Michigan teacher must cover cost of substitute while on military duty

Detroit Free Press ^ | March 3, 2004

[jwalburg]

GRAND RAPIDS -- A Michigan school district told a teacher activated for military duty that he must cover the cost of a substitute during part of his absence and give the district some of his military pay.

At a school board meeting this week, angry teachers, students and district residents criticized the decision by administrators at Kenowa Hills Public Schools.

[JeeperFreeper]

No good deed goes unpunished.

[SouthernFreebird]

They need a new superintendent. geez, what a pig.

[Levante]

What kind of decision can you expect from these socialists?

BTW, isn't this a violation of federal labor protection laws?

[Bigg Red]

When compared to employees of private companies, the district is doing what it should to protect Bernhardt's financial stability, Gillette said.


***

What a jerk! I feel a Freep comin' on! What can we do?

[Peter J. Huss]

The school is in the right. He ought not get paid if he does not do the work.

[SAMWolf]

When I was called up for flood duty, I turnd my Guard pay to my employer in exchange for my regular salary. Jury duty worked the same way.

But paying for your substitue is BS, IMHO.

[MP5]

That has to be illegal. I know in my wife's case, if she stays on active duty less than 5 years, her employer must hire her back.

[Moleman]

WTF, what is it about schools anyway??

[Defendingliberty]

This is total BS....We need to mobilize,,,

[Bigg Red]

Dosers, what can we do to help this guy?

[octobersky]

Hannity will probably be all over this, if he knows about it.

[Bigg Red]

Looks like Peter is a Moby Dork who just signed up today.

[Tallguy]

Are there any regulations at the federal level that protect Reserve & National Guard personnel from a vindictive employer? I understand that he won't collect his teaching salary, but to assess his military pay -- that's ridiculous! He should have said he needed family leave to take care of his Uncle Sam.

[Professional Engineer]

WTF? The superintendent must be the poster child for "How to Make Friends and Influence People". What a maroon.

[Peter J. Huss]

"In the end, the teacher will receive $573 more than he would have after the two-week military leave, Gillette said. Bernhardt will give the district only six days' worth of his military pay, and he also will receive a military housing allowance."

His job is not in jeopardy. He is ahead by more than $500 after his 2 weeks.

I don't see a need for action.

[Moose4]

"In the future, he's not going to get out that well," Gillette said.

Yeah, Gilette, he's just jetting off to sunny Italy for a vacation for two weeks. Idiot.

What a freaking jerk. I sure hope the School Board up there does right by the Guardsman, or the lot of them get voted out come next election.

}:-)4

[feedback doctor]

Come on now folks. He's in the evil military. It's not like he was organizing a militant gay event or something (public schools probably give bonus pay for that).

[Mudcat]

"In the future, he's not going to get out that well," Gillette said.

What an ass! This Gillette fellow should go then, if he thinks it's such a great deal!!

[davisfh]

"Michigan teacher must cover cost of substitute while on military duty"

I kept looking for something indicating that this was some sort of misguided satire. Didn't find it. This is absolutely outrageous. This guy is likely to be deployed in harm's way and that bunch of jerks is worried that he might be "making money."

[Our man in washington]

A lot of companies pay the difference between military pay and regular pay while employees are on leave. It's a reasonable solution.

Yes, I know that reservists work hard in their two weeks of active duty time. I'm a reservist myself. But government work and benefit policies should mirror the norm in private industry. The alternative is that work and benefits in the public sector get set by the ability of unions to lobby. We know the expenses caused by that approach.

It is common in private industry to pay the difference in pay. Therefore, government is justified in doing likewise.

If the the school district pays the difference in pay, the school district isn't losing anything. They subtract $78 from the man's pay because that's what the military is paying. They pay $74 to the substitute. They pocket the remaining $4. Everybody wins.

Taking out military pay AND asking him to pay for a substitute is asking too much, however.

[netmilsmom]

The teacher is being required to pay the sub. That does not put anyone ahead. Please reread the article.

[Peter J. Huss]

When I worked for Siemens in Grand Rapids, their policy was similar. If you made more than your current pay (unlikely), you would not get receive your pay while you are away from work (unless you used vacation, etc). You would continue to get health.

If you made less than your current Siemens pay (very likely), you would get the difference made up by the company.

The Detroit Freepress is a liberal pimping rag, by the way. Don't look to them for accuracy and fair reporting.

[sirshackleton]

Paying for the sub is stupid, but I still don't get why he has to fork over some of his military pay in addition to that? The super seems to think he has some sort of vested interest in how much this guy makes outside of his teaching job, which I don't get either.....It seems like it would make a lot more sense if the school just didn't pay him for the days he was on duty, and used that money to pay the sub....but then again, we must remember who we're dealing with...

[Peter J. Huss]

Pay the sub or not. He is not entitled to double dip.

I will bet this issue goes nowhere.

