In response to:
Why would you grant someone paid vacation time when they get more then 60 consecutive days off every year, from day one of hire? Always in the summer, best vacationing time usually. You like winter sports? No problem, there is winter break (we use to call it Christmas) then there is the Feb break, then there is Spring break.
Many school districts allow employees to accrue unused sick days without limit and cash them out upon retirement.
In the Detroit district, for example, such a policy cost the district $12.5 million in unused sick leave in 2010-11.
It’s a major problem, but too many school districts are only taking baby steps to correct it.
In the small Holton, Michigan district, support personnel earn one sick day for each month worked. They’ve been allowed to accrue unused sick days without limit and cash them out upon retirement, or take extended leaves for any reason.
But now school officials are...
Sick days are for personal illness.
Personal leave days are for things like the hot water heater exploding, which obviously can't be confined to the summer!