Health-care workers at the University of Minnesota's Boynton Health Services say they are being forced to work even when they are sick, jeopardizing their health and the health of patients they are supposed to care for.
A new university policy disciplines employees if they use sick leave six or more times in a 12-month period, said Rhonda Jennen, vice president of AFSCME Local 3260, which represents about 170 health-care workers at the university.
Union members from the three AFSCME bargaining units on campus protested the policy Wednesday, handing out surgical masks and leaflets outside Boynton to inform patients, staff and visitors that the university's policy is exposing them to sick workers.
The policy ignores workers' legitimate reasons for using sick leave, she said, and violates the union's contract. Instead, the university is "measuring abuse not by individual circumstances, but by how often we use it," Jennen said.
Boynton supervisors have disciplined at least nine workers, accusing them of abusing sick leave, Jennen said.
The university's interpretation, she said, is forcing workers to come to work sick. "We have sick health-care workers trying to help sick people."
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Shaina Martinson, a certified medical assistant at the University of Minnesota?s Boynton Health Services, hands out surgical masks during Wednesday?s demonstration. Union Advocate photo |
The university's interpretation violates contractual requirements that supervisors demonstrate reasonable cause that a worker is taking advantage of sick-leave policy before issuing discipline, Jennen said. Without that proof, she said, workers are allowed to use all their accumulated sick leave for their own health needs or for the needs of family members.
Local 3260 is one of three AFSCME locals currently engaged in contract negotiations with the University of Minnesota. The next bargaining session is scheduled for Oct. 20.
Michael Kuchta edits The Union Advocate, the official newspaper of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@stpaulunions.org
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Health-care workers at the University of Minnesota’s Boynton Health Services say they are being forced to work even when they are sick, jeopardizing their health and the health of patients they are supposed to care for.
A new university policy disciplines employees if they use sick leave six or more times in a 12-month period, said Rhonda Jennen, vice president of AFSCME Local 3260, which represents about 170 health-care workers at the university.
Union members from the three AFSCME bargaining units on campus protested the policy Wednesday, handing out surgical masks and leaflets outside Boynton to inform patients, staff and visitors that the university’s policy is exposing them to sick workers.
The policy ignores workers’ legitimate reasons for using sick leave, she said, and violates the union’s contract. Instead, the university is “measuring abuse not by individual circumstances, but by how often we use it,” Jennen said.
Boynton supervisors have disciplined at least nine workers, accusing them of abusing sick leave, Jennen said.
The university’s interpretation, she said, is forcing workers to come to work sick. “We have sick health-care workers trying to help sick people.”
![]() |
Shaina Martinson, a certified medical assistant at the University of Minnesota?s Boynton Health Services, hands out surgical masks during Wednesday?s demonstration.
Union Advocate photo |
The university’s interpretation violates contractual requirements that supervisors demonstrate reasonable cause that a worker is taking advantage of sick-leave policy before issuing discipline, Jennen said. Without that proof, she said, workers are allowed to use all their accumulated sick leave for their own health needs or for the needs of family members.
Local 3260 is one of three AFSCME locals currently engaged in contract negotiations with the University of Minnesota. The next bargaining session is scheduled for Oct. 20.
Michael Kuchta edits The Union Advocate, the official newspaper of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@stpaulunions.org