[netmilsmom]

Teachers Unions....Are they working for this teacher or just taking his money?

[Defendingliberty]

I just called them at the school board and a nice secretary said he is going to come out of this making money...The explanation seems to make sense. She said the paper got it wrong.

[BlazingArizona]

Ever notice that the stupidest, weirdest decisions in the US are all made by school boards?

[netmilsmom]

>>For the remaining six days, Bernhardt must pay the district $74 per day for the substitute teacher filling in for him and turn over the $78 in salary that he will receive each day from the National Guard, The Grand Rapids Press reported. <<

The only double dipping is from the district. I'm assuming he gets paid from the district, say 74.00 per day. Now he pays 74.00 for the sub and has to turn over the 78.00 salary from the Guard. Where is his money??

[netmilsmom]

Can you share that explaination?

[Defendingliberty]

He gets his $348 per day salary and the other money comes from his guard pay.

[Peter J. Huss]

"This guy is likely to be deployed in harm's way..."

God bless him for signing up, but there are few places in Italy that will put him in 'harm's way' in the two weeks he is assigned there. Italy is cheese duty.

If you guys want to get your dander up, there are a lot more fellows and families out there who are serving their country and are getting shafted real bad.

[Owl_Eagle]

SEE YA BACK AT DU, CLYMER!

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

 

[netmilsmom]

Ok, I see where she is coming from, but how many other people have to pay for the sub while on duty?

[Defendingliberty]

He gets his full Salary of $348 per day for 10 days and he keeps his military housing allowance. he pays the school board $75 for a sub per day as he normally would if he had no sick days and he actually gets a salary from the district that he is not entitled to for the days that he is not there and has no comp days for. He is reimbursing the district his guard money and taking the school money. So he is ahead of the game

[Shery]

How true! What happens if he's one of the unlucky ones who gets shot there...even in such a short stay? The few extra dollars he makes will hardly compensate for the risk.

[netmilsmom]

Me?

[Peter J. Huss]

"She said the paper got it wrong."

Well imagine that! Not the Detroit Freepress? What is this world coming too.

If you want to make a REAL difference, instead of pesting a school secretary, volunteer at the National Military Family Association: http://www.nmfa.org/

There are people who are being fired for doing their duty. There are military families who kids need shoes and coats. Just a care package of shampoo, diapers and baby wipes is a God-Send for some of these families.

[Jaysun]

So, the teacher goes to serve the Government and has to reimburse the Government out of the funds that the Government pays the teacher to begin with.

The teacher should be able to do some classes that focus on the exact length and width of the shaft upon returning from duty - because I'm sure that he knows the measurements by heart at this point.

[TheBattman]

That's not the question - the question is - why should he have to pay for his substitute?

[VOA]

The superintendent must be the poster child for "How to Make Friends and Influence People".

My guess is the Super. is just the usual liberal graduate of a "school of education"
and wants to make an example of an underling.
Just one way to discourage possible conservative/principled types
from trying to join the teaching staff...

Heaven knows there are too many right-wing nuts in education these days (end sarcasm)

[Peter J. Huss]

I suspect he does not have to pay for it. That would be illegal

Like the person said who called the school.... the article has it wrong.

It is likely that he FEELS like he is paying the sub (and told the gullible reporter), but in fact he is merely the 'victim' of an accounting movement that either subtracts the difference from either the school or the military pay, depending on which one is the greater.

If there is a law that is being broken here, he will be richly rewarded in time. If not, that's just the breaks. He is, after all, coming out ahead in the deal anyway.

[Peter J. Huss]

Does everyone here at Freepers believe that someone should be paid for work he did not perform?

The law merely makes it illegal to FIRE someone when they go into the service. There is no federal benefit regarding pay for work not performed.

[ODC-GIRL]

I agree, however, he should also not be required to pay for a substitute.

[The Grammarian]

Do teachers get paid by the hour, or are they paid a salary, or is it somewhat dependant on the employer? If he's paid by the hour according to his contract, then he's not doing the work, therefore he isn't going to be paid for it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if he's salaried, that doesn't matter, does it? He gets paid the same amount whether he works extra hours or is sick without leave for several days, yes?

[VMI70]

A little quick on the trigger there, methinks.

[Matthew James]

Citizens in the Kenowa school district should have a tar & feather party for their board members; then run them out of town on a rail.

[Arkinsaw]

He is going on military duty, he should get paid whatever the military pays him. The school has a military man on the payroll. When he goes on active duty they should not have to pay him anything, but they should hire a substitute until he returns. Its very simple.

The school hires a replacement, the military pays the active duty servicemember. Simple.

My company pays any difference between what the military pays and the employees regular salary. Very nice of my company. Its incredible for a school district to steal military pay from this man.

[fourdeuce82d]

He ought not get paid if he does not do the work.

fair enough, but should he have to pay for his replacement?