Opinion ID: 615207
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Colón's Attendance Record

Text: Colón's attendance record throughout her employment consists of numerous days during which she either was tardy or altogether absent from work on account of medical appointments, illness, or personal matters. Further, at times Colón's leave periods exceeded the amount permitted by the Municipality. On account of her excess leave days, the Municipality would take some form of compensatory action, like docking Colón's pay. A summary of Colón's attendance record reveals the following: [5] In 1992, the Municipality approved Colón's request for the advancement of eighteen days of sick leave, but later denied a subsequent request because Colón had present[ed] a pattern debt on account of sick leave. Colón's performance evaluation for that same year noted that overall Colón surpassed the expected result in several performance categories, but that she needed to work[] to recover her health to improve her attendance. In 1993, Colón was absent from work approximately twenty percent of the time, and in 1994, approximately fifty-nine percent of the time. The Municipality approved Colón's request for leave without pay from July 19, 1994 through January 18, 1995. In 1995, Colón was on leave without pay from January 31, 1995 through April 25, 1995. In September of that same year, the Municipality sent Colón a letter informing her that as of September 30, 1995, she would have no accrued leave balance. Colón's 1995 performance evaluation stated that Colón needed to make improvements in her attendance and that she did not achieve [the] expected level of attendance for that year. In 1996, Colón was granted leave without pay for medical treatment for an injury in [her] left foot from May 16, 1996 through August 16, 1996. [6] Colón received high rankings on her 1996 performance evaluation, but was informed that she needed to make improvements in her attendance. In 1997, Colón sought leave without pay on account of a surgical intervention of the knee on [her] left foot [sic], which Human Resources forwarded along for approval in February 1997. [7] In 2000, Colón was absent approximately twenty-three percent of the time she was scheduled to work. In July of that year, Colón requested authorization for the transfer of five days of vacation leave from another employee's balance because she already had exhausted her own leave balance; the Municipality authorized the transfer. In 2001, Colón was absent approximately twenty-five percent of the time she was scheduled to work. In June of that year, Colón sent the Municipality a request to transfer days from several co-workers' balances because she already had exhausted all of her leave balances, including sick and annual leave; the Municipality approved Colón's request. In December 2001, Colón again requested a transfer of days from co-workers because she had exhausted her leave balances. Colón's 2002 attendance records show that she was absent approximately twenty-one percent of the total time she was scheduled to work, and that in May, she requested authorization to transfer several co-workers' leave time because she already had exhausted her leave balances. The Municipality authorized the request. Colón's 2002 performance evaluation noted that although Colón is very responsible and diligent, her attendance needs improvement. In 2003, Colón was absent from work approximately twenty-five percent of the time. Colón's performance evaluations for that year state that her overall attendance and punctuality need[] improvement. In October 2003, Colón sought to transfer co-workers' leave days because she had exhausted her annual and sick leave balances. In 2004, Colón was absent approximately nineteen percent of the time, with her performance evaluation stating that her attendance and punctuality required improvement. In 2005, Colón was absent approximately thirty percent of the time; her performance evaluator stated that her health condition prevents her from attending regularly, but noted that she has been improving greatly in this area. Colón was absent from work approximately fifty-nine percent of the time in 2006, requesting severalsubsequently grantedleaves without pay (from January 1 through January 16; April 1 through April 30; October 3 through 23; October 24 through 30; and November 2 through January 12, 2007). Colón was absent approximately fifty-six percent of the time in 2007, and approximately fifty-six percent of the time in 2008. In October 2008, Colón applied for a three month period of leave without pay because she already had exhausted her annual and sick leave balances; the Municipality granted Colón's request.