Former Granby principal sues town for more than $90,000

Published: 08-02-2017 10:07 AM

GRANBY — The former principal of Granby Junior/ Senior High School has filed a lawsuit against the town, superintendent and members of the School Committee over what he claims was a breach of his contract and a violation of wage laws.

Jonathan Cavallo, who worked in the district for 14 years, alleges that Granby Public Schools did not pay him his entire wages or for his unused, accrued vacation and sick time. Cavallo is asking for more than $90,000 for accrued wages, including 29 unused vacation days and 228 unused sick days, as well as costs, interest and attorney’s fees.

“He’s had an excellent record, had been promoted and was not renewed — without any negative evaluation whatsoever or reason,” Cavallo’s attorney, Michael McDonough, told the Gazette. “He just asks to be compensated for everything he’s owed.”

Granby Superintendent Sheryl Stanton declined to comment on what she said is an ongoing personnel matter. Emre Evren, chairman of the Granby School Committee, said he did not have many details on the situation, and also declined to comment on the case.

McDonough said that Stanton told Cavallo in a very brief letter in March that his contract would not be renewed on June 30. The Gazette requested a copy of that contract, but Stanton did not immediately provide it.

Those 29 vacation days and 228 sick days are valued at $385 per day, according to the lawsuit. At that rate, the amount of allegedly unpaid time would total $98,945. The lawsuit goes on to say that Granby Public Schools “has historically engaged in a custom and policy of paying its employees for unused accrued sick and vacation time.”

In addition to that charge of violating state wage law, the lawsuit alleges that the defendants breached Cavallo’s contract by not paying him that owed money, and by “failing to provide an evaluation to Cavallo, which was required by the contract.” A third charge alleges a breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

Paying out school officials for unused days off is not unheard of in area school districts. In 2012, former Hadley School Superintendent Nicholas Young left to serve as school chief in neighboring South Hadley, and the Hadley district owed him some $100,000 for 177 unused vacation days over 11 years, according to the terms of his contract.

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