Teachers in Buffalo, New York state, get cosmetic surgery procedures paid for by the public school system as part of their employment contract, costing the taxpayer an estimated $5.2 million (£3.4 million) a year.
Introduced in the 1970s to cover the cost of reconstructive surgery, the special rider on the contracts has sparked a row in the United States following reports that Buffalo teachers have been using it to pay for nip-tucks and Botox. Under the terms, the school district foots the entire bill for the procedures, with the current annual cost standing at $5.2 million (£3.4 million), down from $9 million (£5.8 million) in 2009.
As cosmetic surgery boomed in the United States with the arrival of non-invasive procedures such as Botox, microdermabrasion and laser hair removal, the school district’s bill skyrocketed and by 2009 around 500 employees were taking advantage of the perk. Local doctors began advertising directly to teachers through their union’s newsletter, and one Buffalo surgeon charged the district $4 million (£2.6 million).
Despite an outcry, attempts to close the loophole have stalled because of a 1982 state law that allows public sector employees to continue working under expired contracts until their union reaches a new agreement with the state. For the Buffalo school teachers, whose contract expired in 2004, this means they can keep any benefits and pay rises under the old deal, including a 2.5 per cent yearly salary increase. And with the US economy in the doldrums and pay freezes commonplace, there is little incentive for their union to renegotiate their contracts.
The Buffalo News estimated that the cosmetic surgery tab would pay for the salaries of 100 laid-off teachers, while the Board of Education has called on the union to end the perk in a bid to keep more teachers' jobs.
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