MWP-ISD Employee Handbook 06-07 - Compensation & Benefits

Employees are paid in accordance with administrative guidelines and a pay structure established for each position. The district’s pay plans are reviewed by the administration each year and adjusted as needed. All district positions are classified as exempt or nonexempt according to federal law. Professional and administrative employees are generally classified as exempt and are paid monthly salaries. They are not entitled to overtime compensation. Other employees are generally classified as nonexempt and are paid based on hourly wages or salary and receive compensatory time or overtime pay for each hour worked beyond 40 in a workweek. (See Overtime Compensation)

Salary and wage schedules are reviewed annually and adjusted according to the budgeted amounts approved by the board. All employees will receive written notice of their pay and work schedules before the start of each school year. Classroom teachers, full-time librarians, full-time nurses, and full-time counselors will be paid no less than the minimum state salary schedule. Contract employees who perform extracurricular and supplemental duties may be paid a stipend in addition to their salary according to the district’s extra‑duty pay schedule.

Employees should contact Mrs. Sherry Treadaway, personnel secretary, 943-6711, for more information about the district’s pay schedules or their own pay.

All professional and salaried employees are paid monthly. During the school year, paychecks are delivered to each campus. Paychecks will not be released to any person other than the district employee named on the check without the employee’s written authorization. During summer breaks, paychecks will be mailed to the employees.

An employee’s payroll statement contains detailed information including deductions, withholding information, and the amount of leave accumulated.

Employees can have their paychecks electronically deposited into a designated account. A notification period of thirty (30) days is necessary to activate this service. With automatic deposit, an employee’s pay is immediately available on the pay date. Contact Mrs. Sarah Harris, payroll clerk, 943-6711, for more information about the automatic payroll deposit service.

Automatic payroll deductions for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) and federal income tax are required for all full‑time employees. Medicare tax deductions are also required for all employees hired after March 31, 1986. Temporary and part‑time employees who are not eligible for TRS membership must participate in the 457 Plan in lieu of Social Security.

Other payroll deductions employees may elect include deductions for the employee’s share of premiums for health and life insurance; annuities; higher education savings plans; and savings deposits and loan payments through the Ward County Teachers’ Credit Union. Employees also may request payroll deduction for payment of membership dues to professional organizations. Salary deductions are automatically made for unauthorized or unpaid leave.

The district compensates overtime for nonexempt employees in accordance with federal wage and hour laws. Only nonexempt employees (hourly employees and paraprofessional employees) are entitled to overtime compensation. Nonexempt employees are not authorized to work beyond their normal work schedule without advance approval from their supervisor.

Overtime is legally defined as all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek and is not measured by the day or by the employee’s regular work schedule. Nonexempt employees that are paid on a salary basis are paid for a 40-hour workweek and do not earn additional pay unless they work more than 40 hours. For the purpose of calculating overtime, a workweek begins at 12:01 AM Saturday and ends at midnight Friday.

Employees may be compensated for overtime at time-and-a-half rate with compensatory time off (comp time) or direct pay. The following applies to all nonexempt employees:

¨	Employees can accumulate up to 60 hours of compensatory time.
¨	Comp time must be used in the duty year that it is earned.
¨	Use of comp time may be at the employee’s request with supervisor approval as workload permits.
¨	An employee may be required to use comp time before using any other available paid leave (e.g., sick, personal, vacation).
¨	Weekly time sheets will be maintained on all nonexempt employees for the purpose of wage and salary administration.

Before travel expenses are incurred by an employee, the employee’s supervisor and the Superintendent must give approval. For approved travel, employees will be reimbursed for mileage and other travel expenditures according to the current rate schedule established by the district. Employees must submit receipts, to the extent possible, to be reimbursed for expenses other than mileage.

Group health insurance coverage is provided through TRS-ActiveCare, the statewide public school health insurance program. The district’s contribution to employee insurance premiums is determined annually by the board of trustees. Employees eligible for health insurance coverage include the following:

TRS retirees and employees who are not contributing TRS members that are regularly scheduled to work less than 10 hours per week are not eligible to participate in TRS-ActiveCare.

