https://finance.yahoo.com/small-business/articles/nyc-school-worker-banked-108-152000565.html
She banked 108 sick days over 25 years at an NYC school for the Deaf. The city owed her $8,703 — and didn't pay up
Imagine working diligently for 25 years and saving up your vacation and sick days, only to not get paid for that time despite your employer's many promises.
This is exactly what happened to Maureen Pichl, according to an Pichl worked for 25 years as a paraprofessional for the New York City Department of Education before retiring in 2024. During her working years, she accrued a substantial number of unused vacation and sick days — 108, according to documents shown in the story.
Pichl told ABC7 that her employer promised to pay out this unused time in installments over a three-year period after her retirement, with the first check coming within a year of her leaving work.
Sadly, that's not what happened.
A string of broken promises leaves Pichl in the lurch
While Pichl expected her first check in June 2025, she was instead left with only excuses.
In fact, as she explained to ABC7, she was told that "For some reason they didn't process the check, so they would do it immediately, and that I should see the check by early to mid-February [2026], at the latest." But, sadly, she said, "February came and went."
Ultimately, two years passed with no payment, leaving Pichl tired of constantly checking the mail and being disappointed. Her husband, Frank, suggested she call their local TV station for help, and the news organization's involvement eventually prompted the Department of Education to pay.
In total, Pichl collected $8,703.80 from the education department, and thanked the 7 On Your Side program for the help after years of fruitless efforts to get her funds.
In total, Pichl collected $8,703.80 from the education department, and thanked the 7 On Your Side program for the help after years of fruitless efforts to get her funds.
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You have legal recourse if you don't get paid for your unused time
While Pichl's story has a positive ending, not everyone can or wants to get a team of investigative reporters on the case just to get their full pay upon retiring. Fortunately, you don't need that if you understand your options to recover your funds if this happens to you.
"If your contract states you will be compensated for vacation or sick days you've accumulated when you retire, they can't just brush you off," Jamie E. Wright, a litigator and founder of The Wright Law Firm, told Moneywise.
Wright recommended reading your employment contract and company policies carefully to confirm your rights and the payment deadline. "Your employer doesn't have forever to pay you money that they owe you," she said.
Rafael Lázaro, an employment attorney and founder of Lázaro Law Group, also told Moneywise that reviewing the employment contract was the first thing that he'd suggest, with confirming state law a critical second step. "Number two is your state's wage law, and what this law does is that it protects employees who are owed vacation pay they were promised," he said.
As Lázaro explained, "every state treats final pay very differently," so it's important to "study the state law of your particular jurisdiction."
In California, for example, Wright explained that "Vacation that you have accumulated is considered wages that you have earned. So most of the time you should be compensated for your vacation days when you leave your job. If not, you may have a case for unpaid wages and other fines."
In New York, though, additional conditions apply for covering unpaid vacation. Specifically, the employee must have earned the time, and there must be no written forfeiture policy in place.
Still, the law provides protection, and collecting this money should definitely be possible. Working with a lawyer to understand your options and, when appropriate, sending a demand letter or filing a lawsuit could help you recover every dollar you deserve.