City forms task force to cut sick-leave abuse

9/13/2003

The city of Toledo has formed a task force to try to reduce abuse of sick leave, Mayor Jack Ford's chief operating officer said yesterday.

Jay Black, Jr., said though the “vast majority” of city em|ployees use sick leave responsibly, some divisions have unacceptably high rates of days off.

He said through cooperation with the labor unions, the city now requires a doctor's note after five days of sick leave, and managers will visit homes of workers who call in sick.

Fire Chief Mike Bell said im|provements will come simply by notifying employees that managers will be observing patterns of sick leave and will follow up with disciplinary action.

The task force is expected to compare Toledo's sick leave rates with those of other cities, then set numerical targets for the city in 30 to 45 days.