Covid-19 Leave No Longer Available for MCPS Employees

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:So you get Covid you go to work sick?? I see resignations.
I will take off sick if I get Covid. Not putting my health or recovery at risk for work from home administrators.

No, you use your existing sick leave like has been the case for decades with every other illness

This. No more two week paid vacations for popping an asymptomatic positive test. Use sick leave like everyone else.

How much vacation time do you think teachers get?

You get 5 personal days a year.

Cue dcum parents who are furious that teachers might need to take a day off during the school year

It's 3 personal days a year. You can carry over some so that you never have more than 5, but you're only given 3.

And some schools are strict about not using them to extend a 3 day weekend (that's fun for the family wedding on a holiday weekend...) And not everyone is given their religious holidays off like Christmas and Easter are, so imagine wanting to be with family on a holiday on 3 personal days.

How much annual leave do you get?

10 month employees receive 10 sick days each academic year. However, if you belong to the Sick Bank (which most employees do), two of those days are donated back to the Sick Bank. Therefore, most employees receive eight additional sick days per academic year.

So 8 sick days, plus 3 personal days, and nothing else?

Well a week for spring break, two weeks at Christmas, two or three days at Thanksgiving, And other national holidays during the school year

Bingo. Much more overall vacation and sick or personal leave then I get!

Oh, okay. I'll try to schedule my Covid infection to hit during spring break so I don't inconvenience your family.

Yeah, that poster is an idiot. Ignore them. I'm sure that this leave will be negotiated in a future contract.

However, I have a genuine question. Between COVID leave that was available and the amount of time spent working virtually, wouldn't many teachers who aren't new have amassed a decent amount of sick leave that could be used if you get COVID?

Not for parents, esp mothers, and esp single parents. MCPS required I use all my saved leave before I could draw from Sick Leave bank for maternity, the county gave me *ONE* day of official leave.

This was before I had to take leave for all the normal baby/toddler illnesses, then childcare covid closures in 2020, then covid -related stricter rules at daycare. For any MCPS employees who gave birth between 2016 and 2020 the last few years have been awful and we've been living in negative leave.

The covid leave policy, when it was finally agreed to, was a saviour because it kept my leave balances at zero rather than too far negative.

Even so, my leave balance went negative this past year after my child was quarantined at daycare and the class was closed. I didn't receive over half my paycheck while I was waiting for the paperwork to be processed. Meanwhile, I was often doing work at home, calling in to meetings, and working in other ways during these quarantines. Single wage earner and no local support. I wanted to work but had no care for my healthy child and was not paid completely for weeks even though I qualified for the Covid leave and documented everything accurately and in a timely fashion.

I think it is fair for MCEA and MCPS to renegotiate the covid leave policy on terms of what we have learned. But it is still very much needed. Teachers need to know that they aren't going to go unpaid if they get sick. Because the alternative, which I've seen for decades, is that teachers go to school sick and keep teaching.

[Anonymous]

Folks arguing about teachers using their normal sick leave if they are sick with Covid are missing the more important point. Covid leave covered the isolation period. Without it, teachers aren’t going to stay home using up sick leave when they feel fine, but may still be shedding virus. If that is a concern to parents, then express that to MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Folks arguing about teachers using their normal sick leave if they are sick with Covid are missing the more important point. Covid leave covered the isolation period. Without it, teachers aren’t going to stay home using up sick leave when they feel fine, but may still be shedding virus. If that is a concern to parents, then express that to MCPS.

Indeed. I’m concerned some teachers would needlessly stay home, too, as opposed to simply wearing a mask when they’re able to do their job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks arguing about teachers using their normal sick leave if they are sick with Covid are missing the more important point. Covid leave covered the isolation period. Without it, teachers aren’t going to stay home using up sick leave when they feel fine, but may still be shedding virus. If that is a concern to parents, then express that to MCPS.

Indeed. I’m concerned some teachers would needlessly stay home, too, as opposed to simply wearing a mask when they’re able to do their job.

If they’ are positive they need to stay home. The real issue is you don’t want to deal with your kids and don’t care about how your choices impact others. You get them sick, and your answer is for them to mask up and work. Since it’s no big deal, how about you mask up and do their job till they test negative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks arguing about teachers using their normal sick leave if they are sick with Covid are missing the more important point. Covid leave covered the isolation period. Without it, teachers aren’t going to stay home using up sick leave when they feel fine, but may still be shedding virus. If that is a concern to parents, then express that to MCPS.

Indeed. I’m concerned some teachers would needlessly stay home, too, as opposed to simply wearing a mask when they’re able to do their job.

