TAKES HOLD. I WILL SHOW YOU WHEN THINGS CHANGE HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND. CAROL: THANKS, CHRIS. THE GREENVILLE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD SURPRISED EMPLOYEES BY OFFERING EVEN BIGGER COVID-RELATED BONUSES FOR A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES. THE BOARD WAS SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON GIVING EXEMPT EMPLOYEES, LIKE TEACHERS AND STAFF, A $1,000 ONE-TIME BONUS. NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES, LIKE BUS DRIVERS AND CUSTODIANS, WERE SET TO GET A $500 BONUS. HOWEVER, BOARD MEMBER ROGER MEEKS BROUGHT FORTH A MOTION TO PAY ALL EMPLOYEES $1,000. BOARD MEMBERS SAY THE BONUS IS TO HELP OFFSET THE IMPACT THE PANDEMIC HAS HAD ON DISTRICT EMPLOYEES. THE INCREASE WILL COST THE DISTRICT $2.1 MILLION. MS. LEVENTIS-WELLS: I THINK WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR SERVICE, THEIR COMMITMENT, AND THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE CARE, WE HEAR THEM, WE CARE ABOUT THEM, WE SUPPORT THEM. SO I AM ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS MOTION. CAROL: THE FINAL VOTE ON THE BONUS WAS UNANIMOUS. EMPLOYEES WHO QUALIFY WILL SEE THE BONUS IN A SEPARATE DEPOSIT IN THEIR BANK ACCOUNT ON FEBRUARY
Greenville County School Board approves employee bonus, COVID-19 leave
One-time bonus would be distributed in February
Updated: 9:05 PM EST Jan 12, 2021
Teachers and staff in Greenville County will soon be receiving a pay bonus, in addition to extra hours of paid time off if they need to quarantine because of COVID-19.Greenville County School Board Trustees unanimously voted for two recommendations from the administration: The extension of COVID-19 leave through August and the distribution of a bonus to all school district employees.The COVID-19 leave extension, which will mimic the parameters of the federal FMLA leave that expired Dec. 31, will be funded through the coronavirus relief fund, the district said Friday. Like its predecessor, this will provide up to 80 hours of special leave for employees who are required to isolate or quarantine due to a COVID-19 exposure or infection. It will be retroactive to Jan. 1 and helps ensure employees’ leave accounts are not negatively impacted by absences caused by the pandemic’s mitigation measures. The cost of the $9.4 million bonus will be funded by revenue in excess of expenditures from the fiscal year 2020 general fund budget, which was created when the budget was underspent during the shutdown and the food and nutrition services fund balance. This one-time bonus will not alter the district’s salary scale or result in any recurring costs to the general fund. The district said its purpose is to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of GCS employees during the pandemic and it will be distributed in February. Full-time non-exempt employees, as defined by federal law, will receive $1,000 in recognition of new and additional duties they have shouldered over the last 10 months. By law, these employees have already received overtime pay or compensatory leave for hours worked beyond their scheduled time, but no raise or other compensation for additional duties that have resulted from the pandemic.Exempt employees, such as teachers, administrators, and professionals in finance, human resources, academics, are not eligible for overtime and have not received any type of compensation for additional duties or the extra hours they have worked in response to the pandemic. As a result, the exempt employees’ bonus will be $1,000. Part-time employees, substitutes, and adjunct employees who have worked this year will receive a partial bonus based on their particular situation. According to officials, the bonuses will be distributed on February 15.
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Teachers and staff in Greenville County will soon be receiving a pay bonus, in addition to extra hours of paid time off if they need to quarantine because of COVID-19.
Greenville County School Board Trustees unanimously voted for two recommendations from the administration: The extension of COVID-19 leave through August and the distribution of a bonus to all school district employees.
The COVID-19 leave extension, which will mimic the parameters of the federal FMLA leave that expired Dec. 31, will be funded through the coronavirus relief fund, the district said Friday.
Like its predecessor, this will provide up to 80 hours of special leave for employees who are required to isolate or quarantine due to a COVID-19 exposure or infection. It will be retroactive to Jan. 1 and helps ensure employees’ leave accounts are not negatively impacted by absences caused by the pandemic’s mitigation measures.
The cost of the $9.4 million bonus will be funded by revenue in excess of expenditures from the fiscal year 2020 general fund budget, which was created when the budget was underspent during the shutdown and the food and nutrition services fund balance. This one-time bonus will not alter the district’s salary scale or result in any recurring costs to the general fund. The district said its purpose is to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of GCS employees during the pandemic and it will be distributed in February.
Full-time non-exempt employees, as defined by federal law, will receive $1,000 in recognition of new and additional duties they have shouldered over the last 10 months. By law, these employees have already received overtime pay or compensatory leave for hours worked beyond their scheduled time, but no raise or other compensation for additional duties that have resulted from the pandemic.
Exempt employees, such as teachers, administrators, and professionals in finance, human resources, academics, are not eligible for overtime and have not received any type of compensation for additional duties or the extra hours they have worked in response to the pandemic. As a result, the exempt employees’ bonus will be $1,000. Part-time employees, substitutes, and adjunct employees who have worked this year will receive a partial bonus based on their particular situation.
According to officials, the bonuses will be distributed on February 15.