Sunday, May 10, 2009

Sick School Bus Driver Vomits While Driving Bus


The Hartford Advocate recently published an article, "Sick and Fired: Labor's push to mandate paid sick days — and the business lobby's slightly inaccurate facts." The article notes that Connecticut workers are fighting to pass statewide paid sick days legislation. The article depicts the plight of a school bus driver who vomited while she was driving her bus because she couldn't afford to stay home.

The article states in part:

Consider Marie's story, then ask yourself if you'd want her driving your kids to school, rather than staying home sick in bed.

Marie shuttles Bridgeport children to schools in leafy suburbs like Trumbull and Easton. Marie (whose real name we're withholding because she fears retaliation for speaking out against her employer) works through colds, fevers and flu because if she calls out sick, she doesn't get paid. Without the pay, she can't afford her blood pressure medication, and without the medication, she sometimes gets too sick to work.

Last year, she went to work so sick she had to pull her school bus over and vomit on the side of the road — twice. Marie had already missed several half-days due to illness. Any more, her employer told her, and she'd be out of a job.


To read more, click here.

No comments:

Post a Comment