Seasonal flu hits every year, but this year the concern over the H1N1 flu virus is prompting stronger than usual calls for people to stay home when they are sick, and to stay there until they are all the way well. Schools, of course, are particularly vulnerable to flu outbreaks, and in fact I've had my own two kids at home this week because they were lucky enough to come down with the flu already. Lucky me. I'm sure I'll be in bed next week.
If you're a teacher and you get the flu, and everyone is telling you to stay home, can you do that without losing money or your job?
All public school teachers in Texas receive five days of paid leave each school year to be used for sickness or any other personal reason. Unused days carry over to the following year, and if you change districts, your unused days go with you.
Individual school districts can give additional sick or personal days to their teachers each year. How many days and how they can be used is entirely up to the individual district. Local days do not follow teachers to different districts, and whether they accumulate from year to year is also up to the local district.
TIP: check with your personnel department to find out exactly how many sick or personal days you have available this year. If you have a low number of days, also ask for the district policy on taking unpaid sick leave.
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