Schenectady firefighters suspended over sick leave discrepancies Wednesday, April 3, 2013 By Kathleen Moore (Contact) Gazette Reporter Text Size: A | A
SCHENECTADY — Two Schenectady firefighters have been suspended without pay over potential sick time abuse.
City officials would not release the firefighters’ names. However, they said both firefighters were suspended Tuesday for failing to prove that they were legitimately sick.
The firefighters have called in for a lengthy period of time, Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett said, and have not returned to work yet. They also haven’t produced a doctor’s note to justify staying home.
“They’re required to produce documentation” if city officials ask for it, Bennett said. “It was requested and they did not produce it.”
Firefighters can use sick time for illness or off-duty injuries, according to their contract. City officials said it would be a violation of privacy to describe the illness or injury in these cases.
But the firefighters may lose their jobs over it. Mayor Gary McCarthy declined to comment on the case, saying he should not speak because he would have to make the final decision on whether to terminate the firefighters after a disciplinary hearing.
“I don’t want to look like I’m prejudging anything,” he said. “Just let it go through the process.”
That process starts with a 30-day unpaid suspension. If the issue isn’t resolved during that time, their suspensions will continue with pay, Chief Michael Della Rocco said.
It’s not clear how long the matter will drag out. If city officials file paperwork to fire the workers, they might be paid for months before a decision is made.
"Holy crap!! Did she EAT Bob??"
Not everything on the Interweb is truth. Only a gullible fool would believe otherwise.
I am neither Left wing nor Right wing. I am gro-wing.
why are their names not being released? we pay their salaries.....we should have that information.....yes?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I'm pretty sure I've seen names released in the past in connection with the sick leave abuse issue. Perhaps they are being overly cautious over HIPA rules, but if they can't release the names they should say so, to dispel any impression that they are covering something up. It's really too bad when this kind of thing happens. Having to produce a doctor's note when you are sick or injured for any length of time is really not that onerous a burden, especially when many people have to report to work with the flu or lose pay. Another case of ruining it for everybody, it looks like.
In what way, Cic? Do you think the majority of their brethren side with these two, or resent them for pulling this at a time when people are becoming resentful of unionized public employees in general?
In what way, Cic? Do you think the majority of their brethren side with these two, or resent them for pulling this at a time when people are becoming resentful of unionized public employees in general?
I think the Union Brethren side with whatever will help them receive additional compensation.
The fact that this couldn't be resolved privately between the Union and the City, and that it is now into the papers for public debate, leads me to believe this is part of a larger Union PR campaign.
Who contacted the newspaper and made this public? The union or the city? Somebody called Kathleen Moore, I doubt she is periodically checking the SFD attendance records.
I think the Union Brethren side with whatever will help them receive additional compensation.
The fact that this couldn't be resolved privately between the Union and the City, and that it is now into the papers for public debate, leads me to believe this is part of a larger Union PR campaign.
Who contacted the newspaper and made this public? The union or the city? Somebody called Kathleen Moore, I doubt she is periodically checking the SFD attendance records.
they can name the names without diagnosis....
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Mayor Gary McCarthy declined to comment on the case, saying he should not speak because he would have to make the final decision on whether to terminate the firefighters after a disciplinary hearing.
“I don’t want to look like I’m prejudging anything,” he said. “Just let it go through the process.”
Riiiiiiigggghhhhttt....the last thing a Mayor who is collecting his pension ONTOP of the mayoral salary the taxpayers are funding should do is comment on this.
It's the pot calling the kettle black.
Hey, why don't we start looking into the City workers as well? Did we ever clear up the Brian Stratton handshake deals of the past???
Didn't the guy who declared the handshake deals legal have one of those deals himself? I think when our ant-corruption, white knight governor elevated BS to a patronage position after he got caught red-handed padding a pension for a crony, something the governor was against when he was attorney general, getting to the bottom of those dirty deals was something we could forget about. Heck, nobody is even interested in finding out who ordered the crime scene destroyed in that fatal fire on McClellan Street. Where was BS in all that? Hiding someplace. Government is like tomatoes in that it rots from the top.
leave these guys alone.....it will work itself out.......
sorry....but these guys are being paid by YOU AND ME!!! it should be worked out....IN FRONT OF US!!!! if this happened in ROTTENdam,(which it does with the cops) you'd be singing a differnet tune.
just sayin'
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
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