Breast cancer patient denied sick time urges Boston Public Library to "do the right thing"
Eve Griffin has worked at the Boston Public Library for 12 years. In 2019, Griffin was dealt a devastating diagnosis. She had stage four breast cancer. The doctors deemed it terminal.
Extended Sick Leave Fund
For the past few years, Griffin has been navigating doctors' appointments with her job as the Fine Arts Curator at the BPL. As it stands, Boston Public Library employees do not receive long-term disability benefits.
Instead, they rely on an Extended Sick Leave Fund. Consider it a bank of donated time-off from colleagues that is used in dire cases when an employee runs out of leave of their own. But late last year, for the first time, Griffin said library administrators denied her request.
"I really don't know," said Griffin when asked what changed this go around. "I have talked to a lot of different people. We have had a lot of conversations trying to understand what the reasoning could be and none of us have been able to come up with a convincing argument."
Weeks of unpaid time for treatment
Griffin said she was forced to take weeks of unpaid time off last year to continue getting treatment at Dana-Farber. "It was really difficult not knowing if I could pay certain bills. I had to dip into my savings. That money is supposed to be there for me if I can't care for myself and for that not to be there is really, really upsetting."
In the weeks since, the BPL Professional Staff Association filed grievances on Griffin's behalf. On Wednesday, the union held a second meeting with BPL administrators in an effort to get Griffin back-pay and clarity on the library's policy for access to the Extended Sick Leave Fund. WBZ-TV has learned an answer on Griffin's case could come as soon as next week.
Support from City Council
On Wednesday, the Boston City Council passed a resolution in support of Griffin. Councilor Ed Flynn was just one of the members who voted to approve the measure. "It's about respect," said Flynn. "It's about dignity for this wonderful person a tremendous city employee."
A Boston Public Library spokesperson sent WBZ-TV a statement when asked about Wednesday's union meeting and the developments at city hall. It reads in full:
"While we care very deeply about the well-being of all of our colleagues, we will continue to observe our longstanding policy to not comment on personnel matters -- even when those issues have entered the public domain. The appropriate process for navigating complex employment issues is laid out in City of Boston policies and in contracts signed by our unions, and we are continuing to follow that process."
Griffin said she wants the library to right the wrong and is concerned she will face this same issue again this year. "[I want] them to do the right thing. To be the good guy. To grant me the hours that I need to continue working and maintain my health," Griffin said.
