CAT Tracks for September 13, 2005

Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for September 13, 2005

PROGRESS REPORTED...PATIENCE REQUESTED

September 15 paycheck projections? They're working on it...

Met with Superintendent Whitledge and the payroll consultant yesterday afternoon and was given an update on the approaching payday. Much time and effort has been expended in trying to make sure that all goes smoothly on September 15th. The Association has been kept "in the loop" in an attempt to avoid foreseeable errors and to make the process totally "transparent" so as to raise the CAT's "comfort level" that every effort is being made to "get it right".

Some "glitches" were cited:

The consultant said that she was present to witness power surges that caused the computers to malfunction...causing probable corruption of data. Equipment has been ordered that should prevent that from happening in the future. Unfortunately, the equipment is not due to arrive until this Thursday...too late to affect the first pay period. However, various other means - including "dry runs" of the payroll - are planned in an effort to detect and eliminate any corrupted data.

Some "questionable" practices relating to taxes were discovered. For example:

Employees have been told during past years that they could "exempt" themselves from taxes on extra money...by submitting a letter or filling out a form. The consultant indicated that THAT was a "no no".

The consultant went further, stating that the IRS was VERY clear in the matter of taxing "extra money"...that the rate was approximately 27%. (The consultant DID confirm that the summer "lump sum payments" of salary COULD be taxed at the NORMAL rate...as specified in the contract. So, we shouldn't have to fight that battle again.)

Organization, organization, organization. The consultant indicated that finding documentation to support income/deductions had been VERY time consuming...a bookkeeper's "nightmare". She is in the process of implementing some "tricks of the trade" that should alleviate these obstacles in the future, insuring greater accuracy and providing additional time for double-checking.

Superintendent Whitledge was hopeful that a "dummy payroll" could be run - TODAY - so that employees might have an opportunity to check for errors prior to the official payroll being run on Wednesday for delivery on Thursday. The consultant agreed on the "concept", but would not promise that it could be done on such short notice...especially since she is responsible for getting her own District's payroll out on Thursday also.
Will there be errors?
The only thing I will say about that is what we have been saying for years and what the business office indicated last month in a memo...CHECK YOUR CHECK/DEDUCTIONS. If you think there has been an error, bring it to the attention of the business office. (The consultant appealed for patience and professionalism. I would simply add that you should expect the same in return. During previous years, employees have been "abused" when making legitimate inquiries about obvious errors in their paychecks. Human nature has possibly prompted some "quid pro quo". However, this IS a new year...so let's "give peace a chance".)
A final word on contractual rights...

Section 4.15 - Paycheck Errors
In the event of errors in a paycheck exceeding $50, correction shall be made immediately after written notification by the employee and subsequent verification by the employer. Any additional payment shall be made within twenty-four (24) hours of said notification excluding holidays and weekends.
i.e. If you find an error on Thursday, NOTIFY THEM IN WRITING on Thursday...so that the error will be corrected by the end of the business day on Friday. Detection...and correction...begins with you!