Time & Leave

Because the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) is both a state agency and a public school, staff employed by TSD are listed as either classified employees or contract employees based on the position held.
 
The majority of staff at TSD are classified, meaning that the positions adhere to the State Classification Plan.  All TSD positions except for the Superintendent and professional instructional positions, which are hired under an employment contract, are “classified” positions, and there are no professional contracts associated with the positions held by classified employees. Based on the amount of prior state service, classified employees may earn sick and vacation time monthly based on their employment status. Full-time employees with no prior state service accrue eight hours of vacation time and eight hours of sick time each month.  When a classified employee works on a national or state holiday, the employee earns holiday compensatory time. Part-time employees accrue vacation and sick leave on a pro-rated basis.  Classified employees are not eligible to use vacation time until they have had six months of continuous state employment. For more information about the accrual of leave for classified staff, please consult the Texas Human Resources Management Statutes Inventory.
 
Substitute employees work on an as-needed basis and are paid the hourly rate designated for the position they are working. Individuals selected for substitute positions at TSD may be eligible for consideration for different substitute positions once they begin employment. Substitute employees do not earn any paid leave.
 
Contract employees are full-time professional employees in positions requiring that they hold a certificate from the State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) and are subject to the terms under an employment contract.  The TSD Governing Board may choose, but is not required, to hire any other professional educator whose position does not require certification by SBEC under an employment contract.  For each month included in the contract, full-time contract employees are given seven hours of sick leave.  Employees under contract at TSD may use a maximum of four days of accrued sick leave per contract term for personal reasons.  Personal leave may not be taken in increments of less than one hour.  The number of sick leave days not used for personal reasons during the contract term may not be carried forward to a subsequent contract term for use as personal leave.
 
Documenting Time Worked (from the Employee Handbook)
 “Each employee is responsible for completing a monthly timesheet for time worked and types of leave used during the month; if the timesheet is prepared by the department secretary or other administrative staff, the employee is responsible for reviewing the timesheet, making corrections, if needed, and verifying that the timesheet is correct by signing it.  The employee’s signature on the timesheet serves as verification that the timesheet is correct.  If the employee is requested to but does not sign or make corrections to the timesheet, the timesheet will be assumed to be correct.” Employees should also be familiar with the School Calendar for the dates the school will be closed for holidays or designated school breaks.
 
For more information concerning the accrual of Time, Leave, and other Benefits, please refer to the Texas Human Resources Management Statutes Inventory. For procedures specific to TSD Time and Leave, staff can refer to their employee handbook listed on ELF.
 
For questions concerning Time and Leave, please contact HR at 512-462-5321 or email us at [email protected]