The Investigators
We uncover just how many sick days local teachers get and the amount of days will surprise you
Teachers getting so many sick days - they could take off an entire school year. Some of them even get cash for the days they don't use. And it's all with your tax dollars.
The Warwick school committee is involved in teacher contract negotiations that are frustrating for both sides.
The issues involve money.
But there is a contract provision that has been around for forty years and will likely be in the new contract.
That is that in W arwick the 1,130 teachers each get 90 sick days ...that's one-half of the 180 day school year.
Over the last three years 11 teachers have taken all 90 days in a single year.
The cost using an average teacher salary:
-more than $267,000 in sick day pay to teachers
-and at least $74,250 to pay for substitute teachers.
-Total $341,550
ỉƯơIt is a hard sell when you try to say upfront at the beginning of every year, we'll tell you that you can be sick for half the school year. It's a very hard sell to make why that is an important part of the contract.ỉƯơ
Accumulated sick days are used to cover teachers for long illnesses and even maternity leave.
Teachers are prohibited by state law from participating in the temporary disability insurance program that most private sector employees and employers are required to pay into.
ỉƯơIt's a different system. That's why you can't always say government and business run the same way because they're not. There are a whole different set of rules and deliniating factors.ỉƯơ
P rovidence Schools have a bonus program for teachers who take 5 or less sick days a year.
Those teachers get the equivalent of 5 days pay.
At the top end of the salary scale that amounts to more than $16-hundred dollars a year.
At the low end - about $880
T he Providence schools paid out $1.7 million dollars in sick day bonuses in fiscal 2002 and close to $1.8 million in fiscal 2003.
Administrators say the program actually saves money by rewarding good teacher attendance.
Some school districts allow teachers to sell back accumulated sick days when they retire.
The amounts paid to retiring teachers can reach several thousand dollars.
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