Teachers not paid for ‘staff development’ 

By Michael H. Brownstein

“The last professional development I went to, everyone was complaining,” said Lisa Provost, a Chicago Public School teacher. “The general consensus among all the teachers was they rarely, if ever, get paid for these extra hours.

“We’re mandated to go or we can lose our job. People were complaining about never getting paid for any of the programs they attend. This particular professional development was mandatory for an after school enrichment program. If I didn’t attend, I could not work the program.”

Mike Vaughn who works in the Chicago Board of Education’s Communication Department stated: “The Board’s policy is clear. We try to correct payroll errors as quickly as possible.”

“When a professional development is on a Friday during school time, we are on the Board’s time,” said Antoinette Sigler disagreeing with Vaughn. “But when it’s on a Saturday, we want to receive a stipend for the time we spend, and this seldom occurs.

“I don’t mind giving up my free time to attend professional development, but I do mind when I am promised a stipend and I never receive it. Especially one that’s on a Saturday. I do have other activities that are important too. My family, for instance.”

A payroll worker for the Chicago Board of Education who troubleshoots payroll and payroll correction problems for teachers and wished to remain anonymous stated that the Board will pay a teacher anytime. “If there is a correction submitted with an open bucket number, we will pay,” she said.

Is there a time limit? For instance if the money is owed from September of 2004, can that teacher still apply to get paid?

“It does not matter how long ago it happened,” she explained. “If there was an open bucket number, we can still issue a check.”

An open bucket is how the Board opens accounts for its employees. For example, in an after school program, teachers do not receive compensation until the money is posted to the school on-line and a bucket number is given for that employee.

What if the claim is made five years from now?

“Like I said, it does not matter. If money was placed to pay an employee and there was a bucket opened to pay that employee, we will honor our commitment to pay them,” she said.

“But they don’t pay us in a timely fashion,” Sigler stated. “Even with an open bucket number. I am waiting for payment for services rendered during the winter of 2003-2004.

“The Board mandates professional development and I go because I want to be a better teacher, but I also know I probably will never be compensated for my time.”

A business manager at a south side elementary school who told this reporter he had to remain anonymous because of his relationship with the payroll department agreed with Sigler. “Sometimes I have to make corrections three or four times before the problem is resolved. And that’s not the problem,” he added.

“The problem is that each time I have to submit a correction, I know it will take payroll two to three weeks before I find out if payment will be made or if I have to submit a correction again.”

“File a grievance!” a field representative from the Chicago Teachers Union said. She would not give her name because she was not from the public relations department. “Nonpayment is a grievable offense.”

“If teachers or coaches do not receive compensation for professional development — especially mandated professional development — or contracted over time, we ask our membership to definitely file a grievance. Every teacher or coach who attends professional development conducted by the Board should get paid.

“Let your field rep. know. They will assist you in every way possible.” The union phone number is 312-329-9100.