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Staff Illness Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to protect the health and safety of children, families, and staff by preventing the spread of illness within the school environment and ensuring adequate staffing coverage.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all employees of Young Innovators Academies, including administrators, teachers, assistants, substitutes, and support staff.

3. Health Requirements

Staff members are not permitted to report to work if they knowingly have or are experiencing symptoms that may pose a health risk, including but not limited to:

  • Fever

  • Diarrhea

  • Vomiting

Employees who present with these symptoms may be sent home at the Director’s discretion.

4. Extended Illness & Medical Documentation

  • If an employee’s illness extends for three (3) consecutive workdays, a doctor’s certificate verifying the illness is required before returning to work.

  • It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure the documentation is submitted in a timely manner to the Director.

  • Failure to provide required medical documentation may result in:

    • Delay in returning to work, and/or

    • Disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

  • If illness-related absences appear to be chronic, the Director may require medical documentation for each day of illness.

5. Illness Reporting Procedures

  • Employees who become ill while at home must notify the Director directly via personal phone call.

  • Text messages and emails are not acceptable methods of reporting illness, unless unavoidable circumstances exist.

6. Reporting Timeframes

To ensure appropriate classroom coverage, employees must adhere to the following notification timelines:

  • Evening Before: If illness is anticipated, notify the Director the evening prior to the scheduled shift.

  • Morning Of: If illness occurs the morning of a scheduled shift, the Director must be notified no later than 6:00 a.m.

7. Accountability

Timely and proper communication regarding illness is a condition of employment. Failure to follow illness reporting procedures may result in corrective action.