By Bobbi Mlynar
mlynar@emporiagazette.com
The Emporia board of education hopes to avoid a non-voluntary personnel reduction through a one-year policy that offers incentives for a Voluntary Early Retirement Program (VERP).
The board unanimously approved a plan that would give extra pay to eligible employees who agree to retire this school year.
The vote came during the board meeting Wednesday evening in the Mary Herbert Education Center.
The Emporia National Education Association already ratified the plan, which will be in effect only for the current fiscal year.
For certified staff, the change is an addendum to the 2009-2010 master contract.
“We tried to explain it’s not to push anyone into retirement, but it’s really to give an opportunity to people who would like to have that option,” said Associate Superintendent of Personnel M. Theresa Davidson.
Qualified teachers and administrators will receive $20,000 and an additional $42 per day reimbursement (total of $70 per day) for unused chargeable leave up to 90 days. The money may be taken as a 403(b) and/or as cash, in any combination.
Classified staff members who meet the eligibility guidelines for service time and benefits will receive a one-time incentive based proportionally on hours and days of service, also payable in cash and/or 403(b) combination.
An additional $20 per day, for a total of $35 per day, will be paid in reimbursement for unused chargeable leave up to the maximum allowed.
Davidson explained that an employee who worked 261 days, eight hours a day, would receive about $15,000; someone who worked six hours per day for the 186 days of the school year would receive about $4,300.
Money to pay for the incentives will come from the district’s contingency fund used as carryover.
The Performance Based Budgeting committee’s recommendations were reviewed by Superintendent John Heim’s subcommittee on Feb. 1. The PBB met three times to discuss and to research ways to trim expenses from the budget, and ranked its recommendations according to priorities.
Recommendations included increasing pupil-teacher ratios at some schools and studying whether to close a school.
The board will hold a study session and a public-comment session later this month on the PBB recommendations.
For more details, see Thursday's online or print Gazette.
create (anonymous) says...
It's a sweet deal that will free up money in the salary budget now being paid to long-timers.
As I understand it, salary savings must remain in the salary budget and not to be used for other areas. But be careful, don't start using that savings on the next salary negotiations package because that will just poison this move. Perhaps it can be used for hiring a few new teachers to decrease the student-teacher ratio.
Still, I don't expect too many will take advantage of early retirement in view of the strained economy.
February 11, 2010 at 5:15 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
I doubt many go at all. There really needs to be an overhaul on tenure, there are some ticks in this district that need excised.
February 11, 2010 at 7:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yev_kassem (anonymous) says...
You hit the nail on the head goodoleboy. Tenure badly needs changed. Why should the district be forced to get rid of young hungry teachers for the sake of old grumpy ones?
My job is not guaranteed, so I have to prove everyday that I am worth my salary. Once teachers get tenure they are virtually untouchable. It's not right. Damn Union!
February 11, 2010 at 11:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mslater (Matt Slater) says...
I disagree. Tenure doesn't need to be changed, it needs to go away. It absolutely baffles me that you can get fired for screwing up a box of Twinkies, but you can't get fired for screwing up a kids life.
February 11, 2010 at 11:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cypress (anonymous) says...
Congratulations to the Emporia School District and the North Lyon County District for treating their employees with respect and giving them possible choices. This not only helps the employees, their families and the communities but speaks well of their leadership.
February 11, 2010 at 4 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
early retirement is good!
February 15, 2010 at 7:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )