Ex-’Survivor’ is disciplined

A former winner on “Survivor” has been suspended 20 days from his job with the Ohio Department of Transportation after an investigation concluded he took an unauthorized leave of absence.

State investigators said Chris Daugherty of South Vienna, Ohio, used a bogus medical excuse to leave work for a month last fall to attend a promotional tour for the CBS reality TV show in Europe.

Daugherty, 35, who won $1 million in 2004 for “Survivor: Vanuatu -- Islands of Fire,” initially requested leave to go on the trip, but state officials said the request was denied because he had used all but 29 hours of his vacation days, sick leave and personal time.

A message seeking comment was left at Daugherty’s home Sunday afternoon. Last month, he said stress from his job and his contract with CBS made the time off necessary and that the leave of absence was unpaid.