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WEKU
WEKU
Health
Beth Wallis

Without paid family leave, teachers stockpile sick days and aim for summer babies

Teacher Karli Myers poses with her husband, Jordan Myers, and their seven-month-old, Luke. Karli spent years stockpiling sick leave in order to have time at home with Luke after he was born. (Beth Wallis/KOSU)

Karli Myers had her son, Luke, in November, while working as a high school English teacher outside Tulsa, Okla. Her district didn't offer parental leave, so she used sick leave to get more than two months at home with Luke – sick leave she spent years collecting, with a baby in mind.

"So we accrue 10 sick days a year, so I essentially never took a sick day in seven years of teaching to be able to account for all of this," Myers said.

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