0 1,290.00 1,360.00
1 1,316.00 1,386.00
2 1,342.00 1,412.00
3 1,368.00 1,438.00
4 1,394.00 1,464.00
5 1,420.00 1,490.00
6 1,446.00 1,516.00
7 1,472.00 1,542.00
8 1,498.00 1,568.00
9 1,524.00 1,594.00
10 1,550.00 1,620.00
11 1,576.00 1,646.00
12 1,602.00 1,672.00
13 1,628.00 1,698.00
14 1,654.00 1,724.00
15 1,680.00 1,750.00
16 1,706.00 1,776.00
17 1,732.00 1,802.00
18 1,758.00 1,828.00
19 1,784.00 1,854.00
20 1,810.00 1,880.00
21 1,836.00 1,906.00
22 1,862.00 1,932.00
23 1,888.00 1,958.00
24 1,914.00 1,984.00
25 1,940.00 2,010.00
26 1,966.00 2,036.00
27 1,992.00 2,062.00
28 2,018.00 2,088.00
29 2,044.00 2,114.00
30 2,070.00 2,140.00
STATE MINIMUM PAY SCALE PAY GRADE II

Years of
EmploymentPay Grade
A BC D E F GH
01,1001,1201,1601,2101,2601,3201,3501,420
11,1271,1471,1871,2371,2871,3471,3771,447
21,1541,1741,2141,2641,3141,3741,4041,474
31,1811,2011,2411,2911,3411,4011,4311,501
41,2081,2281,2681,3181,3681,4281,4581,528
51,2351,2551,2951,3451,3951,4551,4851,555
61,2621,2821,3221,3721,4221,4821,5121,582
71,2891,3091,3491,3991,4491,5091,5391,609
81,3161,3361,3761,4261,4761,5361,5661,636
91,3431,3631,4031,4531,5031,5631,5931,663
101,3701,3901,4301,4801,5301,5901,6201,690
111,3971,4171,4571,5071,5571,6171,6471,717
121,4241,4441,4841,5341,5841,6441,6741,744
131,4511,4711,5111,5611,6111,6711,7011,771
141,4781,4981,5381,5881,6381,6981,7281,798
151,5051,5251,5651,6151,6651,7251,7551,825
161,5321,5521,5921,6421,6921,7521,7821,852
171,5591,5791,6191,6691,7191,7791,8091,879
181,5861,6061,6461,6961,7461,8061,8361,906
191,6131,6331,6731,7231,7731,8331,8631,933
201,6401,6601,7001,7501,8001,8601,8901,960
211,6671,6871,7271,7771,8271,8871,9171,987
221,6941,7141,7541,8041,8541,9141,9442.014
231,7211,7411,7811,8311,8811,9411,9712,041
241,7481,7681,8081,8581,9081,9681,9982.068
251,7751,7951,8351,8851,9351,9952,0252,095
261,8021,8221,8621,9121,9622,0222,0522,122
271,8291,8491,8891,9391,9892,0492,0792,149
281,8561,8761,9161,9662,0162,0762,1062,176
291,8831,9031,9431,9932,0432,1032,1332,203
301,9101,9301,9702,0202,0702,1302,1602,230
311,9371,9571,9972,0472,0972,1572,1872,257
321,9641,9842,0242,0742,1242,1842,2142,284
331,9912,0112,0512,1012,1512,2112,2412,311
342,0182,0382,0782,1282,1782,2382,2682,338
352,0452,0652,1052,1552,2052,2652,2952,365
362,0722,0922,1322,1822,2322,2922,3222,392
CLASS TITLE PAY GRADE
Accountant ID
Accountant II E
Accountant III F
Aide I A
Aide II B
Aide III C
Aide IV D
Audiovisual Technician C
Auditor G
Autism Mentor E
Braille or Sign Language Specialist E
Bus Operator D
Buyer F
Cabinetmaker G
Cafeteria Manager D
Carpenter I E
Carpenter II F
Chief Mechanic G
Clerk I B
Clerk II C
Computer Operator E
Cook I A
Cook II B
Cook III C
Crew Leader F
Custodian I A
Custodian II B
Custodian III C
Custodian IV D
Director or Coordinator of Services H
Draftsman D
Electrician I F
Electrician II G
Electronic Technician I F
Electronic Technician II G
Executive Secretary G
Food Services Supervisor G
Foreman G
General Maintenance C
Glazier D
Graphic Artist D
Groundsman B
Handyman B
Heating and Air Conditioning Mechanic I E
Heating and Air Conditioning Mechanic II G
Heavy Equipment Operator E
Inventory Supervisor D
Key Punch Operator B
Locksmith G
Lubrication Man C
Machinist F
Mail Clerk D
Maintenance Clerk C
Mason G
Mechanic F
Mechanic Assistant E
Office Equipment Repairman I F
Office Equipment Repairman II G
Painter E
ParaprofessionalF
Plumber I E
Plumber II G
Printing Operator B
Printing Supervisor D
Programmer H
Roofing/Sheet Metal Mechanic F
RooferF
Sanitation Plant Operator F
School Bus Supervisor E
Secretary I D
Secretary II E
Secretary III F
Sheet Metal MechanicF
Supervisor of Maintenance H
Supervisor of Transportation H
Switchboard Operator-Receptionist D
Truck Driver D
Warehouse Clerk C
Watchman B
Welder F