If they’ are positive they need to stay home. The real issue is you don’t want to deal with your kids and don’t care about how your choices impact others. You get them sick, and your answer is for them to mask up and work. Since it’s no big deal, how about you mask up and do their job till they test negative.

Great idea. Bet PP will jump at the chance!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you get Covid you go to work sick?? I see resignations.
I will take off sick if I get Covid. Not putting my health or recovery at risk for work from home administrators.

No, you use your existing sick leave like has been the case for decades with every other illness

This. No more two week paid vacations for popping an asymptomatic positive test. Use sick leave like everyone else.

How much vacation time do you think teachers get?

You get 5 personal days a year.

Cue dcum parents who are furious that teachers might need to take a day off during the school year

It's 3 personal days a year. You can carry over some so that you never have more than 5, but you're only given 3.

And some schools are strict about not using them to extend a 3 day weekend (that's fun for the family wedding on a holiday weekend...) And not everyone is given their religious holidays off like Christmas and Easter are, so imagine wanting to be with family on a holiday on 3 personal days.

How much annual leave do you get?

10 month employees receive 10 sick days each academic year. However, if you belong to the Sick Bank (which most employees do), two of those days are donated back to the Sick Bank. Therefore, most employees receive eight additional sick days per academic year.

So 8 sick days, plus 3 personal days, and nothing else?

Well a week for spring break, two weeks at Christmas, two or three days at Thanksgiving, And other national holidays during the school year

Bingo. Much more overall vacation and sick or personal leave then I get!

Neato. Well, they’re hiring. Enjoy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are paid for 216 days a year. I just got Mail from MCPS about my step increase and it included my salary information plus how many days I’m paid for per year.

We are paid for 195 days. This amout is spread out over 212-216 days, depending on the calendar in any given school year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And now Carefirst is gone. Not a happy camper.

I'm on the verge of a panic attack right now. I've been in cancer treatment for the last year and have a zillion providers and some really expensive prescriptions. There is zero chance they are getting "significant cost savings" without the coverage being appreciably worse. I seriously want to cry. Everything was finally calming down and now I'm going to have to deal with this crap. They already can't hire enough staff for the salaries they offer, so hey, let's make the benefits worse! Genius.

Hey, I dont know anything about the MCPS care first plan. But just wanted to let you know that I have a carefirst PPO gold plan thru Maryland Obamacare. I’m 46 and it costs me 535 a month with no subsidies. Honestly I havent had to use it yet much but it seems pretty good. It’s a nationwide network. I realize paying out of pocket for health insurance sucks but it might be worth it for you to check it out during open season.

I would take that but MCPS should pay the portion they contribute towards the Cigna plan for us to find our own insurance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And now Carefirst is gone. Not a happy camper.

I'm on the verge of a panic attack right now. I've been in cancer treatment for the last year and have a zillion providers and some really expensive prescriptions. There is zero chance they are getting "significant cost savings" without the coverage being appreciably worse. I seriously want to cry. Everything was finally calming down and now I'm going to have to deal with this crap. They already can't hire enough staff for the salaries they offer, so hey, let's make the benefits worse! Genius.

Hey, I dont know anything about the MCPS care first plan. But just wanted to let you know that I have a carefirst PPO gold plan thru Maryland Obamacare. I’m 46 and it costs me 535 a month with no subsidies. Honestly I havent had to use it yet much but it seems pretty good. It’s a nationwide network. I realize paying out of pocket for health insurance sucks but it might be worth it for you to check it out during open season.

I would take that but MCPS should pay the portion they contribute towards the Cigna plan for us to find our own insurance.

Good luck with that!

[Anonymous]

The majority of working parents did not have COVID leave when they had to support their kids in virtual learning for 15 months while juggling careers, so teachers can deal with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you get Covid you go to work sick?? I see resignations.
I will take off sick if I get Covid. Not putting my health or recovery at risk for work from home administrators.

No, you use your existing sick leave like has been the case for decades with every other illness

This. No more two week paid vacations for popping an asymptomatic positive test. Use sick leave like everyone else.

How much vacation time do you think teachers get?

You get 5 personal days a year.

Cue dcum parents who are furious that teachers might need to take a day off during the school year

It's 3 personal days a year. You can carry over some so that you never have more than 5, but you're only given 3.

And some schools are strict about not using them to extend a 3 day weekend (that's fun for the family wedding on a holiday weekend...) And not everyone is given their religious holidays off like Christmas and Easter are, so imagine wanting to be with family on a holiday on 3 personal days.

How much annual leave do you get?

