Opinion ID: 1177371
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: DENIAL OF ANNUAL AND SICK LEAVE TO McGRATH

Text: From January 1 to May 23, 1979, Ralph McGrath, the President of the Union, was on professional developmental leave while attending graduate school in Hawaii. Upon his return to teaching duties, McGrath discovered that he had not been credited with annual and sick leave during the time of his developmental leave. He was informed by the University's payroll and personnel offices that he was not entitled to the accrual of annual and sick leave while on professional developmental leave, since it was against University policy. Those offices referred McGrath to two Board of Regents policies developed prior to the time of the then existing collective bargaining agreement, which stated that faculty on sabbatical leave were not entitled to accrue annual and sick leave. The Union alleges that the denial of annual and sick leave to McGrath constituted an unfair labor practice. Again, the Union contends that AS 23.40.110(a)(1) and .110(a)(3) were violated. Specifically, the Union contends that the University had a policy of accruing annual and sick leave for faculty members on developmental leave, and that it denied those benefits to McGrath because he was a Union official. To support the contention that such a policy existed, the Union points to a memorandum written by Carl Westman, a former Contract Manager for the University, which interpreted section 9.1(I) of the former collective bargaining agreement as follows: There is a contractual definition of the accrual status for persons on developmental leave. Section 9-1(i) of the faculty contract states that: A faculty member on development leave is still an employee of the University for purposes of payment into the retirement fund and contributions to the group health and life insurance and similar fringe benefit programs to the extent that the leave recipient participates in them.  In other words, the leave recipient would accrue annual leave and accumulate sick leave as though he/she were still on the job at the University. [Emphasis in original]. The Westman memorandum is dated August 19, 1977, and it states that copies were sent to all personnel directors in the University. [10] The University contends that, contrary to the appearances of the Westman letter, no policy of accruing annual and sick leave for faculty members on developmental leave existed. It introduced the testimony of Manager of Labor Relations Johnson to rebut the Union's contentions. Johnson testified that he had not seen the Westman memorandum before and that McGrath never brought it to his attention. He also stated, [i]n checking [whether such a policy existed], the indication I have is that the policy is that the only time that leave, annual leave or the disability leave is accrued is during the status of active employment, that it is not granted during those times the person is on sabbatical, or professional developmental leave. Johnson further testified that there had been no singling out of anyone to apply this policy in a discriminatory manner. The ALRA determined that no unfair labor practice occurred in the University's denial of annual and sick leave to McGrath. [11] The superior court affirmed the ALRA on this issue. The issue before this court is whether there is substantial evidence in the record to support the ALRA's finding that the Union failed to establish the existence of a University policy of accruing annual and sick leave while faculty members were on developmental leave. There can be no meritorious claim of coercion or discrimination unless it is established that leave accrual was granted to others but denied to McGrath. The ALRA's findings are supported by substantial evidence. First, there is the testimony of Manager of Labor Relations Johnson, summarized above, that no accrual policy existed. Second, there is section 9.4(A)(3) of the former collective bargaining agreement, which was in effect at the time McGrath was denied leave accrual. That section specifically states that temporary disability leave (i.e., sick leave) is not earned during developmental leave. Third, there is no evidence that a faculty member was ever allowed to accrue annual and sick leave pursuant to the terms of the Westman memorandum. We thus conclude that the memorandum does not render the evidence supporting the ALRA's determination insubstantial in light of the entire record and affirm the order of the superior court in this regard as well. For the foregoing reasons, the order of the superior court is AFFIRMED.