Clay, St. Johns teachers concerned over removal of COVID-19 leave

2 years ago 242

14 other days of paid permission were successful spot past twelvemonth for anyone who had to quarantine, but that backing has expired

Teachers are sounding disconnected astir the removal of paid sick days that were successful spot past twelvemonth for anyone who had to quarantine owed to COVID-19.

News4Jax has learned from aggregate schoolhouse districts that the backing was from the national government’s Families First Coronavirus Response Act and expired astatine the extremity of 2020.

Some Northeast Florida schoolhouse districts, including Clay and St. Johns counties, were capable to widen the backing locally done the extremity of this past schoolhouse year. But it won’t beryllium determination this coming year. That means the lone sick permission afforded to territory unit is mean sick leave. This past year, they were fixed 14 other days.

Now teachers are saying they won’t beryllium paid if they request to quarantine beyond their allotted sick time.

“We were told contiguous that they took distant the 14/10 days of covid wage for each staff. We were told that we indispensable usage our idiosyncratic permission if we are forced to quarantine,” wrote 1 territory idiosyncratic successful a connection to News4Jax.

The Clay County Education Association, which represents teachers successful Clay County, is besides speaking out.

“We’re asking our teachers and enactment unit to spell backmost successful the classroom, beryllium connected the frontlines successful the mediate of a surge, and if you get sick and the section of wellness says quarantine, you conscionable don’t get paid oregon you person to anticipation you person immoderate sick days near aft past year,” said Vicki Kidwell, president of the association. “We don’t consciousness that’s a just inquire of our instructors oregon our enactment unit to get those schools open. And by the way, you mightiness not get paid if you get sick.”

News4Jax has besides reached retired to Duval County Public Schools astir this.