Sick time abuse totals four months | WTNH.com Connecticut

Uses sick time to attend school

Updated: Thursday, 14 Jun 2012, 10:48 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 14 Jun 2012, 5:34 PM EDT

Erin Logan

WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) -- He was supposed to be fighting fires in the City Of Waterbury, but instead 23-year-veteran Edgardo Gonzalez took four months off to go to nursing school in Puerto Rico, while still getting paid a total amount of about $4,300.

"I've never seen anything like that," said Fire Chief Martin.

Not only is the Chief bothered, but so are the taxpayers.

"You hope some people have civic pride and a sense of duty and wouldn't take advantage of said resources," said Kraid Patzlaff of Waterbury.

"I don't think they should be firemen anymore cause they're not really helping the city," voiced Carol Ferreira of Waterbury, "and the city is helping them."

News 8 went to ask Gonzalez how he pulled off the four month trip that Martin says he admitted to.

The lights were on and the TV was on, but no one came to the door.

"He used a combination of vacation, sick, and swap time," explained Martin. "The big issue came in his misuse of sick time."

His supervisor, Lt. Tom Eccleston, was also suspended without pay. Martin says Eccleston indicated he knew what Gonzales was up to.

"Yet, he still put him out sick each time he put in for it," said Martin.

Assistant Chief Felix Sambucco is also on unpaid suspension. Martin says he failed to have each firefighter sign off on their time taken off. He says if he had, Gonzalez's misuse of time would have surfaced much quicker.

Martin says they're developing a new leave policy that should be out by the end of next week.

Could more punishments be coming? They are taking a look at all leave time used over the last two years.