(1) The minimum monthly pay for each service employee whose employment is for a period of more than three and one-half hours a day shall be at least the amounts indicated in the "state minimum pay scale pay grade" and the minimum monthly pay for each service employee whose employment is for a period of three and one-half hours or less a day shall be at least one-half the amount indicated in the "state minimum pay scale pay grade" set forth in this section.
(2) An additional ten dollars per month shall be added to the minimum monthly pay of each service employee who holds a high school diploma or its equivalent.
(3) An additional ten dollars per month also shall also be added to the minimum monthly pay of each service employee who holds twelve college hours or comparable credit obtained in a trade or vocational school as approved by the state board. for each of the following:
(a) A service employee who holds twelve college hours or comparable credit obtained in a trade or vocational school or in a staff development program as approved by the state board;
(b) A service employee who holds twenty-four college hours or comparable credit obtained in a trade or vocational school or in a staff development program as approved by the state board
;
(c) A service employee who holds thirty-six college hours or comparable credit obtained in a trade or vocational school or in a staff development program as approved by the state board; and
(d) A service employee who holds forty-eight college hours or comparable credit obtained in a trade or vocational school or in a staff development program as approved by the state board.

(4) When any part of a school service employee's daily shift of work is performed between the hours of six o'clock p.m. and five o'clock a.m. the following day, the employee shall be paid no less than an additional ten dollars per month and one half of the pay shall be paid with local funds.
(5) Any service employee required to work on any legal school holiday shall be paid at a rate one and one-half times the employee's usual hourly rate.
(6) Any full-time service personnel required to work in excess of their normal working day during any week which contains a school holiday for which they are paid shall be paid for the additional hours or fraction of the additional hours at a rate of one and one-half times their usual hourly rate and paid entirely from county board funds.
(7) No service employee may have his or her daily work schedule changed during the school year without the employee's written consent, and the employee's required daily work hours may not be changed to prevent the payment of time and one-half wages or the employment of another employee. A county board may not require a school service person to give written consent to a possible change of a future daily work schedule or assigned work site as a condition of application to fill a vacancy or of acceptance of a school service personnel position.
(8) The minimum hourly rate of pay for extra duty assignments as defined in section eight-b of this article shall be no less than one seventh of the employee's daily total salary for each hour the employee is involved in performing the assignment and paid entirely from local funds: Provided, That an alternative minimum hourly rate of pay for performing extra duty assignments within a particular category of employment may be utilized if the alternate hourly rate of pay is approved both by the county board and by the affirmative vote of a two-thirds majority of the regular full-time employees within that classification category of employment within that county: Provided, however, That the vote shall be by secret ballot if so requested by a service personnel employee within that classification category within that county. The salary for any fraction of an hour the employee is involved in performing the assignment shall be prorated accordingly. When performing extra duty assignments, employees who are regularly employed on a one-half day salary basis shall receive the same hourly extra duty assignment pay computed as though the employee were employed on a full-day salary basis.