The insurance plan year is from September 1 through August 31. Current employees can make changes in their insurance coverage during open enrollment each spring. Detailed descriptions of insurance coverage, employee cost, and eligibility requirements are provided to all employees in a separate booklet. Employees should contact Mrs. Maria Fuentes, insurance clerk, 606 South Betty, Monahans, Texas, 943-6711, for more information.

At their own expense, employees may enroll in supplemental insurance programs. Premiums for these programs can be paid by payroll deduction. Employees should contact Mrs. Maria Fuentes, insurance clerk, 606 South Betty, Monahans, Texas, 943-6711, for more information.

Employees may be eligible to participate in the Cafeteria Plan (Section 125) and, under IRS regulations, must either accept or reject this benefit. This plan enables eligible employees to pay certain insurance premiums on a pretax basis (i.e., disability, accidental death and dismemberment, cancer and dread disease, dental, and additional term life insurance). A third‑party administrator handles employee claims made on these accounts.

New employees must accept or reject this benefit during their first month of employment. All employees must accept or reject this benefit on an annual basis and during the specified time period.

The district, in accordance with state law, provides workers’ compensation benefits to employees who suffer a work‑related illness or are injured on the job. The district has worker’s compensation coverage from Texas Association of School Boards, effective September 1, 2003. Benefits help pay for medical treatment and make up for part of the income lost while recovering. Specific benefits are prescribed by law depending on the circumstances of each case. All work‑related accidents or injuries should be reported immediately to the campus principal. Employees who are unable to work due to a work‑related injury will be notified of their rights and responsibilities under the Texas Labor Code. See Workers’ compensation benefits, pg. 24 for information on use of paid leave for such absences.

Employees who have been laid off or terminated through no fault of their own may be eligible for unemployment compensation benefits under the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act. Employees are not eligible to collect unemployment benefits during regularly scheduled breaks in the school year or the summer months if they have employment contracts or reasonable assurance of returning to service. Employees with questions about unemployment benefits should contact Mrs. Maria Fuentes, insurance clerk, 606 South Betty, Monahans, Texas, 943-6711.

All personnel employed on a regular basis for at least one‑half of the normal work schedule are members of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS). For new employees, there is a 91-day waiting period before TRS membership begins. Substitutes not receiving TRS service retirement benefits who work at least 90 days a year are also eligible for TRS membership and to purchase a year of creditable service. TRS provides members with an annual statement of their account showing all deposits and the total account balance for the year ending August 31, as well as an estimate of their retirement benefits.

Employees who plan to retire under TRS should notify Mrs. Monica Vasquez, the payroll clerk, as soon as possible. Information on the application procedures for TRS benefits are available at the Administration Building, 606 South Betty, Monahans, Texas. Additional inquiries should be addressed to: Teacher Retirement System of Texas, 1000 Red River Street, Austin, TX 78701‑2698, or call 800‑223‑8778 or 512‑542‑6400. TRS information is also available on the Web (www.trs.state.tx.us). See pages 8-9 for information on restrictions of employment of retirees in Texas public schools.


Back to - Employee Handbook Table of Contents	Salaries, Wages, and Stipends	Paychecks	Automatic Payroll Deposit
Payroll Deductions	Overtime Compensation	Travel Expense Reimbursement	Health and Life Insurance
Supplemental Insurance Benefits	Cafeteria Plan Benefits	Workers’ Compensation Insurance	Unemployment Compensation Insurance
Teacher Retirement	Other Benefit Programs	~~ Click any to return to top of this page ~~

September 25, 2007	March 25, 2008
October 25, 2007	April 25, 2008
November 21, 2007	May 23, 2008
December 21, 2007	June 25, 2008
January 25, 2008	July 24, 2008
February 25, 2008	August 25, 2008

¨	Employees who are active, contributing TRS members
¨	Employees who are not contributing TRS members and who are regularly scheduled to work at least 10 hours per week.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS