October Payroll and the Pay Reduction Implementation
OUEA has become aware of a miscommunication between the Association and the District regarding the implementation of the negotiated pay reduction related to the reduced work year. This miscommunication has altered the way in which OUEA intended to have the pay reduction implemented for many certificated employees. Clarification regarding what to expect on your October paycheck is included below.
The Issue: Knowing at the time of the tentative agreement that a contract ratification process would extend past the deadline for the September payroll, OUEA believed it had communicated to the District that the Association expected the pay reduction to be balanced over the remaining paychecks (e.g. those formerly on S-track and receiving 12 paychecks per year would see a 2 2/3% reduction on each of their remaining 9 checks, while those on T-track and receiving 10 paychecks per year would receive a 2 2/9% reduction on each of their remaining 9 checks).
Unfortunately it was discovered just prior to the county’s October 22 school district payroll deadline that the understanding of the method to apply the payroll deduction was different. Upon discovery of the misunderstanding, the Association and the District immediately began trying to find ways to address the matter.
The Solution: Agreeing that a one-time 8% reduction for those receiving 12 paychecks per year was an issue, the District was able to alter its payroll at the last minute for those employees. However, there was not enough time before the county deadline to address the impact on 10-month pay employees and they will be receiving a one-time 4% reduction on their October paycheck.
What It Means To You:
If you are a ten-paycheck employee: Your October gross pay will be 4% less than last month’s amount. All subsequent checks (November through June) will be 2% less than last year’s amount.
If you are a twelve-paycheck employee: Your October gross pay will be 2 2/3% less than last month’s amount. All subsequent paychecks (November through June) will be reduced by the same 2 2/3%.
If you are a twelve-paycheck employee who moved over a column this month: Your October gross pay will be reduced by 8%. All subsequent checks (November through June) will be reduced by 2%. (This affects approximately twenty employees district-wide. The District was unable to accomplish both the change in salary and the change in reduction within this one payroll period. These employees should still see no overall reduction in the amount of pay received because the increased salary from the column movement should offset the reduction.)
OUEA apologizes to our members for this confusion and the lack of clarity in its communication with the District in the implementation of the ratified salary reduction agreement. We have learned from this situation and will take steps so that no misunderstandings will occur in the future.