Some Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teachers say summer school paychecks are late, missing
Bettina Thomas says she’s owed thousands of dollars for her work as a summer school teacher in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Her paycheck has been missing for nearly two weeks, and she can’t afford to pay for basic necessities anymore.
“I haven’t had money for rent, car payment and groceries. I have an eviction notice, and late fees on all of my bills are piling up,” Thomas told The Charlotte Observer. “This is my reality and the reality for so many teachers.”
At least a dozen other teachers are awaiting paychecks from CMS, according to multiple summer school teachers who spoke to the Observer.
Three elementary teachers and one high school teacher told the Observer the problem is chronic and widespread. They were granted anonymity because they feared possible retaliation from the school district.
Thomas said she received an intimidating phone call from a CMS administrator after she spoke at a Board of Education meeting Tuesday night. The CMS administrator has not returned an Observer request for comment about that conversation. Superintendent Crystal Hill also did not respond to a request for comment on the missing wages.
“I was told that by going to the board I am not going to make the process any faster and I should be careful on how I move forward and not go to the press,” Thomas said. “Speaking out has put a target on my back, but someone needs to break the ice.”
One elementary school teacher says she has been paid her monthly wage but hasn’t received her bonus. Another teacher said she hasn’t been paid for weeks of work but remains optimistic she’ll receive the money by the end of the month.
Other teachers say they haven’t received a paycheck which should have covered their work for the second half of June. Their next paycheck should come at the end of July.
Unlike many professions, most salaried teachers in North Carolina are paid only 10 months of the year, leaving a gap for June and July. That’s partly why some teachers work in summer school or a second job to supplement income.
During summer school, which started in the middle of June and runs through the last week in July, teachers can choose which school they work at because summer sessions are consolidated to a few locations.
They are paid at the end of the month and their wage is based on regular state pay, determined by the state Department of Public Instruction, and they may qualify for bonuses. That state pay rate is lower than what CMS teachers are paid during the school year because it doesn’t include an extra stipend from the school district.
Someone who teaches all weeks of summer school would make at least $4,000 based on the state pay rate, but that number can rise based on accreditation and years of experience.
Payroll problems in Gaston County, too
Missing wages is nothing new, Thomas said.
“Some teachers are paid sometimes in August, September or October for money that was owed over the summer,” Thomas said. “A lot of teachers have told me this happened last year and the year before that too.”
Thomas says she believes problems with missing pay are linked to a new payroll system that CMS began converting to in February. It’s the same system Gaston County Schools used in its botched conversion two years ago that left employees facing missing or incorrect pay, retirement contributions, payroll deductions and other errors.
Gaston’s superintendent, W. Jeffrey Booker, resigned amid the payroll problems, though it wasn’t clear that those problems were a primary reason.
“This system has had many glitches and hiccups,” Thomas said. “A lot of teachers are able to clock in but never clock out so it shows they haven’t logged hours. In other cases, hours disappear or aren’t logged correctly by the system.”
All four teachers who spoke to The Observer say they will not work summer school again if they don’t get paid. They feel it’s important students don’t fall behind in school but won’t work without pay.
That’s why Thomas is calling on CMS to create a missing wages committee.
“I’m asking for you all to support teachers,” Thomas said during the school board meeting. “People are missing stipends, bonuses and wages for independent contractors, teachers, and anyone. They need to have an advocate or some type of committee that can help you to attain those funds.”
CMS told Thomas Wednesday she will receive her paycheck by Friday morning. Still, Thomas says more needs to be done.
“I think CMS is more aware of the issues now and have been working to solve them,” she said. “But, we need the money now and they need to fix this problem sooner rather than later.”
If you have experienced problems with pay, benefits, bonuses, stipends or anything else at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, we want to hear from you. Please contact Luke Fountain at lfountain@charlotteobserver.com or at (828) 320-6633.
