Teachers shall not absent themselves from duty for reasons of religious holy days without first securing permission from the Superintendent. All requests for such approval shall be made through the principal on the form prescribed.
- No deduction from salary shall be made when teachers are absent for observance of religious holy days, up to a maximum of three (3) days per school year.
- When teachers are absent for observance of religious holy days in excess of three (3) days per school year a teacher may receive regular salary less the rate for a substitute in the teacher's salary classification.
- The following notification period will apply:
- for teachers requiring religious holy leaves prior to October 15th, ten (10) working days' notice in writing shall be given to the Division, for teachers requiring religious holy days October 15th or later, notice in writing of leave required for that school year shall be given by September 30th.
- for those teachers commencing employment with the Division at a time other than the start of the school year and who require religious holy leave, notice in writing, shall be given to the Division within ten (10) working days of active employment.
- Where the appropriate notice has not been given to the Division, the Division shall provide religious holy days and that leave, at the Division's discretion, may be with pay or at regular salary less the rate for a substitute in the teacher's salary classification, or with one two‑hundredths (1/200ths) salary deduction per day. The Division shall act reasonably and fairly having regard to all circumstances.
- Religious Holy Leave shall be extended to include individuals teaching in the Adult EAL Program.
It is agreed for the purposes of this Article, Religious Holy Days shall be defined as "major religious holy days observed by the teacher and designated as a day of obligation by the teacher’s religion."