I am currently working in a phx. school that has a broken a/c and has not fixed it. In my room it has gotten up to a least 90 and higher. My question is what is the law on NO a/c in a classroom? I am also 27 weeks PG and can not work in these conditions, I have been in the hospital due to dyhydration from the no a/c in my classroom and school. My princpal seems to think that I am just faking the whole thing. My question is can I collect unemployement?

It would seem that drinking plenty of water would be a reasonable way to attempt to stay hydrated.

you would think so, but I am already drinking 80 OZ of water a day when I am there and have you ever been in a room that is well over 100 degrees with 20 little kids?

Nope. However, I can't find anywhere where the school MUST provide A/C. You cannot collect UI if you are no unemployed.

I went and looked at the ui website and it says that I can quit becuase of health issues and then I can collect until I find another job, which I am in the process of doing right now. Due to my PG with twins, it is unsafe for me to be in a room that does not have any a/c and that is stright from the ER doctor.

I'm going to guess that you have a less than 50% chance of winning that one. Where is your health insurance? What about disability insurance?

Health ins has not started for this job since school has just started and the disablity ins, well I don't think I get that yet either. No sure.

You're pregnant with no medical insurance?

No I have ins just not through my work

I have been in a classroom with 20 kids and no A/C. It stinks. Whether the school must close as a result is most likely a school system regulation or possible a state regulation unique to the education sector. There is no blanket OSHA or other law that sets a maximum temperature or require AC.

Thank you so much for your help. I am still looking but not sure of were to look. I will just have to go and get a medical note from my doctor becuase the heat and my PG with twins due not mix. Thanks again

I have been in a classroom with 20 kids and no A/C. It stinks.

Figuratively and literally. :D :rolleyes:

Just keep in mind that outside of FMLA, a doctor's note has no force in law.

Did your doctor indicate a medical reason you need to avoid temperatures over 90 degrees while pregnant? Typically it is not unsafe to be exposed to those kinds of temperatures even if pregnant as long as you follow the normal precautions and drink plenty of fluids. You may be more uncomfortable than most but it isn't a health risk in general.

I have found, via my wife, that such things are resolved fastest when you involve the parents of the children.

Schedule some parent teacher conferences or a "have lunch with your kid" day... and they will go to the principal for you.

The principal will listen when it is 20 parents screaming.

Besides, how did you get a class with only 20 students in it?

I like the "bring in the parents and let them complain" idea; it worked for some of my staff.

I work in mental health, and we had a group home with very old and inefficient air conditioning. The staff kept complaining, I kept making the requests to the facilities dept, and all they got were fans (to blow around the hot air I guess). The residents, because of the symptoms their illnesses, were not eager to speak up or write a letter. So we invited in family members for a special dinner in the middle of an August heat wave, and they were a little upset, to say the least.
They wrote letters (I supplied articles about how certain psych meds make one even more prone to heat-related illness) and presto, we had a new A/C system!


Good luck Iama, my sister just had twins too (and she had to have her A/C down at arctic levels all summer while her husband slept in sweats and blankets!)


HaHaHa Jeff, I was thinking that myself--where do you see a class size of 20 students these days? Must be the English-speaking homeroom!

Thats funny about my class size. Its a charter school. So I only have 18 in my room and the other second grade teacher has 15. Its nice to have a small class. I have had parents complain, but all the principal says is they can take the child home then. Thats it. as for the medical point, I can not be in the heat becuase while I am in th eheat I am drink twice the amount of water I should be drinking andf it is not healthy for the babies or myself. It has caused concern becuase my babies do not move they get too hot with the heat being that hi in my room. Anyways when you carry twins and see how hot your body gets with no a/c and what it does to your body and unborn children then you can tell me that I can handle it, just drink more water. Those of you that have helped, THANK YOU SO MUCH. It's nice to see some people understand some what of what I am going though. :o

I'm not saying it is comfortable, I'm talking about medically dangerous. If temperatures over 90 were medically dangerous for otherwise healthy women and unborn babies then those in tropical climates would be doomed. AC is a fairly new invention and only the norm in a small fraction of the world. However, if yo uare dehydrating that quickly or experiencing other problems I would urge you to get checked out by your doctor. There may be something more going on.

It is also possible that if you do have a medical condition (aside from pregnancy) that is causing you distress, that there is some remedy for you under ADA. Even if your condition doesn't reach the level to implead ADA, your administration may be more willing to act.

Is this is an unairconditioned building or is the AC just not working at the moment? How long has it been broken?

Not to push any particular product but there are things available that you put around your neck, they look almost like a bandana, and there is some sort of ice-gel pack inside. If your neck or other major pulse points are cooled, it can cool your core body temp.
They sell them in sporting goods stores, usually for golfers or hikers. I borrowed one once and it really worked well. I'm actually gonna buy one myself since I'm a whimp in the heat.

I know this isn't labor law, but I feel for the OP!

Could you bring in some fans? Technically it won't cool the room by much but the air circulating will help dramatically in the way that it feels. One location I work in does not have adequate swamp cooler. I bough fans and they really do help.

Funny about the 20 students, I just assumed she was an lower elementry teachers since that is the norm in Ca for 3rd grade and under.

20 kids is the norm here too for the younger kids. 20 five year olds is more than enough for any one adult.

Yes I have had fans in my room. They took the fans away because other teachers needed them too. The A/C has been out in my room since Aug.3, 2007 non stop. The A/C was fixed in the school but then it keeps breaking. This has been going on since May2007 last school year.
Not sure if you have taught before but 20 studnets in the classroom here in AZ is not the normal. I taught first grade last year and had 35 students and second grade we had 5 classes and they were all at 28 or 30. Too many students and not enough A/C.

They stole your broght from home fans? Or they were the school fans and they took them? If they stole your own fans I would deffiently file some type of complaint. If they were the schools fans I would purchase my own (writting my name on them) and bring them to school.