All support employees are required to be members of the School Employees Retirement System.

When a support staff member retires under the provisions of any retirement system of the State of Ohio, the Board shall make conversion of his/her unused sick leave in a lump sum payment to be based upon the support staff member's daily rate of pay at the time of his/her retirement.

Payment will be for twenty-five percent (25%) of unused sick leave at the time of his/her retirement, not to exceed a maximum of sixty (60) days of payment. Such payment shall cancel all existing sick leave days of that support staff member.

In the event a support staff member resigns his/her employment with the Board for retirement purposes and retires through SERS effective no later than the end of the contract year s/he becomes eligible, and tenders said resignation to the Board no later than April 1, of that year, in addition to the severance pay s/he is entitled to receive pursuant to the previous section of this policy, s/he shall also receive a one time lump sum payment equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of the salary the support staff member earned during the contract year of his/her retirement. This payment shall be based on the support staff member's regular employment compensation and shall not include any compensation earned on extended contracts or supplemental contracts. Any support staff member who does not resign his/her employment in the contract year s/he becomes eligible to retire, shall forfeit his/her right to this retirement incentive bonus but shall be entitled to severance pay pursuant to the previous section of this policy. To be eligible, the support staff member must have at least five (5) years of experience with the School District and be at the top step of their salary schedule.

For the purpose of this provision, eligible to retire through the State Employees Retirement System shall be the first happening of any of the following qualifying events:

This provision does not apply to an employee retiring on a disability retirement.

Note that some differences may exist between the language of this policy and the support staff negotiated agreement. The negotiated agreement will be applicable for those employees who are covered by any negotiated agreement.