Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Teachers, how much leave time do you have saved up? I'm just curious because it occurred to me that I have, in my opinion, way too much saved up. This is my 18th year teaching and I have just under 830 hours of leave.
I can understand a new teacher saving and building up leave, but I think I have an overabundance of hours. There is really no reason to hold on to that many and I figure I may as well start whittling it back. I took yesterday off to go to the Dr. in the a.m. and it basically amounted to a 3 day weekend. I figure, even if I take a day a month I'll still earn leave at the rate I'm using it.
I will accrue time simply because I don't use days off unless I need them. I don't consider it professional to use time just because you have it. I had perfect attendance for 8 out of the 17 years I worked for my last company. Most years I did take time off it was less than 5 days and, usually, for legitimate reasons (Ok, once in a blue moon I took a mental health day but it was, usually, because I was too stressed and needed it so I think that's legit).
My answer is, I'll use it if I need it but not if I don't. I really don't get why schools allow sick time to accrue. They don't do that in industry. If you get sick, they give you the time. If you have a doctor's appointment, ditto...if you don't, they don't. It works out in the end. Sooner or later, we alll get sick or have a reason we need to take time off.
It is not my habit, for the 30+ years I've been working, to take time off just because I'm paid for it. If all goes well, I'll accumulate 7-12 days per year until I quit teaching. If I get sick, I'll use my days. Fortunately, I don't get sick often. I think it's kind of cool that they'll just pay me for those days if I never use them. You don't see that kind of perk outside of government jobs.
Here in NJ many teachers try to accumulate a years worth of personal and sick days. The reason being if you become seriously ill you can use your sick days until your contract renews getting you at least another year of insurance. On the other hand it takes a very long time to accumulate that when you get 2 personal days and 8 sick days a year.
Some people freak out because of the cost, for instance in my district when you retire you get $50 dollars a day up to $10K for each sick day unused. This irks me because no one considers the amount of money the district saved by not paying a sub (about $100 a day).
Oh and here it isnt hours its days of leave. So you cannot take half a sick day to go to the doctor, you have to take a whole one.
Here in NJ many teachers try to accumulate a years worth of personal and sick days. The reason being if you become seriously ill you can use your sick days until your contract renews getting you at least another year of insurance. On the other hand it takes a very long time to accumulate that when you get 2 personal days and 8 sick days a year.
Some people freak out because of the cost, for instance in my district when you retire you get $50 dollars a day up to $10K for each sick day unused. This irks me because no one considers the amount of money the district saved by not paying a sub (about $100 a day).
Oh and here it isnt hours its days of leave. So you cannot take half a sick day to go to the doctor, you have to take a whole one.
I will accrue time simply because I don't use days off unless I need them. Most years I did take time off it was less than 5 days and, usually, for legitimate reasons (Ok, once in a blue moon I took a mental health day but it was, usually, because I was too stressed and needed it so I think that's legit).
I don't get sick often. I think it's kind of cool that they'll just pay me for those days if I never use them. You don't see that kind of perk outside of government jobs.
I have been the same way, that is why I have 830 hours. But we don't get paid for unused sick leave when we move from the system or retire. If we did, then yes, that would make a difference and be a huge incentive to hold on to them. I currently have 111 days of leave. I figure in lieu of a pay raise since Sept. '08, I may as well take a day off now and then.
Here in NJ many teachers try to accumulate a years worth of personal and sick days. The reason being if you become seriously ill you can use your sick days until your contract renews getting you at least another year of insurance. On the other hand it takes a very long time to accumulate that when you get 2 personal days and 8 sick days a year.
Some people freak out because of the cost, for instance in my district when you retire you get $50 dollars a day up to $10K for each sick day unused. This irks me because no one considers the amount of money the district saved by not paying a sub (about $100 a day).
Oh and here it isnt hours its days of leave. So you cannot take half a sick day to go to the doctor, you have to take a whole one.
Our district will provide salary replacement through the short-term disability plan, which provides 100 percent salary replacement if the employee has been disabled for more than 20 continuous workdays. At the end of that period, if eligible, you are then moved to the long-term disability plan which pays 66 2/3 of your salary.
We can take chunks of leave, down to a quarter hour. But again, we don't get paid for any unused leave.
I have been the same way, that is why I have 830 hours. But we don't get paid for unused sick leave when we move from the system or retire. If we did, then yes, that would be a huge incentive to hold on to them.
We get paid for a maximum of 100 days when we leave the district or retire. Anything beyond that is lost. I'm not sure how much they pay per day. I assume something less than sub pay since my taking the days off would cost them what they pay a sub.
The last school I worked at just paid you at the end of the year for any days you didn't take. I would prefer to let them accrue just in case I get really sick. You can be, easily, out 12 weeks if you have a heart attack. Having those days is one less thing to worry about.
I would not put off things like doctors appointments just to save time. I do schedule routine appointments during breaks though. I see no reason to take off for getting my teeth cleaned, an eye exam or a physical but I'll take off if I have something that needs to be addressed. I don't do it because I'm against using the days they give though. I do it because it's such a PITA to write sub plans. It just messes up my whole plan to take days off.
Our district will provide salary replacement through the short-term disability plan, which provides 100 percent salary replacement if the employee has been disabled for more than 20 continuous workdays. At the end of that period, if eligible, you are then moved to the long-term disability plan which pays 66 2/3 of your salary.
We can take chunks of leave, down to a quarter hour. But again, we don't get paid for any unused leave.
If you are out on sick leave when your contract is up it is not renewed.
And we only get the sick days if we retire not if we leave the district.
We get paid for a maximum of 100 days when we leave the district or retire.
The last school I worked at just paid you at the end of the year for any days you didn't take. I would prefer to let them accrue just in case I get really sick. You can be, easily, out 12 weeks if you have a heart attack. Having those days is one less thing to worry about.
I would not put off things like doctors appointments just to save time. I do schedule routine appointments during breaks though. I see no reason to take off for getting my teeth cleaned, an eye exam or a physical but I'll take off if I have something that needs to be addressed. I don't do it because I'm against using the days they give though. I do it because it's such a PITA to write sub plans. It just messes up my whole plan to take days off.
That is really nice that they pay you for unused days. We can only convert our unused leave to service credit at retirement. So what, retire with 32.5 years instead of 32? Big whoop!
I'm just talking about taking a day every so often. Maybe 5 or 6 a school year. I know some people who will take 3-5 days off in a row and go on a cruise or some other type of vacation. I've never been willing to do that. Then again, I know some administrators will charge a person 15 minutes of leave to run home and get something she forgot.
I don't dare use time off. I am not tenured yet, and my district has built days taken off into the RIF determination.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
for legitimate reasons (Ok, once in a blue moon I took a mental health day but it was, usually, because I was too stressed and needed it so I think that's legit).
