Missing 2 Weeks

Well, what is the truth? If the truth is not a good enough excuse, there isn't one.

Unless there is a big health issue with the individual or family, I would think there is no reason to take 2 weeks off.

ETA: "Only" 30 DAYS!!! 30 days is an amazing amount of vacation. Wow.

A good excuse would be a valid excuse. Are you sick? Do you need to look after an ill family member?

Agreed with Bug.....why isn't the truth the reason for missing? If you're a teacher, shame on you for wanting to lie....not the kind of example or role model I'd want for my kids.

Be honest...is it the vacation of a life time? Surgery?

If the excuse you use is not the truth and you get caught you could very well be fired.

Now I know why you wrote the other question - you didn't like the answers you got on this one.

What you need to do is tell your boss that you have several doctor appointments to prepare for surgery, so you will need this amount of days off and you will be starting them on "x" date, and you are glad that your time out will not involve the kids. Your boss isn't supposed to ask you what the surgery is for. If he or she DOES ask, say that it's private. Your boss CAN ask for proof that you had surgery, so you can have a note from your doctor or your post-op note telling you how to take care of your sutures.

Your subsequent question makes it sound like you plan to lie to your boss. (Otherwise, why you would ask it?) Why do you have to lie? Surgery is surgery. You use your sick days for surgery. Other than missing training, which you don't think is important for YOU according to your other remarks, you've chosen this time for your surgery. Just get the surgery, for crying out loud.

Rhonda:

You are a DoD's teacher. Okay. You know what time you get per year. If this is an elective surgery, these are the consequences of your choice - one sick day to use for the year.

Do you feel like you deserve special treatment or compensation?

the teachers in our school district do NOT get the summer off...they are teaching summer school and doing other courses for the new curriculum or the new way to do something...a new SOL to teach to so the scores can be higher...I believe they get a total of 4 weeks vacation/PTO per year.

What about telling your boss the truth? How about saying "I'm having elective surgery and will need 2 weeks of time off?" I am SURE they have short term disability or another way to help you. So instead of getting upset over this - tell your boss the truth - and find out what you can do!

Good luck!

Honestly, without knowing why you want/need to miss those days it is hard to answer your question.

I think that unless it is something BIG, don't miss those days. You have a lot of other days and times available to vacation etc.

I would suspect, based on the little info you gave, that you just don't want to work those days. I mean why else would you schedule a procedure for that time. If you have the procedure you would just be sitting at home.

I know those days can be long and you may be tired of them, but they are beneficial too. It is a great time to meet new staff, update on any policy changes and just get geared up for the new year.

Interesting question, Rhonda. The only acceptable excuse is the truth and then only if you're really really sick, a close family member is dying or has died; that sort of thing. If your house burned down.

I don't understand why you would think it's OK to miss those first two weeks. Do you not have to get your classroom ready and participate in trainings? I've taught and would not want to miss those 2 weeks. They set the tone for the rest of the year.

I think the only "good" excuse is a real reason.
If it's a family/medical reason, then say it, document it if need be.
If you just feel like taking time off or going off to do something fun? Well I guess you could make something up, but I haven't done anything like that since I was in my early 20's, and even then it was only for a day or two.
As a grown woman that just wouldn't sit right with me.

I see two choices here: 1. You have the surgery when you've scheduled it, but you let your work know in advance that you will be taking time off for an elective surgery. or 2. You wait until next summer and plan better so that you are not using sick days.

If it were me, lying would not be an option because I value my job, my reputation and my integrity too much.

Did you understand the work schedule when you accepted the job?

Nothing like the truth, just let them know. You are talking about surgery, not a vacation on a beach. Leave of absences happen everywhere.

If you are seeing a local doctor, you won't have to worry about travel days.
If the Dr is not local - well, it certainly makes timing a lot more difficult.
You can do anything you want over your summer vacation.
It would be smarter to use your vacation leave for this rather than your sick leave because it's likely you will get sick during the school year.
If you have prep time in getting ready for school then have the procedure done before then.
Being elective - it's not life or death - so you can totally wait till some other time to have it done when you are stateside again.
What other teachers get for summer vacation is irrelevant.
If you want that, then get that sort of job.
Military has different compensation packages than public or private schools.