(9) The minimum pay for any service personnel employees engaged in the removal of asbestos material or related duties required for asbestos removal shall be their regular total daily rate of pay and no less than an additional three dollars per hour or no less than five dollars per hour for service personnel supervising asbestos removal responsibilities for each hour these employees are involved in asbestos related duties. Related duties required for asbestos removal include, but are not limited to, planning for the removal of asbestos, preparation of proposals, plans or other relevant documents required for approval of an asbestos project, travel, preparation of the work site, including taking test samples and filing reports concerning the results of tests, removal of asbestos and other byproducts and transportation of this material to the storage site, decontamination of the work site, placing and removal of equipment, making any reports, preparation of post-project reports necessary for completion of the project, and removal of structures from the site. If any member of an asbestos crew is engaged in asbestos related duties outside of the employee's regular employment county, the daily rate of pay shall be no less than the minimum amount as established in the employee's regular employment county for asbestos removal and an additional thirty dollars per each day the employee is engaged in asbestos removal and related duties. The additional pay for asbestos removal and related duties shall be payable entirely from county funds. Before service personnel employees may be utilized in the removal of asbestos material or related duties, they shall have completed a federal Environmental Protection Act approved training program and be licensed. The employer shall provide all necessary protective equipment and maintain all records required by the Environmental Protection Act.
(10) For the purpose of qualifying for additional pay as provided in section eight, article five of this chapter, an aide shall be considered to be exercising the authority of a supervisory aide and control over pupils if the aide is required to supervise, control, direct, monitor, escort or render service to a child or children when not under the direct supervision of certificated professional personnel within the classroom, library, hallway, lunchroom, gymnasium, school building, school grounds or wherever supervision is required. For purposes of this section, "under the direct supervision of certificated professional personnel" means that certificated professional personnel is present, with and accompanying the aide.
(11) Any school service person who is placed involuntarily on transfer pursuant to article two, section seven of this chapter shall retain his or her current classification title and pay grade upon acceptance of a position of a lower class title and pay grade within his or her classification category: Provided, however, That the employee may be multiclassified if necessary to perform the duties of the accepted positions.
(12) An employee who is required to take a drug test, alcohol test or both at any time other than during an employee's regular work day shall be paid an additional amount of no less than one-seventh of the employee's daily rate of pay for each hour or fraction thereof engaged in taking the test.

(11) Subject to a recommendation by the governor and an appropriation by the Legislature therefor, it shall be the intent to increase the annual salary of service employees by seven hundred fifty-six dollars in the fiscal year commencing on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine, and to increase annual salaries of service employees again by seven hundred fifty-six dollars in the fiscal year commencing on the first day of July, two thousand.
§18A-4-8b. Seniority rights for school service personnel.
A county board shall make decisions affecting promotions and the filling of any service personnel positions of employment or jobs occurring throughout the school year that are to be performed by service personnel as provided in section eight of this article, on the basis of seniority, qualifications and evaluation of past service.
Qualifications shall mean that the applicant holds a classification title in his category of employment as provided in this section and must be given first opportunity for promotion and filling vacancies. Other employees then must be considered and shall qualify by meeting the definition of the job title as defined in section eight of this article, that relates to the promotion or vacancy. If requested by the employee, the board must show valid cause why an employee with the most seniority is not promoted or employed in the position for which he or she applies. Applicants shall be considered in the following order:
(1) Regularly employed service personnel;
(2) Service personnel whose employment has been discontinued in accordance with this section;
(3) Professional personnel who held temporary service personnel jobs or positions prior to the ninth day of June, one thousand nine hundred eighty-two, and who apply only for such temporary jobs or positions;
(4) Substitute service personnel; and
(5) New service personnel.
The county board may not prohibit a service employee from retaining or continuing his employment in any positions or jobs held prior to the effective date of this section and thereafter.
A promotion shall be defined as any change in his employment that the employee deems to improve his working circumstance within his classification category of employment and shall include a transfer to another classification category or place of employment if the position is not filled by an employee who holds a title within that classification category of employment. Each class title listed in section eight of this article shall be considered a separate classification category of employment for service personnel, except for those class titles having Roman numeral designations, which shall be considered a single classification of employment. The cafeteria manager class title shall be included in the same classification category as cooks. The executive secretary class title shall be included in the same classification category as secretaries. Paraprofessional, autism mentor and braille or sign language specialist class titles shall be included in the same classification category as aides.
