ARTICLE XVIII PROTECTION

North Kingstown School District

A. ASSAULT AND/OR BATTERY

1. Whenever a teacher is absent from work as a result of personal injury caused by assault and/or battery sustained by the teacher arising out of and in the course of their employment and without fault on the part of the teacher, that teacher shall be paid full salary, less Workers’ Compensation payments, less any benefit payment from Workers’ Compensation, Social Security, or other reimbursement programs which are paid for by the School Department from the date of the injury, and no part of such absence shall be charged to the teacher’s annual sick leave, provided further, that all payments shall cease upon the retirement of the teacher.

2. The Committee shall have the right to have the teacher examined by a physician designated by the Committee, for the purpose of establishing the length of time during which the teacher shall be disabled from performing their duties and the recommendation of the physician shall be binding on both parties.

3. In no event shall the teacher receive more than full salary, other than medical or hospital expenses that may be incurred in excess of the amount of Blue Cross/Physicians Service and Major Medical coverage, for the period of such absence. Any insurance paid by the School Department or Workers’ Compensation benefits received by the teacher shall be deducted from any salary received under the provisions of this Article.

B. WORK-RELATED INJURY

1. All teachers shall be covered by Workers’ Compensation in accordance with the General Laws of the State of Rhode Island and shall receive that portion of salary required under the statute for the duration of the work-related injury. The teacher may, at their discretion, elect to use sick leave to remain on full salary for not more than one hundred eighty (180) consecutive school days exclusive of vacation periods from the date upon which the injury occurred.

2. The Committee shall have the right to require medical examinations by a physician designated by the Committee to determine the time allowed for absence as a result of the alleged injury, and the recommendation of the physician shall be binding on both parties.

3. In no event shall the teacher receive more than their full salary, other than medical or hospital expenses that may be incurred in excess of the amount of Blue Cross/Physicians Service and Major Medical coverage for the period of such absence. Any insurance or Workers’ Compensation benefits received by the teacher shall be deducted from any salary received under this Article.

C. PROPERTY DAMAGES

1. The Committee shall reimburse teachers, but in no event in an amount to exceed three hundred dollars ($300), for any clothing or other personal property (except automobiles) not covered by insurance, damaged or destroyed in the course of regular teaching duties, without fault on the part of the teacher, when such damage or destruction is a value of ten dollars ($10) or more. Any claim for compensation under this Article shall be accompanied by proof of loss. The teacher shall be personally responsible for any of the teacher’s non-instructional personal property left on or within school property.

D. If criminal or civil proceedings are brought against a teacher alleging that the teacher committed an assault in connection with their employment, such teacher may request the Committee to furnish legal counsel to defend them in such proceedings. If the Committee does not provide such counsel and the teacher prevails in the proceedings, then the Committee shall reimburse the teacher for reasonable counsel fees incurred by the teacher in defending the proceedings.