If your surgery is elective, why don't you just schedule it better. You should have gotten it in the beginning of your month off. You get a freakin' month OFF! Anyway, you're not being smart about this. Are you factoring in the fact that there could very possibly be complications with the surgery or recovery? If you have to get clearance to "fly" back to base from the surgeon, then it's obviously NOT a minor surgery. Wait until next years break and get your surgery then, not when you're supposed to be working.

You answered another post saying you we're thinking about having a breast argumentation this summer? If this is the reason you will need to miss work, why don't you just tell your employer that? Having surgery is s legitimate reason to miss work!

------------------EDIT-------------------------
Don't worry about it! Tell them you are having surgery and if they ask what for, which they shouldn't, just tell them it's a female issue and its private!

I understand having surgery, and having to take what appoinent you are given! Not all of us have the luxury of having the perfect doctor with an open schedule who says to us "What day works best for you"? Most of us have to take the appointment that is given to us!

Keep your chin up & I hope you have a great surgery with a speedy recovery! Don't forget to stay on top of your pain meds! If you wait till you have pain, you have waited too long!!

I second the vote for the truth. You don't have to go into full detail but telling your principal and HR department ahead of time shows you are a professional who is concerned about her job. Also, by being up-front, you might be able to do some of your classroom prep ahead of time and have that count towards your days off.

Imagine if they found out later you were deceitful? Calling in sick for 2 weeks then showing up with a great vacation tan would destroy your credibility.

Wow, I see no reason why you would not be able to schedule this (if in fact it is elective) during your summer break. Teachers get so much more time off during the year than most professions.

It is understandable if you have been diagnosed with something and must take care of it immediately. However, you are trying to plan this so I doubt this is the case.

I agree with Happy! Just tell the boss that you are having a surgical procedure done (don't say elective) and that you will need to take time off. Also alert them as to the day you are due back and what any complications will mean.

elective surgery is a perfectly acceptable reason to take some time off. but i don't understand why you can't either do it during your summer vacation (the most sensible solution) or just accept that it's going to eat up your sick leave. you get lots of it. yeah, if you do get sick during the year, you'll have to suck it up and not get paid, but you say you realize and are fine with that.
so i guess i'm not actually understanding the problem.
khairete
S.

First, doesn't matter what everyone else gets, it is what YOU get. You get 30 days. That is a lot more than a lot of other people get. If you need to take sick time off for the surgery, then take it. If you only have 1 day left then you have one day left. I'm not sure what your issue is.

Unless it's a pressing family/medical need why would you need to miss work? If you don't think the prep/training time is important maybe you're in the wrong profession.
The teachers I know schedule their vacations and trips over winter/spring break and during the early summer. That's one of the perks of being a teacher, even though you work long, hard hours during the school year, you get a nice sabbatical. Take advantage of it, and don't tarnish your professional reputation by making up stories and using precious sick days you may need later. That's just dishonest and irresponsible.

Yikes

OUCH! There are a lot of teacher haters on here :( . Anyway, if I were you I would def. wait until you have a two week break to reshedule my appt. I am worried you might be pushing yourself too much, having surgery then rushing into teaching could be too much for your body, both are very draining. This way also you will have your sick days in case something goes wrong.

Could you go in for a couple of hours on the second Monday so that it doesn't count as a full two weeks? Instead it, would be 5 days the first week + 4 days the second? Missing 9 days is much better than missing 14. I also don't understand the policy of counting the weekend days - that seems insane.

Do you have a teacher's union that can advocate for you? Can you get put on disability for the two weeks, instead of taking them as sick time? even if the surgery is elective, that may still be an option. Ask your doctor and/or union rep.

Do they have to know that the surgery is elective? I mean, if it's a boob job, ok, but maybe you could find a medical reason for a different surgery? Or just not tell them the specifics at all - just say you are having surgery and the doctor is requiring two weeks without work.

Also, why can't you do the surgery during your 30 days of vacation? I know it would suck to take up half your summer recovering, but it might be better than using up all your sick days on student-free days.