Overload Banking is now Live!

Dear SDCCD Tenured Faculty Members,
You may recall that during our last round of negotiations we successfully negotiated an overload banking program, contingent on the District being able to implement a suitable tracking system.
I just received word that the District will be able to implement this program beginning this fall semester.
This program will allow tenured faculty members to earn load credit instead of salary for assignments beyond their 1.0 FTEF standard contract. This earned load credit may be “banked” and retained over a designated period of time for use during a future academic term in order to receive a reduced load without loss of pay for their regular 1.0 FTEF assignment.

The attached forms are to be utilized for both the banking and future leave purposes. If you plan on banking a course this semester, the attached “Application for Load Banking” form must be submitted to the individuals as noted on the form no later than this coming Monday, August 22nd.

As a reminder, this program applies to any tenured faculty member with an overload assignment, including Credit, Non-Credit, Classroom, and Non-Classroom. The entire CBA language regarding this program is pasted in at the bottom of this email for your reference.

1) Submit this form now if you want to bank a course this semester:
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2) Submit this form in the future, following the timelines listed on the form, when you want to utilize your banked leave and reduce your load.
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We are pleased to be able to finally make this program available to our tenured faculty members. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
In Unity,
Jim
Jim Mahler, President
AFT Guild, Local 1931
San Diego & Grossmont-Cuyamaca
Community Colleges

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7.14. Overload Banking

7.14.1 Prior to the implementation of this Article, the District and the AFT will ensure that both of these requirements have been met:
i. An electronic system is in place for tracking of banked time;
ii. The provisions of this Article conform with applicable IRS regulations such that banked time will not be considered “deferred pay.”
7.14.2 Overload banking is a means by which tenured faculty members may earn load credit instead of salary for assignments that are beyond their 1.0 FTEF standard contractual assignment as defined in Article VII.  Tenured faculty members may “bank” this credit so that it is retained over a designated period of time, for use during a future academic term (fall and spring semesters only) to receive a reduced load without loss of pay for their regular 1.0 FTEF assignment.

7.14.3 Tenured full-time faculty may be assigned up to an additional .40 FTEF per semester (fall and spring semesters only) as an overload.  Unit Members who are given an overload assignment may elect to bank the greater of the FTEF of one Course Reference Number (CRN) or 0.20 of the overload assignment worked in any one (1) semester (fall and spring semesters only).  If a unit member elects to bank an overload assignment, the unit member must make her/his intention known in writing to her/his immediate supervisor at as soon as possible however, prior to the first day of instruction of the semester during which the banking will take place.

7.14.4 A Unit Member may not accumulate more than 1.0 FTEF of a full semester workload.

7.14.5 A Unit Member may utilize banked time during a subsequent semester (fall and spring semesters only) for the purpose of a reduction in her/his 1.0 FTEF contract assignment, provided the reduction does not exceed the equivalent of 1.0 FTEF for that semester and equals at least the FTEF of one full CRN.

7.14.6 Banked leave time will be scheduled only for the full length of a semester (no leaves shall be taken for part of a semester only).

7.14.7 Overload assignments will not be allowed during the semester which the unit member is reducing her/his load, regardless of the level of the load reduction.  Unit members taking a full semester off on a 1.0 FTEF banked leave will not be eligible to work any additional assignments in the District, including overloads, work paid through a stipend, or any other work in any type of hourly assignment.

7.14.8 Any unused banked time will be paid off at the current overload rate at the time of retirement or separation from District employment or if any portion of an accumulated 1.0 FTEF remains unused after three (3) years, the entire amount will be paid off in the subsequent semester, unless the unit member’s request has been denied as a result of the approval process defined in 7.4.10.   In such case, the entire amount in the bank will be paid off three semesters following the last denial.

7.14.9 When on a banked leave the unit member’s Flex time requirement, office hours, and committee meeting obligations will be proportional to the remaining contractual assignment for the semester.  Being on a full 1.0 banked leave eliminates the contractual obligation for Flex time, office hours and committee/college service work during that semester.

7.14.10 Before banked time may be utilized for a reduction in load, unit members must comply with the following approval process:
i. A unit member who wishes to utilize banked leave must submit a written request to the appropriate Vice President or designee by the preceding March 1 (for fall semester reductions) or the preceding October 1 (for spring semester reductions) and must include the percentage of leave reduction requested.  The Vice-President will provide a written response to the request within 30 (thirty) calendar days of receipt of the request.
ii. Banked leave will be granted only when the purpose is in accord with the provisions of this Article and the granting of leave will not be detrimental to the instructional program. Approval will also be based upon the ability of the college to obtain a suitable replacement for the unit member.
iii. Approval for banked leave during a semester may be limited within a department when the granting of multiple leaves to multiple unit members may be detrimental to the instructional program or to the service of students.
iv. The order of consideration of banked leave requests will be on a “first-come, first-served” basis.
v. Unit members on a 50% full-year sabbatical may utilize banked leave to increase their compensation during the term of their sabbatical.
7.14.11 Benefits for unit members during a period of banked leave use will be provided by the District as if the unit member were in her/his regular 1.0 FTEF assignment.

7.14.12 Unit members who request to schedule banked leave at 1.0 FTEF will not be eligible to apply or take any other leave to extend an absence from the workplace longer than one semester.

7.14.13 Once approved, a unit member may not rescind their acceptance of the reduced assignment within 60 (sixty) calendar days prior to the first day of instruction of the semester during which the reduced assignment will take place.