It has been over six months since the Boston Public Library and the City's Office of Labor Relations denied use of our union sick bank to our member, Eve. Eve has been with BPL for over 12 years. In 2019, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Today, that diagnosis is stage 4, metastatic cancer; a terminal diagnosis. Eve requires extra sick time to cover doctor's appointments, rounds of chemotherapy, and days where her illness requires her to rest. BPL and OLR are refusing to grant Eve time from our sick bank, forcing her to take unpaid time to manage her illness.

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Librarian and union member Eve has been with Boston Public Library for 12 years and is deeply committed to her work.

In 2019, Eve was diagnosed with breast cancer. Today, her diagnosis is stage 4, metastatic breast cancer; a terminal diagnosis.

Since her diagnosis, Eve has had to rely on the hours donated by PSA members to our Extended Sick Leave Fund, or “sick bank,” after she’s used all of her own leave. She needs these hours to be able to attend doctor’s appointments and pursue treatment without loss of pay.

In November 2024, Eve submitted a request to PSA’s Extended Sick Leave Fund Committee. They approved the request.

Boston Public Library denied it.

Denying her time from the sick bank will not make Eve’s illness go away. It will not make her need any less time off for doctor’s appointments, treatments, or days where she simply cannot get out of bed. It will just make sure that while she is worrying about eventually dying of cancer, she’ll also have to worry about paying rent.