Teacher faces termination after calling in sick for 2 days to attend a concert in Nashville, district says

Thavoice said:
I would love to hear more details on how they were found out. Often times it is just plain stupidity!!!!
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I knew a couple of supervisors who called in sick to attend one the NCAA Final Four without telling- maybe 20 years ago. Unfortunately CBS showed them close-up in the stands high-fiving everyone during a break, and their bosses were watching at home.

I believe they got suspended without pay for a few weeks - that got everyone's attention. Their bosses were none too happy and sent a message. The guys had to put up with a LOT of ribbing for a few weeks after they came back. :)
 
Zunardo said:
I knew a couple of supervisors who called in sick to attend one the NCAA Final Four without telling- maybe 20 years ago. Unfortunately CBS showed them close-up in the stands high-fiving everyone during a break, and their bosses were watching at home.

I believe they got suspended without pay for a few weeks - that got everyone's attention. Their bosses were none too happy and sent a message. The guys had to put up with a LOT of ribbing for a few weeks after they came back. :)
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I would have found another job. Those type can KMA!
 
Omar said:
Why is this even news?
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Because someone lost their job and the big bad company fired a teacher. It's funny how on one hand we complain that there is no work ethic or integrity anymore, yet when an employer acts on an employee, they get called heartless. Now obviously being a teacher she's union protected, so I wonder how this works out. But then again, if it's plainly worded in her contract that you need to be sick to use sick days, then it's an issue. I'm with someone earlier in thinking that if this was a fantastic teacher with a sparkling record, nothing would had happened. There is more to this story.
 
Omar said:
It’s the dumbest new story I’ve ever seen.
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Are you kidding, this is the cream of what the media wants to report on. Now, it's also a public school district and taxpayer dollars pay these teachers. She was off, so a sub had to be hired with costs money. Take it out to extreme and if you allow teachers to miss school days willy nilly, and taxpayers pay for subs, that's a problem. Many people simply don't see this aspect of it.
 
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14Red said:
Are you kidding, this is the cream of what the media wants to report on. Now, it's also a public school district and taxpayer dollars pay these teachers. She was off, so a sub had to be hired with costs money. Take it out to extreme and if you allow teachers to miss school days willy nilly, and taxpayers pay for subs, that's a problem. Many people simply don't see this aspect of it.
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Well LW should modify their sick leave policy IMHO. Give them 5 days and after that. they need a written excuse from the doctor, dentist, etc.
 
LELL said:
Well LW should modify their sick leave policy IMHO. Give them 5 days and after that. they need a written excuse from the doctor, dentist, etc.
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Isn't 15 days a statewide standard? Sick days accrued in Ohio transfer between districts.
 
LELL said:
I would have found another job. Those type can KMA!
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Naw. You start documenting every time the supervisor makes even the slightest mistake and make their boss aware. When they get mad just lay it back on them. What are they going to do, fire you for wanting everyone to follow the same rules?
 
While I disagree with taking sick time for nonmedical or medical adjacent things, seeing as Teacher's don't get PTO and not everything can be scheduled during the summer, I don't have an issue with this. Add to it, most districts aren't paying out accrued sick time on retirement and there isn't any reason not to use it as you see fit.
 
LELL said:
I would have found another job. Those type can KMA!
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Nah. They were pretty well-respected at work. I can't remember the details, but I the opportunity was a last-minute thing, and they made a fast but ill-advised decision to go with the sick leave ruse. They got caught, took their punishment like men, and that was that.

And they pretty much stayed on the straight-and-narrow after that until they retired. That's why it's called "corrective action". 😉
 
14Red said:
Because someone lost their job and the big bad company fired a teacher. It's funny how on one hand we complain that there is no work ethic or integrity anymore, yet when an employer acts on an employee, they get called heartless. Now obviously being a teacher she's union protected, so I wonder how this works out. But then again, if it's plainly worded in her contract that you need to be sick to use sick days, then it's an issue. I'm with someone earlier in thinking that if this was a fantastic teacher with a sparkling record, nothing would had happened. There is more to this story.
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What a teacher can claim as a sick day is regulated by state law, or was when I retired from my full-time position.

I took some "mental health days" in my time, and then either stayed at home or was in the woods far out of town where I would not be seen. What are the odds there are pictures from the concert on social media?

