Poupard v. Mohonasen Central School District
The claimant, a librarian, sustained an employment-related injury. Following her injury, she received full salary for 27 weeks under a collective bargaining agreement, and then used 23 days of accumulated sick leave. The employer sought reimbursement for these advance payments. The referee and the Workers’ Compensation Board initially granted the full reimbursement. On appeal, the court modified the decision, holding that wages paid from accumulated sick leave, acquired through a collective bargaining agreement, are compulsory payments and thus not reimbursable under Workers’ Compensation Law § 25 (subd 4, par [a]). The matter was remitted for further proceedings consistent with this ruling, with costs awarded to the claimant.