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PROCEDURE NO. HR 5.121

1.  Objectives:  The objectives of this memo are to define the procedures for participating in the Job Share program.

2.  Applicability:  All principals and certificated employees should read and understand the terms of this memo.

3.  Job Sharing Definition:  Job Sharing is defined as two tenured teachers filling one full-time position.

4.  Job Share Procedures

• A full-time position may be shared in only 50/50 or 60/40 percentages.
• Both teachers must be tenured employees.
• Both teachers must be current full-time or retired employees licensed in the area in which the job share is requested.
• In no case shall job sharers receive special consideration at the expense of full-time employees in regard to leaves, salaries, transfers, layoffs, or recalls.
• Participation in job sharing or part-time work shall in no way protect or insulate participating teachers from transfer or layoff.
• Participation in job sharing shall in no way protect or insulate such teachers from the full range of duties and assignments normally required of personnel in any given building, nor will those in job sharing positions be expected to take an additional assignment over and above those carried by regular full-time faculty members.
• According to TCA 49-5-5001 and Rules of the State Board of Education Chapter 0520-2-2, “Educators who work at least 50%  in a career ladder eligible position are eligible for the career ladder supplement based on the percentage of time in the eligible position”.  Teachers must work a minimum of 100 days i order to be eligible.
• Retired teachers may return in a job share position.  Salary will be based on current degree not to exceed a Master’s and Step 10 on the salary schedule. 
• Retired teachers who return to work in a job share and hold a Bachelor’s Degree will be paid at Bachelor’s, Step 10 regardless of the step they were on at the time of retirement.
• Retired Teachers who return to work in a job share and hold a Master’s Degree or above will be paid at Master’s, Step 10 regardless of the degree/step they were on at the time of retirement.

5.  Application Process:  The proposed job share arrangement must be developed with the approval and cooperation of the principal.  The requesting teachers must complete and sign a Job Share Agreement and obtain the principal’s approval signature prior to submitting the request to the Human Resources Department for final approval.  The job sharing proposal will be for one school year and must describe the responsibilities of each participant.  All requests must be submitted by the first Friday in May.  (For the 2011-2012 school year the deadline will be extended to the end of the school day on May 20, 2011.)

6.  Administration:  Job Shares must be administered as follows:

• Job sharers shall have neither greater nor lesser rights than other teachers.
• Job sharers will be responsible for reaching agreement with   their principal concerning such matters as extra duties, faculty meetings, grading/record keeping, extracurricular activities, and other matters associated with normal in-school administration.
• Arrangements in which only one partner takes part in certain activities (e.g. faculty meetings, lunch duty) will be permissible provided that adequate means of partnership/administration communications are agreed on in the job sharing plan.
• Job sharers must substitute for one another.  Proposals must outline how absences will be covered.  

6.  Employee Benefits: 

Retired Teachers

• Retired teachers working in a job share position are not eligible for sick leave, personal days, or professional leave.
• Retired teachers working in a job share position are not eligible to earn service or salary credit toward an additional retirement benefit.
• Retired teachers working in a job share position and who have health insurance through MNPS retain all retiree health insurance benefits with no change in cost.

Active Employees

• Job sharers who are coded as working at least fifty percent are eligible to receive the same insurance benefits offered to full-time employees at the same premium cost.  Job sharers who are coded as working less than fifty percent are not eligible to receive insurance benefits, but are eligible for Pension and Accruals based on the guidelines below.
• Sick leave and vacation credit will be allocated to job sharers in the usual manner at the beginning of the school year according to the percentage applicable to each job sharer. 
• Job sharers shall be eligible for personal leave according to the percentage worked. 
• Extended leaves will nullify the agreement if the absence is 30 days or longer.
• Job sharers who are members of the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System continue their participation.

7.  Job sharers are required to substitute for each other.

8.  Job sharers will be evaluated the same as all tenured teachers.

9.  The job sharing plan is not intended to be a burden upon principals or supervisors.  However, it shall be the responsibility of the principal and or supervisor to insure the normal supervisory activities are carried out for each partner.

10.  If after a job sharing agreement commences, one partner is absent 30 or more consecutive days, the job sharing agreement shall be nullified.  If the agreement is nullified, the other partner may request: (1) a new agreement with a different partner, which must be approved by the appropriate HR director or (2) assignment to a vacant position for which the individual is qualified, including the position which has been shared.  Absences under this provision shall include those resulting from sick leave, maternity leave, resignation, retirement, OJI or other causes.

11. Job sharers who are active employees and have been laid off shall have the same rights as other teachers for re-employment.

12.  Approval for renewal will be based on the principal’s evaluation of combined and individual effectiveness.  At the end of a job sharing agreement, teachers involved may request consideration for renewal of the job sharing agreement.  If the agreement is not renewed, the teacher with the greater seniority shall be considered as owning the vacant position in which job sharing took place (other than a retired teacher).  The teacher with lesser seniority shall be reassigned the following year according to usual procedures.  Job sharing participants shall be considered for additional shared positions but will receive no preference.

13.  The Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources is responsible for maintenance of this procedure.  Questions should be directed to the appropriate HR Executive Director.