Ellington school finance director recommended against teacher's leave
May 14—ELLINGTON — Last fall when Windermere School kindergarten teacher Maura Klesczewski requested an extended leave out of fear of contracting COVID-19, the school system's finance director recommended against it.
The director, Brian Greenleaf, testified about his reasons for making that recommendation in a hearing the Board of Education held Thursday to decide whether to uphold Klesczewski's proposed termination.
Klesczewski, 51, of Suffield, suffers from severe asthma, and was granted extended leave last September under the Family and Medical Leave Act as recommended by her doctor, who warned she had a significant risk of dying if she contracted the coronavirus.
School Superintendent Scott Nicol approved that leave, but is now trying to terminate Klesczewski after she refused to return to work when required in March.
Under questioning from the school administration's lawyer Frederick Dorsey, Greenleaf testified that he recommended denying Klesczewski's request for leave last September until she provided more documentation.
He said he was concerned about setting a precedent by approving a teacher's leave request without the proper documents.
However, he also testified that he knew Klesczewski was having technical difficulties with distance learning during her first days of the school year, and saw her leave request as a "convenient way to avoid further difficulties."
Nicol did not accept his recommendation, because he was sympathetic to Klesczewski's situation and didn't want to press the issue, Greenleaf said.
His belief that the request may not have been directly tied to Klesczewski's asthma stemmed from his analysis of her previous use of sick days and other forms of leave, Greenleaf said.
According to Greenleaf, Klesczewski has taken an average of nine sick days each year during her career, while other teachers took four, leading her to have fewer accrued sick days than expected for a teacher of 20 years.
Of the sick days she took, 53% were taken attached to a weekend or holiday, Greenleaf said. He said that showed a pattern of Klesczewski using sick days in place of other types of leave.
At the end of February, Klesczewski asked to extend her leave further so she could get her vaccine and then return to teaching for the 2021-22 school year.
Greenleaf said he recommended ordering her to return to work or take disciplinary action. In a latter dated March 15, Nicol informed Klesczewski that she would have to return by March 15, resign, or he would seek her termination.
When it came time for Klesczewski's lawyer, Andrew Houlding, to question Greenleaf, he asked if anyone had ever talked to Klesczewski about the accusation that she was misusing sick days.
Greenleaf said he hadn't, and didn't know of anyone else who had either. He said he talked about it with Nicol and expressed his concern.
Houlding also asked Greenleaf if anyone had ever used the phrase "reasonable accommodation" throughout their discussions with Klesczewski about her leave.
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees who have disabilities.
Greenleaf said no one had used the phrase.
Lastly, Houlding asked Greenleaf what he knew about Klesczewski's willingness to come back to work in April, after she received her second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
He said Klesczewski sent a note April 6 saying she could return with her doctor's permission.
Nicol sent his proposed termination letter to Klesczewski the next day.
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