sick leave

The Paid Sick Leave Scam

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On the November ballots, City of Milwaukee residents may have to vote on whether private employers should be required to provide paid sick leave for all employees.

Here’s what the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says about it:

A coalition led by 9to5, the National Association of Working Women, has mounted a petition drive demanding an ordinance to require the city’s private-sector employers to provide paid sick leave for their workers, and to let those workers take sick days to care for ailing family members.

Sounds good, right? Everyone should get paid time off to care for sick family members, right? It’s just the compassionate thing to do, right?

Read moreThe Paid Sick Leave Scam

Another Outrageous Overtime Situation in Wisconsin

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Lately there have been several stories about government employees and overtime pay. I covered the gaming of the overtime/sick leave system by jail guards, and recently there was also a report on excessive overtime with nurses and other state employees.

This week it’s employees of the Milwaukee Police Department. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported in September on police department employees literally doubling their pay because of overtime.

Read moreAnother Outrageous Overtime Situation in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Prison Guards Scam Overtime and Sick Leave System

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The scam is simple: Call in sick to get a day off, but then pick the next shift which puts you into overtime status. You still have your day off, but your next day is at time-and-a half.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel uncovered this clever scam run by Wisconsin prison guards. The story starts off with one sergeant at the Green Bay Correctional Institution. In October 2006, he came in for an overtime shift (or two) on the days he was scheduled to be off. But within a day or two of those overtime shifts, he would call in sick. He had a total of 4 sick days that month, meaning that he did get days off, yet he got huge overtime pay. The newspaper says he had 17 sick days in 2006 that came just after he worked overtime on a day he was scheduled to be off. He earned a total of $117,764 in 2006.

Read moreWisconsin Prison Guards Scam Overtime and Sick Leave System

Sick Days That Aren’t Really Sick Days

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How does that work? Give lawmakers a bunch of sick days, and when they’re sick, they just don’t show up. They don’t ever “use up” any of the sick days. They keep accumulating into infinity. How cool is that? Apparently really cool for Wisconsin lawmakers. When they retire, they can use their accumulated sick leave … Read more Sick Days That Aren’t Really Sick Days