10 month employees receive 10 sick days each academic year. However, if you belong to the Sick Bank (which most employees do), two of those days are donated back to the Sick Bank. Therefore, most employees receive eight additional sick days per academic year.

So 8 sick days, plus 3 personal days, and nothing else?

Well a week for spring break, two weeks at Christmas, two or three days at Thanksgiving, And other national holidays during the school year

Bingo. Much more overall vacation and sick or personal leave then I get!

Oh, okay. I'll try to schedule my Covid infection to hit during spring break so I don't inconvenience your family.

Yeah, that poster is an idiot. Ignore them. I'm sure that this leave will be negotiated in a future contract.

However, I have a genuine question. Between COVID leave that was available and the amount of time spent working virtually, wouldn't many teachers who aren't new have amassed a decent amount of sick leave that could be used if you get COVID?

Not for parents, esp mothers, and esp single parents. MCPS required I use all my saved leave before I could draw from Sick Leave bank for maternity, the county gave me *ONE* day of official leave.

This was before I had to take leave for all the normal baby/toddler illnesses, then childcare covid closures in 2020, then covid -related stricter rules at daycare. For any MCPS employees who gave birth between 2016 and 2020 the last few years have been awful and we've been living in negative leave.

The covid leave policy, when it was finally agreed to, was a saviour because it kept my leave balances at zero rather than too far negative.

Even so, my leave balance went negative this past year after my child was quarantined at daycare and the class was closed. I didn't receive over half my paycheck while I was waiting for the paperwork to be processed. Meanwhile, I was often doing work at home, calling in to meetings, and working in other ways during these quarantines. Single wage earner and no local support. I wanted to work but had no care for my healthy child and was not paid completely for weeks even though I qualified for the Covid leave and documented everything accurately and in a timely fashion.

I think it is fair for MCEA and MCPS to renegotiate the covid leave policy on terms of what we have learned. But it is still very much needed. Teachers need to know that they aren't going to go unpaid if they get sick. Because the alternative, which I've seen for decades, is that teachers go to school sick and keep teaching.

PP, thanks for explaining these challenges. I hadn't considered issues like how recent maternity leave would impact the amount of sick leave available. I'm always amazed at how little teachers get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are paid for 216 days a year. I just got Mail from MCPS about my step increase and it included my salary information plus how many days I’m paid for per year.

We are paid for 195 days. This amout is spread out over 212-216 days, depending on the calendar in any given school year.

I'm assuming that includes holidays like Thanksgiving, Spring and Winter break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The majority of working parents did not have COVID leave when they had to support their kids in virtual learning for 15 months while juggling careers, so teachers can deal with it.

I see where you are coming from, but how do you want teachers to deal with it? When they get COVID, should they use half or more of their sick leave that year, but still prepare detailed and relevant sub plans for each day they are out? Or should they deal with it by just staying home and NOT spending hours writing sub plans while their classes have no real instruction for the week? Or do they deal with it by just coming to work if they don't feel too bad and possibly spread Covid to students and other teachers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The majority of working parents did not have COVID leave when they had to support their kids in virtual learning for 15 months while juggling careers, so teachers can deal with it.

I see where you are coming from, but how do you want teachers to deal with it? When they get COVID, should they use half or more of their sick leave that year, but still prepare detailed and relevant sub plans for each day they are out? Or should they deal with it by just staying home and NOT spending hours writing sub plans while their classes have no real instruction for the week? Or do they deal with it by just coming to work if they don't feel too bad and possibly spread Covid to students and other teachers?

Isn’t it obvious they should do the last one? If they feel well enough to work, they should put on a mask and go to work.

How do you think essential employees and health care workers have been getting through this? Or pretty much anyone with kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The majority of working parents did not have COVID leave when they had to support their kids in virtual learning for 15 months while juggling careers, so teachers can deal with it.

I see where you are coming from, but how do you want teachers to deal with it? When they get COVID, should they use half or more of their sick leave that year, but still prepare detailed and relevant sub plans for each day they are out? Or should they deal with it by just staying home and NOT spending hours writing sub plans while their classes have no real instruction for the week? Or do they deal with it by just coming to work if they don't feel too bad and possibly spread Covid to students and other teachers?

They should not be at work if they are positive for COVID. If they feel well enough to write sub plans, then they should and must be paid for that time. If they don’t feel well enough to write plans then they should just be at home resting. School admin needs to figure out a backup plan to teach material to kids while the teacher is out. The same as they would if a teacher was hit by a bus. Yes the first two days will be messy but it’s no different than the minimal instructions days before a holiday or after Memorial Day. Radical behavior changes I know, but it’s not that difficult.