SUDBURY — Greater Sudbury’s top-paid public sector worker for 2024, the now-retired dean of Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) University, Dr. Sarita Verma, is currently on a one-year paid administrative leave.
This according to documents obtained by Sudbury.com following a freedom of information request we submitted in the spring.
We put in the FOI request after the release of the Public Sector Salary Disclosure for 2024 March 28, known colloquially as the Sunshine List, which names public sector employees who made more than $100,000 last year.
Verma brought home $522,439 in 2024, almost $140,000 more than she did in 2023. When we asked the medical school for an explanation, we received the following written statement.
"The salary increase for Dr. Sarita Verma primarily reflects a one-time vacation accrual payout, along with standard annual salary adjustments," the statement said. "Dr. Verma retired from her position at NOSM University on October 31, 2024, but remains under contract for a one-year as part of an administrative leave."
Wanting more details following the Sunshine List salary disclosure, we informally requested Verma’s contract from NOSM University communications.
But we were denied the information, with officials telling us we’d have to file a request under the province’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).
Asking for an explanation for the denial of our informal request, we received the following statement: “NOSM University remains bound by privacy requirements, as the employment contract is an agreement between the board and the president and may contain confidential information.”
Laurentian University, which was formerly affiliated with the medical school, actually publicly posted the contract for its new incoming president, Lynn Wells, when she was initially hired in late 2023.
But Sudbury.com also had to use an FOI to get the employment contract for Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ new medical officer of health, Dr. Mustafa Hirji, in 2024.
In filing our FOI, Sudbury.com requested all contracts and conditions of employment, past and present, between NOSM University and Verma. We also requested all contracts and conditions of employment between NOSM University and her successor, Dr. Michael Green.
The June 28 decision from NOSM University provided us with six documents: five pertaining to Verma and one pertaining to Green.
The most recent document pertaining to Verma is a Oct. 25, 2024 letter from NOSM University chair Sue LeBeau outlining the arrangements for Verma’s 12-month administrative leave, from Nov. 1, 2024 to Oct. 31, 2025.
It said that “during your leave, you will continue to be paid your full annual salary of $441,020.73, as per your current employment contract, subject to NOSM U’s applicable policies, applicable legislation and the terms of this agreement.”
However, “any other form of compensation which you currently receive, including but not limited to car allowance, will cease effective Nov. 1, 2024,” said the letter (her car allowance was $8,400 per year).
The agreement said that while there’s no expectation for Verma to represent NOSM University at any events or participate in activities during the leave, “it is acknowledged that, from time to time, you or NOSM U may request such participation,” with the letter stating her costs would be covered.
The letter also seems to hold up what university communications staff told us back in March about Verma’s vacation accrual payout.
“You will be paid out for all outstanding accrued vacation entitlements for the period ending October 31, 2024,” said the contract. “No further vacation will accrue during the leave, in accordance with your current employment contract.”
Other documents we received pertaining to Verma include her initial 2018 offer of employment, a revised employment agreement from 2022 following NOSM University becoming an independent institution and two 2024 extension of employment agreements.
Verma was initially supposed to retire last June after the end of her five-year term with the medical school, but her retirement was postponed until her replacement arrived in the fall.
Her initial 2018 contract set the stage for her current paid administrative leave.
It said upon full completion of her five-year term, “irrespective of whether the term of the contract is extended … the Dean/CEO will be entitled to a twelve (12) month administrative leave, during which she will receive a salary equal to the salary in the final year as Dean/CEO.”
The 2022 contract said that she would have also received a second paid year of administrative leave if she’d been appointed for a second term.
“In the event that the president is appointed for a second term, the president will be entitled to an additional full year's administrative leave, at the base salary level during the final year of service as president, without adjustment,” the contract stated.
Former NOSM dean’s salary: what do the contracts say?
In Verma’s initial 2018 employment offer, it said she would be paid “$358,586 per annum, less deductions and withholdings.”
By the 2022 contract, her salary entitlement had increased. It said “effective April 1, 2022, Dr. Verma's salary will be $454,000 per annum, less deductions and withholdings.”
However, the Sunshine List lists her 2023 salary as significantly less than that amount, $383,825.
We reached out to the medical school for an explanation, and received the following written response: “The amount reported in the 2023 public sector salary disclosure reflects mutual agreement on the timing of some payments,” said the statement. “The remainder will be reported with the 2025 public sector salary disclosure.”
As stated above, Verma’s 2024 contract outlining her current one-year administrative leave puts her current full annual salary at $441,020.
In terms of vacation, Verma’s 2022 contract said she was entitled to 30 days of annual paid vacation.
“Each year, unused vacation credits may be carried forward to the next year, but the president may not carry forward more vacation days than the annual vacation allotment,” the contract said.
Contract for Verma’s successor, Dr. Michael Green
Also through a Freedom of Information request, Sudbury.com received the employment contract of Verma’s successor, Dr. Michael Green, who began his term as NOSM’s dean Nov. 1, 2024.
The contract said he was initially appointed the incoming NOSM University dean by the university’s board of governors June 13, 2024.
The exact dates regarding the term of his contract were redacted, although it does state he’s serving a five-year term, as does NOSM University’s website.
In fact, several areas regarding exact dates were redacted in all of the records provided to Sudbury.com, with NOSM University citing section 21 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, which relates to personal privacy.
Green’s employment contract puts his salary at $440,000 per year (although the date that this salary becomes effective was redacted in the contract we received). This is similar to the salary number given in Verma’s most recent contract.
Given Green started his term late in 2024, he was not listed on the Sunshine List for NOSM University last year and without the FOI, his salary would not have been known until the spring of 2026.
Like Verma, he’s entitled to 30 days of annual paid vacation as well as a one-year paid administrative leave upon completion of his term.
“Upon completion of the term, the president will be entitled to a twelve (12) month administrative leave, during which Dr. Michael Green will receive a salary equal to the salary in the final year as president,” said his contract, adding that it must be taken immediately upon completion of his term.
Heidi Ulrichsen is Sudbury.com’s assistant editor. She also covers education and the arts scene.
