Officials: Conn. firefighter suspended - played college football while on sick leave

[dadbo46 50]

Officials: Conn. firefighter suspended - played college football while on sick leave

June 12, 2009

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (AP) - A 42-year-old Connecticut firefighter is challenging a suspension for allegedly playing college football while on sick leave.

http://www.lohud.com/article/20090612/NEWS/906120395

[helicopper 1,050]

Officials: Conn. firefighter suspended - played college football while on sick leave

June 12, 2009

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (AP) - A 42-year-old Connecticut firefighter is challenging a suspension for allegedly playing college football while on sick leave.

http://www.lohud.com/article/20090612/NEWS/906120395

Well, if his job has rules about use of sick leave and his football stuff violates them, I don't know what he's protesting. On my job you can't be anywhere but home when you're out sick. It's paid SICK leave not vacation time.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Wait, this guy plays for UNH? We have a 42 year old on our football team? Odd.

[TS7542 6]

It is impossible for this guy to play college football, unless he was in the military for a long time. NCAA gives you five years to use 4 years of eligibility unless you redshirt for medical or other reasons. There is no way that they will let him play. The QB for Florida state i think a few years back got out of the military and wanted to play football and the NCAA allowed him to play due to his military service. If he was in the military and wanted to play more power to him but, don't do it when you are on injury from work. Unreal.

Edited June 12, 2009 by TS7542

[gamewell45 258]

Subject to the terms and conditions of his collective bargaining agreement, he'll most likely find himself out looking for another job. Maybe he can get a job coaching football at the local high school.

[x134 46]

Subject to the terms and conditions of his collective bargaining agreement, he'll most likely find himself out looking for another job. Maybe he can get a job coaching football at the local high school.

If you read the article he was suspended without pay for two days! I doubt he will be fired.....

WHY WOULD YOU FIND THIS FUNNY?

FROM THE IAFF WEB SITE:

This department provides labor relations assistance related to collective bargaining including financial analysis, wage comparables, collective bargaining agreement analysis, and technical assistance for negotiation and arbitration. Additionally, the staff is trained to answer questions regarding the Fair Labor Standards Act, employee health and pension benefits, and conduct analysis of collective bargaining agreements. The department houses local affiliate collective bargaining agreements and after being analyzed, the data is used to update the IAFF databases used in preparing many customized and technical assistance projects by this Department. The department also houses 80% of the IAFF publications made available to local affiliates.

Edited June 12, 2009 by x134

[Mark Z 18]

A 42 year old playing college football?? I take my hat off to him! I don't like the idea of him doing it while on sick leave but ya gotta give him credit if he can keep up at the age of 42 with the requirements of playing college ball with them younger athletes!

[NWFDMedic 58]

It is impossible for this guy to play college football, unless he was in the military for a long time. NCAA gives you five years to use 4 years of eligibility unless you redshirt for medical or other reasons. There is no way that they will let him play. The QB for Florida state i think a few years back got out of the military and wanted to play football and the NCAA allowed him to play due to his military service. If he was in the military and wanted to play more power to him but, don't do it when you are on injury from work. Unreal.

The NCAA has different rules for different divisions. My guess is that UNH is a division 2 or 3 football program so comparing them to FSU isn't exactly accurate. For the most part, eligibility begins when you begin your life as a college student or you play that sport at a similar competitive level. For example, if you play basketball for 2 years at an NJCAA or NAIA school, you lose those 2 years of NCAA eligibility.

There are many NCAA division 1 hockey players that play 2 or 3 years of prep/junior hockey before enrolling in school and keep their 4 years of eligibility, even though they are sometimes as old as 22 when they get to college. Their only limitation is playing in major junior which the NCAA considers as a "professional" league and you lose all eligibility after playing in major juniors (some players have filed for exceptions if their time in MJ was short and the NCAA will typically take away 1 year + the number of games played in MJ).

[IzzyEng4 427]

There was a huge article in the New Haven Register about him playing for the UNH football team as well as another person of older than undergraduate age playing sports for a college team.

Here is the original story that started it all.

Old School: Two middle-aged guys take a shot at college sports glory

Published: Sunday, May 3, 2009

By David Borges, Register Staff

Wayne Parks, 43, of Fairfield is trying out for the University of New Haven football team. (Peter Hvizdak/Register)

University of New Haven football coach Peter Rossomando didn’t know what to make of Wayne Parks when Parks first walked into his office in January.

“I thought he was a parent dropping film off,” Rossomando said. “His first words were, ‘Don’t think I’m crazy, but I want to ...’”

http://nhregister.com/articles/2009/05/03/...a1oldschool.txt

Sideline article on May 23rd: http://nhregister.com/articles/2009/05/23/...ts/23-parks.txt

[gamewell45 258]

WHY WOULD YOU FIND THIS FUNNY?

Why would I find this funny? Could it be sometimes employees do actions without thinking of the consequences and/or negative PR it casts upon the FD or union? I think its better to show a little humor as opposed to to really sandbagging the employee.

[jack10562 414]

Not only was he suspended for insubordination for refusing to answer his bosses questions about the issue, I'll wager he hurt himself working out during weight training and trying to make the football team, not while on-duty or with his real fire department "job"...

[jack10562 414]

Firefighter and aspiring football player suspended over sick time

By Genevieve Reilly

STAFF WRITER

Updated: 07/10/2009 09:32:55 PM EDT

FAIRFIELD -- After huddling behind closed doors Thursday night, the Fire Commission flagged Firefighter Wayne Parks for a penalty -- a three-month, unpaid suspension.

Story Update

[jcoppola 52]

Well, if his job has rules about use of sick leave and his football stuff violates them, I don't know what he's protesting. On my job you can't be anywhere but home when you're out sick. It's paid SICK leave not vacation time.

Chris, I respectfully disagree. There are cases when a firefighter cannot report to work for firefighting duties due to restrictions on lifting or strenuous activity, but they can function as a normal person can and go about their "normal" routine until they go back to work. Same with Police Officers and EMS workers. Not all cases are that cut and dry.

[firecapt32 282]

what did he call out sick with?? a cold?? "not feeling well" the old general maliase?? It certinaly hurts all the other firefighters. miss use of sick time is a serious charge. ok ok one or two mental health days are ok. just my thoughts

[helicopper 1,050]

Chris, I respectfully disagree. There are cases when a firefighter cannot report to work for firefighting duties due to restrictions on lifting or strenuous activity, but they can function as a normal person can and go about their "normal" routine until they go back to work. Same with Police Officers and EMS workers. Not all cases are that cut and dry.

Most police departments have restrictions on what you're allowed to do while out sick or injured. If a person has an injury preventing them from operating in the field they may, subject again to the rules of the department, be allowed to work at headquarters or another non-field assignment.

The job has the right to prevent the misuse of sick leave and confining an employee to his residence is not unreasonable.

I agree that there are differences between jobs, union contracts, and the like but the bottom line is it's hard to claim you're out "sick" while you're playing college football. If he sat home watching football instead of playing it we wouldn't even be having this argument.

[jcoppola 52]

Most police departments have restrictions on what you're allowed to do while out sick or injured. If a person has an injury preventing them from operating in the field they may, subject again to the rules of the department, be allowed to work at headquarters or another non-field assignment.

The job has the right to prevent the misuse of sick leave and confining an employee to his residence is not unreasonable.

I agree that there are differences between jobs, union contracts, and the like but the bottom line is it's hard to claim you're out "sick" while you're playing college football. If he sat home watching football instead of playing it we wouldn't even be having this argument.

Agreed. Proper judgement and common sense should prevail, but sometimes it doesn't.