I know a lot of younger teachers consider sick day as paid time off and use them all. That's not what they are by law or by contract. If the administration is holding the line on spending tax payer dollars I have no argument with that.
 
chs1971 said:
I took some "mental health days" in my time, and then either stayed at home or was in the woods far out of town where I would not be seen. What are the odds there are pictures from the concert on social media?
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Oh oh chs1971, looks like someone got a picture of you out in the woods!
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LELL said:
Well LW should modify their sick leave policy IMHO. Give them 5 days and after that. they need a written excuse from the doctor, dentist, etc.
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I'm guessing this was collectively bargained in the last teacher contract negotiations.
 
chs1971 said:
What a teacher can claim as a sick day is regulated by state law, or was when I retired from my full-time position.

I took some "mental health days" in my time, and then either stayed at home or was in the woods far out of town where I would not be seen. What are the odds there are pictures from the concert on social media?

I know a lot of younger teachers consider sick day as paid time off and use them all. That's not what they are by law or by contract. If the administration is holding the line on spending tax payer dollars I have no argument with that.
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Yes, Yes and Yes. I think the major error here was announcing where you were at during these "sick" days. Also, because it union negotiated contract, this is what you get. You can't fire one teacher breaking the contract and let others slide. Union contract take any discretion out of it, this time it worked against the teacher.
 
chs1971 said:
What a teacher can claim as a sick day is regulated by state law, or was when I retired from my full-time position.
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Correct. In fact, the article links to the board's documentation which states:
From the evidence gathered, the conclusion was that Ms. Washburn’s actions violated O.R.C. §3319.141, Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 14.01(H), a number of Board Policies, including 3432 (Sick Leave) and 3210 (Staff Ethics). Her actions also violated the Licensure Code of Professional Conduct for Ohio Educators, specifically Principles 1 and 3.
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chs1971 said:
I took some "mental health days" in my time, and then either stayed at home or was in the woods far out of town where I would not be seen. What are the odds there are pictures from the concert on social media?

I know a lot of younger teachers consider sick day as paid time off and use them all. That's not what they are by law or by contract. If the administration is holding the line on spending tax payer dollars I have no argument with that.
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I agree 100%. Teachers agree to their contracts and should be held accountable. Just as the board and administrators should be accountable.
 
It's one thing that she used her sick days when she apparently wasn't sick. But she also serves on a school board of a neighboring district. How would she repsond if somebody in that district abused their days?
 
Yappi said:
I suspect it was the teacher or allies that leaked the story to sway public opinion.
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But if you’re a news outlet, why do you care? People break workplace rules all the time in every line of work. If she was a school admin, who got arrested like the Moe President, I get it. However, this is just a teacher, who didn’t get in trouble at the concert.
 
14Red said:
Are you kidding, this is the cream of what the media wants to report on. Now, it's also a public school district and taxpayer dollars pay these teachers. She was off, so a sub had to be hired with costs money. Take it out to extreme and if you allow teachers to miss school days willy nilly, and taxpayers pay for subs, that's a problem. Many people simply don't see this aspect of it.
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Exactly.

People will read this, and we are talking bout it!
Cubsandtigers said:
First rule about misusing sick leave.

Don’t tell anybody

Second rule about misusing sick leave.

Don’t tell anybody
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Also is wise to prep the battlefield ...complain of not feeling well at work the day prior...kick around the idea of leaving early....
 
If you accrue sick days year after year: Do you get paid for those days eventually if not used? Can you save them all and use them your last year of employment before you retire?

If you don't get paid out for them, I'm using them all either every year or banking them up to a certain amount and using them.
 
JackEd said:
Can you save them all and use them your last year of employment before you retire?
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In the right circumstances, yes. My aunt had enough sick days accrued over her career that she was able to take off her final year of teaching to care for my uncle before he eventually succumbed to cancer.

My wife has also told me that when teachers are diagnosed with a disease such as cancer districts allow other employees to donate some of their sick days to their stricken colleague so that person can take extra time off to recover.
 
JackEd said:
If you accrue sick days year after year: Do you get paid for those days eventually if not used?
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State law allows for up to 30 days according to this https://ohea.org/resources/professi...rance pay,district or the negotiated contract.

Teacher Severance Pay​

Teachers can receive severance pay based upon accumulated unused sick leave at the time of retirement. Payment may be for all or part of accumulated unused sick leave based upon the policy in force in the district or the negotiated contract. If the district has no policy, or there is no local contract language on this point, the law provides for severance pay in an amount equal to one-fourth of the accrued unused sick leave, up to a maximum accrual of 30 days.
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