Public Employee Press

$2,000 in lost pay restored for Local 372 Family Worker

Family Worker Jacqueline Jenkins was returned to her job and awarded over $2,000 in back pay from the Dept. of Education after she was wrongfully suspended from her job for 18 days at P.S. 124 in District 27 in Queens.

Jenkins was suspended after dealing with the family emergency that faced her when she was informed that her teenage daughter had been missing for most of a day. The daughter was eventually found.

Grievance Rep Latreva Scott filed a grievance on behalf of the Local 372 member, charging that the DOE had failed to follow the proper guidelines when it suspended Jenkins without the required hearing. The union demanded back pay for the 18 days of work she lost while suspended.

After the grievance reached Step 3, the DOE and the union came to an agreement and Jenkins was awarded back pay of $2,066 for the days that she was forced to miss work due to the wrongful suspension. Jenkins was represented by Scott and DC 37 Assistant General Counsel Thomas Cooke.

"I really appreciate the job that the union, Ms. Scott and Mr. Cooke did on my behalf," said Jenkins.

"She reached out to the union immediately so we were able to address the issue quickly," said Scott. "It's important for members to do that."