Sick teachers in California have to pay for substitutes out of their own paychecks — Even if they have cancer

If you're a teacher in California who needs to go on extended sick leave, you have more than your medical bills to worry about — you'll need to foot the bill for a sub, too. The policy, which was introduced back in 1976, garnered national attention this week after the San Francisco Chronicle reported that a second-grade teacher who has breast cancer and will be out for the rest of the year is required to pay for a substitute out of her paycheck.