Elmhurst D205, Union Clashed Over Religious Holidays

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst School District 205 settled last month with the custodians union over the school's handling of a contract provision on religious holidays.

On Wednesday, Patch obtained the settlement agreement and complaint through a public records request.

In March 2023, Local 73 of the Service Employees International Union, or SEIU, filed a complaint over denials of employees' requests for religious holidays.

Under the union contract, employees are granted one religious leave day a year as long as the "bona fide" religious holiday occurs on a scheduled workday. The contract requires that employees get the facilities director's approval. Such days cannot roll over into the next year.

In its grievance, the union said it tried to get an explanation from the district about what it considers a bona fide religious holiday. It said it got no answers.

The union alleged a human resources official had told employees seeking religious leave days that they "are just looking for a day off from work."

Under the settlement, the religious day language was eliminated from the contract and replaced by a provision giving employees three paid personal leave days each year for business that cannot be conducted outside the regular workday.

Under the new provision, employees must give at least two days' notice to the facilities director, except for unforeseen emergencies. Any unused personal leave days at the end of the contract year will be credited to an employee's sick leave bank, the agreement states.

Under the agreement's terms, seven employees are getting paid for religious leave days that the district denied them in the 2022-23 year. The total is $1,465.

In return, the union is dropping its grievance.