For purposes of determining seniority under this section an employee's seniority begins on the date that he or she enters into his assigned duties.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter to the contrary, decisions affecting service personnel with respect to extra-duty assignments shall be made in the following manner: An employee with the greatest length of service time in a particular category of employment shall be given priority in accepting extra-duty assignments, followed by other fellow employees on a rotating basis according to the length of their service time until all such employees have had an opportunity to perform similar assignments. The cycle then shall be repeated: Provided, That an alternative procedure for making extra-duty assignments within a particular classification category of employment may be utilized if the alternative procedure is approved both by the county board and by an affirmative vote of two thirds of the employees within that classification category of employment. For the purpose of this section, "extra-duty assignments" are defined as irregular jobs that occur periodically or occasionally such as, but not limited to, field trips, athletic events, proms, banquets and band festival trips.
Boards shall be required to post and date notices of all job vacancies of established existing or newly created positions in conspicuous working places for all school service employees to observe for at least five working days. The notice of the job vacancies shall include the job description, the period of employment, the amount of pay and any benefits and other information that is helpful to the employees to understand the particulars of the job. After the five-day minimum posting period all vacancies shall be filled within twenty working days from the posting date notice of any job vacancies of established existing or newly created positions.
All decisions by county boards concerning reduction in work force of service personnel shall be made on the basis of seniority, as provided in this section.
The seniority of any service personnel shall be determined on the basis of the length of time the employee has been employed by the county board within a particular job classification. For the purpose of establishing seniority for a preferred recall list as provided in this section, when an employee has been employed in one or more classifications, the seniority accrued in each previous classification shall be retained by the employee.
If a county board is required to reduce the number of employees within a particular job classification, the employee with the least amount of seniority within that classification or grades of classification shall be properly released and employed in a different grade of that classification if there is a job vacancy: Provided, That if there is no job vacancy for employment within the classification or grades of classification, he or she shall be employed in any other job classification which he or she previously held with the county board if there is a vacancy and shall retain any seniority accrued in the job classification or grade of classification.
If two or more employees accumulate identical seniority, the priority shall be determined by a random selection system established by the employees and approved by the county board.
All employees whose seniority with the county board is insufficient to allow their retention by the county board during a reduction in work force shall be placed upon a preferred recall list and shall be recalled to employment by the county board on the basis of seniority.
Employees placed upon the preferred list shall be recalled to any position openings by the county board within the classification(s), where they had previously been employed, or to any lateral position for which the employee is qualified or to a lateral area for which an employee has certification and/or licensure.
Employees on the preferred recall list shall not forfeit their right to recall by the county board if compelling reasons require an employee to refuse an offer of reemployment by the county board.
The county board shall notify all employees on the preferred recall list of all position openings that from time to time exist. The notice shall be sent by certified mail to the last known address of the employee; it is the duty of each such employee to notify the county board of any change in the address of the employee.
No position openings may be filled by the county board, whether temporary or permanent, until all employees on the preferred recall list have been properly notified of existing vacancies and have been given an opportunity to accept reemployment.
Any board failing to comply with the provisions of this article may be compelled to do so by mandamus and is liable to any party prevailing against the board for court costs and the prevailing party's reasonable attorney fee, as determined and established by the court. Further, employees denied promotion or employment in violation of this section shall be awarded the job, pay and any applicable benefits retroactively to the date of the violation and shall be paid entirely from local funds. Further, the board is liable to any party prevailing against the board for any court reporter costs including copies of transcripts.
§18A-4-15. Employment of service personnel substitutes.
