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Main Page Police cut sick leave Decrease number of days used by 54%
(Click here to view the original thread on the MassCops Message Board)

Posted by: alphadog1

DRACUT -- Sick-time abuse among police officers in Dracut was a major concern in 2006 when the total number of sick days used by department personnel was 343.

That number was cut by 54 percent last year to 155.25 sick days, Deputy Chief David Chartrand said.

"We kept track of it for a full year," Chartrand said. "We asked our shift commanders to report immediately if they started seeing a pattern of abuse. We are very happy with the results. It's a credit to the entire department who really stepped up in 2007. Hopefully, we can continue the progress."
Police Chief Kevin Richardson was looking specifically at officers who took a sick day on the heels of another day off. Not included in the study were officers who had legitimate excuses for being out, such as long-term illness, work-related disability or surgical procedures that required extensive rehabilitation.

Chartrand said the department used 188 fewer sick days in 2007 compared to 2006. "What bothered us the most (in 2006) was that when somebody took time off, it fell to the other officers to fill in the gap," Chartrand said. "It limited our manpower and forced some of the officers to stay on for an extended shift. That's not fair to anyone."

Officers work four eight-hour shifts followed by two days off. Department regulations state that a doctor's note must be submitted after three consecutive sick days but that was not always adhered to in 2006, Richardson said.

From 2001 to 2002, employees used 199 sick days. That number jumped to 497 in 2005. When Richardson took over as chief, he made ending sick-time abuse one of his priorities. "I think the officers have bought into the philosophy," Chartrand said. "The officers have made a statement that we take sick time abuse very seriously. They're looking out for their fellow officers by being responsible and not abusing the system. The numbers are very encouraging."

Posted by: Deuce

Quote:

Originally Posted by alphadog1

When Richardson took over as chief, he made ending sick-time abuse one of his priorities. "I think the officers have bought into the philosophy," Chartrand said. "The officers have made a statement that we take sick time abuse very seriously. They're looking out for their fellow officers by being responsible and not abusing the system. The numbers are very encouraging."

Sniff sniff.. I smell threats and intimidation. And if it's like where I work the command staff receives a stipend for it....

Posted by: Kem25

Whatever sick time your earn each month (ours is like 1.25 days, I think) is time that you earned and your are entitled too. What is the point of having sick time if you are going to be reprimanded by your department for using the time you earn? In my opinion this is an issue that more and more unions are going to start filing grievances about (especially if officers start receiving sick time abuser letters in personnel files). I hardly take sick time but I am not about to go questioning fellow officers on their use of the sick time they have earned.

Posted by: Edmizer1

Sick time is not vacation time. I work for a small/medium size agency and sick calls can often mean mandatory OT. If you work opposite a few sick time abusers it can really stink. We have a guy that uses sick time as vacation time as soon as he gets it. He just had surgery and is almost out of the very little sick time he had although he has several years on the job. I heard he is sniffing around about asking others to donate sick time which I don't think the pd will let him do anyway. I know one person who isn't going to donate one minute.

Posted by: dave7336

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edmizer1

Sick time is not vacation time. I work for a small/medium size agency and sick calls can often mean mandatory OT. If you work opposite a few sick time abusers it can really stink. We have a guy that uses sick time as vacation time as soon as he gets it. He just had surgery and is almost out of the very little sick time he had although he has several years on the job. I heard he is sniffing around about asking others to donate sick time which I don't think the pd will let him do anyway. I know one person who isn't going to donate one minute.

I agree. I see more people get forced to work shifts and have to cancel personal plans because someone just decides to bang in when he/she knows their day off won't get filled.

That being said, even though there are some officers that abuse the system, it seems as though the depts/towns never go after them. Instead they decide to crack down on the person who sicks off once in awhile. If that person happens to use 4 days in a row during one year, he gets his head handed to him. On the other hand, there could be a guy that sicks off 12-13 days a year and nothing gets said.

I don't want to see another officer get jammed up, but the depts should really focus on the slackers, not the officer that uses one once in awhile.

Posted by: copcar65

A friend of mine in a neighboring PD was called in because they noticed 42% of his sick days were immediately before or after his days off. They told him this was a sign of abuse and they would be watching him.

When he told me, I pointed out that 50% of his scheduled work days are immediately before or after his days off. He was actually 8% lower than one would expect. He wished he had thought of that when they had him in the office!!

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