By Keoki Kerr
Hawaii News Now
HONOLULU — State prisons officials said they tried to crack down on sick leave abuse by corrections officers but were thwarted by a federal medical leave law for which 40 percent of guards statewide qualify.
During the first six months of this year, the day with the highest absentee rate at Oahu Community Correctional Center was New Year’s Day, when 87 corrections officers called in sick, equal to 46 percent of those scheduled.
Super Bowl Sunday, February 3, saw 45 percent of the guards on the schedule calling in sick at OCCC. During the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament games during weekends in March, absentee rates at OCCC ranged from 30 to 35 percent.
Full story: EXCLUSIVE: 40 percent of state prison guards have medical leave protection