Since teachers are some of the hardest workers out there, they’re entitled to some job perks, just like the rest of us. But what would you say to teachers who can get breast augmentation, a chemical peel, a nose job or other cosmetic enhancements on the school district’s tab? In Buffalo, NY, they can.
Thanks to a self-insured rider on the teachers’ contracts, those treatments and more are covered, while the teachers don’t pay a dime. Why? In the 1970s, the rider was created to cover “reconstructive” surgeries required after tragedies like car accidents or burns, reports The Atlantic. But that was before the aesthetic industry boomed, and, as we know cosmetic treatment numbers continue to grow.
The district now pays about $5.2 million annually for teachers to get procedures for free, whether they are reconstructive or elective-types of treatments, including non-invasive ones such as injectables (Botox or Dysport) or laser hair removal.
Although both the school board and the teachers union agree the rider could be eliminated or altered, the flawed collective bargaining system for government employees in New York makes that unlikely, The Atlantic explains, and contract negotiations continue to be stalled.
What do you think? Is it fair for these teachers to get a little nip/tuck that the school district pays for?
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