Non-union CPS employees to get paid maternity and sick leave

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Chicago Public Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard. FILE PHOTO. | Tom Cruze~Sun-Times

Updated: March 18, 2012 8:20AM

Chicago Public School principals and other non-union employees would for the first time receive paid maternity and illness leaves — but could no longer stockpile sick days — under a proposed overhaul of what officials Thursday called an “antiquated’’ sick-day policy.

City Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard hailed the plan as a “historic step that is long past due for CPS employees and their families.’’

In addition, he said, the proposal up for a Wednesday school board vote “will eliminate wasteful sick day payouts that drain millions of dollars every year from our schools.’’

Whether CPS teachers would also be subject to the “use it or lose it” sick-day change would be determined in ongoing talks on a union contract that expires June 30.

Because CPS never offered maternity or illness leave options, many employees saved sick days to use as maternity leave — but sometimes at the cost of working ill, CPS officials contend. Some stockpiled their sick days to cover the bills in the event of a medical emergency. Others just saved the days to build a farewell piggybank.

The proposal allows principals, top brass and other non-union CPS employees to finally be paid for medical leaves — including maternity leaves — of up to 90 days beyond the annual allotment of one sick day per month of work and three personal days.

The first 30 days of medical leave would be covered at the rate of 100 percent; the next 30 days at an 80 percent rate, and the next 30 at a 60 percent rate.

At the same time, no new unused sick days could be carried over into following years, starting July 1. But as many as 325 sick days collected up to that date could be frozen and cashed out upon departure — at the departing salary rate — or, when needed, converted to time off, said CPS Human Resources Chief Alicia Winckler.

Previously, Winckler said, “We had a sick day policy that encouraged people to come to work when they were ill so they could save days for when they were more seriously ill. We’re introducing a different way to compensate people to take care of their health and wellness.’’

“We’re not going to say, ‘Wow, thank you, what a benefit’ because it’s not. It’s less than before,’’ said John Butterfield, top aide to Chicago Principals Association President Clarice Berry.

“The big worry for people was, ‘Are they going to steal away in the middle of the night what people had earned for years?’” Butterfield said. Although that did not seem the case, Butterfield said the association was still examining the details.

Butterfield also questioned “Where’s the paternity part of the maternity policy?” Winkler said officials are exploring ways to provide paternity leave as well as adoptive-parent leave.

Over five years, the sick-day revisions are expected to save the system $11 million, followed by even higher savings, Winkler said. The old sick-day policy cost CPS $9.5 million a year in banked sick-day cash-outs to non-union employees, officials estimated.