25-3. Religious Holidays

All bargaining unit members, other than day-to-day substitute teachers and part-time/seasonal employees, shall be granted up to three non-attendance days with pay in a school year for the observance of religious holidays, which shall not be considered an absence, provided that the employee gives written notice to the school principal or department head at least fourteen (14) calendar days in advance of non-attendance for the religious holiday. Approval for religious holiday benefit time requests will be based on operational needs such as staffing requirements, maintaining student coverage, critical school/department activities, availability of substitutes, and impact on services. Social, political, or economic philosophies, or personal ideological preferences, do not qualify as “religious” beliefs under this provision, provided, school administrators shall make best efforts to reasonably approve requests for religious holiday benefit time. If an administrator claims operational need prevents approval of a request, notice of the denial shall be provided in writing, no later than seven days before the holiday, specifying the reasons for the decision and any potential alternatives or options available to the employee, including the opportunity to secure their own substitute coverage.