§ 16-13-5 - Suspension for cause – Payment for period suspended. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 16-13-5

   § 16-13-5  Suspension for cause –Payment for period suspended. – (a) Section 16-13-4 shall not prevent the suspension of a teacher for good andjust cause. Prior to the suspension of a teacher as provided in this section,the school committee shall hold a pre-suspension hearing to determine if asuspension is warranted, and at the pre-suspension hearing, shall consider anyavailable evidence and afford the teacher or his or her counsel an opportunityto respond to that evidence. In the event a teacher is suspended or otherwisenot permitted to perform his or her duties prior to the presuspension hearing,then the teacher shall be paid his or her regular salary during that period.

   (b) Whenever a teacher is suspended by a school committee,the school committee shall furnish the teacher with a complete statement of thecause(s) of the suspension and, upon request, shall afford the teacher ahearing and appeal pursuant to the procedure set forth in § 16-13-4. Ifthe teacher shall be vindicated as a result of the hearing or any appeal theteacher shall be paid in full for the period of suspension, and providedfurther, that during the period of suspension, all medical and insurancebenefits shall remain in full force and effect.

   (c) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed toprohibit or at any time to have prohibited a school committee from agreeing, ina collective bargaining agreement, to the arbitration of disputes arising outof the suspension of a teacher pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.