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Supporting Guam's Retired Public Servants' Right to Sick Leave Benefits

In a time when critical government positions remain unfilled across Guam, our retired public servants are stepping up to fill the gap. Yet these dedicated individuals face an unjust policy that denies them basic sick leave benefits despite their valuable contributions. Bill 50-38, introduced by Senator Chris Barnett, aims to correct this inequity by allowing retired GovGuam workers who return to service to accrue sick leave.

Addressing a Critical Oversight

The 2025 budget bill created an unfortunate situation where "double-dippers" – retired government workers who return to fill critical shortages – cannot earn sick leave. This has left vulnerable older workers in an impossible position: come to work sick or lose a day's pay. This arrangement disrespects their dignity and devalues their service.

As reported by the Post Guam, Senator Barnett highlighted that many of these returning workers are "getting up in years" and naturally need occasional sick days – yet they're currently forced to take these days without compensation.

Our Returning Educators Deserve Better

Consider our retired CHamoru and math teachers who have returned to classrooms to address critical shortages in our schools. These educators bring decades of irreplaceable experience and cultural knowledge that benefits Guam's students. Many are in their 60s and 70s, yet they've chosen to postpone full retirement to serve our children.

Example: Mr. Mendoza, a 61-year-old retired math teacher with 31 years of experience, returned to help students at a school that couldn't fill its math department vacancies. He served for an additional year as a double-dipper. Mr. Mendoza would consider coming back to teaching if he was able to accrue sick leave.

First Responders and Nurses Sacrificing Again

The issue extends beyond our schools. Retired corrections officers and police officers have also returned to strengthen public safety departments suffering from staffing shortages. These professionals put their bodies on the line during their first careers and are doing so again – all while being denied basic sick leave protections. Likewise, nurses who retired have come back to fill the vacancies that deal with patient care. These heroes could be enjoying retirement by traveling, living a leisurely lifestyle, or spending time with their grandchildren. Instead, they continue to lay down their lives, well into their senior years, to take care of our island residents.

Why This Bill Makes Sense

• It's about basic dignity: Every worker deserves protection when they're ill
• It improves public service: Allowing proper sick leave means fewer people working while ill, protecting both the workers and those they serve
• It's fiscally responsible: The cost of sick leave is far less than the cost of constant recruitment and training for unfilled positions
• It recognizes sacrifice: These retirees could be fully retired but have chosen to continue serving their community

The Union Perspective

As unions, we've always fought for basic worker protections like sick leave. These returning public servants represent the best of our workforce – dedicated professionals who could enjoy full retirement but choose to continue serving. Denying them sick leave violates the principle of equal treatment for equal work and undermines the dignity of labor that unions have championed for generations.

What About the Cost?

Some might focus on the fiscal impact, but we must remember that these returning workers are filling positions that would otherwise remain vacant, saving substantial recruitment, training, and overtime costs. Furthermore, the social cost of understaffed schools, hospital buildings, correctional facilities, and police departments far outweighs the modest expense of providing basic sick leave benefits.

Call to Action

It's time for all of us who value worker dignity and quality public services to stand behind Bill 50-38. Contact Chris Barnett at [email protected] and other senators today and urge them to support this common-sense legislation that honors our returning public servants while strengthening critical government functions.

Our message is clear: Those who've dedicated their lives to public service deserve basic dignity and respect when they answer the call to serve again.