Possible Discrimination?

MegsB1112

So I've been teaching in the same district for five years now. I've worked the summer school program in some capacity for 13 years and have taught in it for the last 5 (since I graduated from college). This summer I had asked for the first week off due to maternity leave. Well last a week a coworker of mine asked if I had gotten the latest summer school email which I had not. I emailed the supervisor politely asking what I had missed. He said I wasn't on his updated list but he's fix it and get the email sent out to me. A week later and I still hadn't heard anything so I emailed him again and was told that due to my maternity leave and numbers being down I was put on the "maybe" list and he asked if I'd like to sub this summer and "try" to get full time back next summer. I wouldn't have even known he had done this had I not pestered him. Is this even right? I had asked for one week off, after five years of being one of their most reliable summer school teachers and other teachers taking weeks off for vacation, I'm taking off for a legitimate reason! I'm so irate and upset right now. I count on that money throughout the year and feel so betrayed. Thoughts/suggestions from you ladies??

saric83

Oh, that sucks!!  It's such a shitty situation, and to me, it's a little blurry where/if the line was crossed (legally).  A friend and I were just debating a similar situation, so we were looking up the legal description below.  

So based on that (assuming you're in the US), I would say the sticky part is if they give time-off to anyone during this program, or if it's one of those things where if you're unavailable for any part of it, they won't take you on?  Maybe check around to see if anyone else has been granted the time off and still worked in the program.  Also, how far along you are into maternity leave would probably be an important factor of what falls under FMLA and what doesn't.  

But regardless, I would respond to him via email ask put something like, "So just for clarification purposes and to ensure I'm understanding this, due to my disability leave for pregnancy for one week, I'm being turned down for employment?"  That might make him have a little "ruh roh" moment and figure out what/if anything he needs to do to accomodate, which might be nothing, but it's worth a shot to push it a bit. 

Light Duty Policies. An employer has to provide light duty, alternative assignments, disability leave, or unpaid leave to pregnant workers if it does so for other employees who are similar in their ability or inability to work.

lelaielli1987

I also work in the school system so I may have some insight... In pretty sure that since the esy program is not part of your contractual year they can pretty much do anything. If getting a teaching position for the esy program is competitive it is likely they took someone who could commit to the full program. I would ask your union rep for clarification as to what your rights are.

jmorneau09

Teacher here as well. Your union rep is the best person to go to with this. But I also agree with pp above about shooting him an email.

trishadobel

On the flip side, teaching summer school can be stressful (as a teacher, I didn't even apply this year!) and you will have more time to spend with your new baby!!!

MegsB1112

Thanks, ladies. Unfortunately Gov. Walker got rid of our unions, but I'll send him an email and find out if there's anything I can do.

smwahowski@hotmail.com

In my school district if you are on maternity leave (summer time or not) you are not allowed to step foot on any campus, participate in any teaching position, extra curricular, nothing! They expect you to be home and not working which with a newborn I wouldn't have the energy to work anyways. Hope you get it figured out!