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Firefighter sues over pregnancy-related sick days

By WTOP Staff

PAT EATON-ROBB
Associated Press

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut firefighter says in a federal civil rights lawsuit that she was unfairly disciplined by a city fire department and forced to take unpaid leave because she was pregnant.

Bridgeport firefighter Regina Scates said in her lawsuit in U.S. District Court that the department’s actions violated the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act.

The 37-year-old Scates alleges she was unfairly disciplined last year for taking pregnancy-related sick days and then forced to take an unpaid maternity leave, despite allowances for unlimited paid sick leave for non-pregnancy-related physical disabilities. She said she was still capable of working when she was placed on leave.

She is seeking unspecified monetary damages.

“They treat pregnancy leave different than they treat other injury or sick leave,” said her attorney, Thomas Bucci. “Our claim is that is a discriminatory practice. A change in that policy is one of the things we’d like to see come of this lawsuit.”

Scates was placed on administrative duty after she provided the department with a doctor’s note in May 2013. The note informed the city that she should not be lifting anything over 35 pounds or working any shift longer than eight hours during the remainder of her pregnancy, according to the lawsuit filed Friday.

She was then given verbal and written warnings in August after taking seven sick days, something the department termed as “excessive absences.”

“The defendant’s conduct was even more outrageous because it was fully aware that the plaintiff was pregnant and had been absent due to her pregnancy related condition,” Bucci wrote in the lawsuit.

Scates, who gave birth in January, says she was involuntarily removed from administrative duty and forced to take unpaid maternity leave Sept. 1, 2013. She believes she could have continued her “light-duty” work for at least two more months, her attorney wrote.

The city later changed the leave to a paid sick leave, under the Family and Medical Leave Act, after Scates complained, according to the lawsuit.

Scates alleges that because she was placed on maternity leave early she was forced to exhaust that paid leave before her child was born.

William Kaempffer, the city’s public safety spokesman, said the lawsuit will be addressed “at the appropriate time, manner and forum.”

“However,” he said, “we’re very cognizant of complying with the law. She never missed a single day of pay either during her pregnancy or since she had her child.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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