The county board shall employ and the county superintendent, subject to the approval of the county board, shall assign substitute service personnel on the basis of seniority to perform any of the following duties:
(1) To fill the temporary absence of another service employee;
(2) To fill the position of a regular service employee on who requests a leave of absence from the county board in writing and who is granted the leave in writing by the county board leave of absence: Provided, That if such leave of absence is to extend beyond thirty days, the board, within twenty working days from the commencement of the leave of absence, shall give regular employee status to a person hired to fill such position. The person employed on a regular basis shall be selected under the procedure set forth in section eight-b of this article. The substitute shall hold such position and regular employee status only until the regular employee shall be returned to such position and the substitute shall have and shall be accorded all rights, privileges and benefits pertaining to such position: Provided, however, That if a regular or substitute employee fills a vacancy that is related to a leave of absence in any manner as provided herein, upon termination of the leave of absence said employee shall be returned to his or her original position: Provided further, That no service person may be required to request or to take a leave of absence: And provided further, That no service person shall be deprived of any right or privilege of regular employment status for refusal to request or failure to take a leave of absence;
(3) To perform the service of a service employee who is authorized to be absent from duties without loss of pay;
(4) To temporarily fill a vacancy in a permanent position caused by severance of employment by the resignation, transfer, retirement, permanent disability, dismissal pursuant to section eight, article two of this chapter, or death of the regular service employee who had been assigned to fill such position: Provided, That within twenty working days from the commencement of the vacancy, the board shall fill such vacancy under the procedures set out in section eight-b of this article and section five, article two of this chapter and such person hired to fill the vacancy shall have and shall be accorded all rights, privileges and benefits pertaining to such position;
(5) To fill the vacancy created by a regular employee's suspension: Provided, That if the suspension is for more than thirty working days the substitute service employee shall be assigned to fill the vacancy on a regular basis and shall have and be accorded all rights, privileges and benefits pertaining to such position until such termination by the county board becomes final. If the suspended employee is not returned to his job, the board shall fill the vacancy under the procedures set out in section eight-b of this article and section five, article two of this chapter; and
(6) To temporarily fill a vacancy in a newly created position prior to employment of a service personnel on a regular basis under the procedure set forth in section eight-b of this article.
Substitutes shall be assigned in the following manner: A substitute with the greatest length of service time, that is, from the date he began his assigned duties as a substitute in that particular category of employment, shall be given priority in accepting the assignment throughout the period of the regular employee's absence or until the vacancy is filled on a regular basis under the procedures set out in section eight-b of this article. All substitutes shall be employed on a rotating basis according to the length of their service time until each substitute has had an opportunity to perform similar assignments: Provided, That if there are regular service employees employed in the same building or working station as the absent employee and who are employed in the same classification category of employment, such regular employees shall be first offered the opportunity to fill the position of the absent employee on a rotating and seniority basis with the substitute then filling the regular employee's position. A regular employee assigned to fill the position of an absent employee shall be given the opportunity to hold that position throughout such absence.
The salary of a substitute service employee shall be based upon his years of employment as defined in section eight of this article and as provided in the state minimum pay scale set forth in section eight-a of this article and shall be in accordance with the salary schedule of persons regularly employed in the same position in the county in which he is employed.
Before any substitute service employee enters upon his or her duties, he shall execute with the county board a written contract as provided in section five, article two of this chapter.
To establish a uniform system of providing a fair and equitable opportunity for substitutes to enter upon their duties for the first time, the following method shall be used: The initial order of assigning newly employed substitutes shall be determined by a random selection system established by the affected substitute employees and approved by the county board. This initial priority order shall be in effect only until the substitute service personnel have entered upon their duties for the first time.
Substitute service employees who have worked thirty days for a school system shall have all rights pertaining to suspension, dismissal and contract renewal as is granted to regular service personnel in sections six, seven, eight and eight-a, article two of this chapter.
CHAPTER 23. WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

ARTICLE 2. EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES SUBJECT TO CHAPTER; EXTRATERRITORIAL COVERAGE.

§23-2-1a. Employees subject to chapter.

(a) Employees subject to this chapter are all persons in the service of employers and employed by them for the purpose of carrying on the industry, business, service or work in which they are engaged, including, but not limited to:
(1) Persons regularly employed in the state whose duties necessitate employment of a temporary or transitory nature by the same employer without the state;
(2) Every person in the service of the state or of any political subdivision or agency thereof, under any contract of hire, express or implied, and every appointed official or officer thereof while performing his or her official duties;
(3) Checkweighmen employed according to law;
(4) All members of rescue teams assisting in mine accidents with the consent of the owner who, in such case, shall be deemed the employer, or at the direction of the director of the department of mines;
(5) All forest fire fighters who, under the supervision of the director of the department of natural resources or his or her designated representative, assist in the prevention, confinement and suppression of any forest fire; and
(6) Students while participating in a work-based learning experience with an employer approved as a part of the curriculum by the county board. The county board shall be the employer of record of students while participating in unpaid work-based experiences off school premises with employers other than the county board. Students in unpaid work-based learning experiences shall be considered to be paid the amount of wages so as to provide the minimum workers' compensation weekly benefits required by section six, article four of this chapter.
(b) The right to receive compensation under this chapter shall not be affected by the fact that a minor is employed or is permitted to be employed in violation of the laws of this state relating to the employment of minors, or that he or she obtained his or her employment by misrepresenting his or her age.