I have a few questions, I need help with concerning a situation in the Tax Assessors Office.
1st Question: Why would a county employee or anyone else be allowed to accumulate 222 days of sick leave? Most businesses even those with very liberal sick leave policies put a cap on the amount of time you can accumulate. Not so with the county which allows an unlimited amount of sick leave to be accumulated.
Another problem with unlimited sick leave is the added difficulty and expense of hiring a temporary replacement for an unknown period of time and the burden placed on other workers who have to take up the slack. Understand I'm not talking about a couple of days or even a week but at this moment over nine months and many months yet to go.
2nd Question, If a person is determined to be unable to work shouldn't they be declared disabled and put on workman's comp or permanent disability? This person hasn't worked in the Tax Assessors office since 15 February 2008. Is it reasonable that they draw full pay keep their position and continue to accumulate even more sick leave while not working a single hour at their job? Is it fair for the others in that office?
3rd Question: If a person is determined to be unable to work how often should an update of condition from a doctor be required? For this particular person there was one statement issued from a doctor on 4 March 2008. Since then the person has not spent one hour at work in the Assessor's office yet has been able to ride his motorcycle many miles including one trip to South Carolina and back. Is it reasonable that a person would have the stamina and ability to ride that far on a vibrating motorcycle but can't sit two or three hours a day in an office doing what he's being paid for?
Shouldn't there be a requirement for an update from the doctor at least every three months?
4th Question: Is it reasonable that those working in the Assessor's office be subjected to the additional frustration of not being able to hire a replacement and absorb the extra work left by this person's absence? If it is not an added burden then is it necessary to hire a replacement when this person retires at the end of his sick leave?
5th Question: Why has it been so difficult for those in charge, the Tax Assessor, the County Executive, Financial Management Director and the County Commissioners, to take the responsibility and change this current situation by requiring timely updates from the doctor about the work status of this individual and for changing this situation so it's not repeated in the future? Allen Barrett
