Barnes: Was first pay day delayed for Apache Junction teachers?

The following was read at the July 23 Apache Junction Unified School District Governing Board meeting:

I am here tonight with a sinking heart to inform the board that the district office and superintendent think it is alright to make teachers wait almost 30 days. New teachers started on July 8 for orientation. During the week of orientation, the new teachers were told the state money will not come until Aug. 2. So, there is no payday until Aug. 2. Furthermore, the week of orientation will not be paid time of service.

As a retired career and technical education director I was appalled when my daughter told me this. I immediately called the business manager to make sure I understood this correctly. She assured me that certified and classified would not be paid until Aug. 2. I reminded her of the statutes mandating that schools must pay employees seven days after the end of the last pay period (which was July 12). The orientation time not being paid is a clear violation of federal labor laws.

I called the auditor general, Arizona Department of Education, county attorney, county superintendent, Industrial Commission of Arizona and Arizona Women of Action. I did this because you have new teachers that moved here from another state, you have teachers that have to put bread and butter on the table and paying for gas to show up for work for anyone is no easy task.

• Did anyone stick their neck out to make phone calls on how to pay people prior to state funding? No?
• Did anyone call other school districts and ask how they can pay their teachers before state funding? No?
• Did anyone care enough to change the start date so people can be paid in a timely manner? No?
• Did anyone ask themselves, “How would I like it if I didn’t get paid for 30 days?” No?
• Considering only two governing board members welcomed the teachers and classified back I am sure none of this concerns you at all.

I dread to think how many years the district office has gotten away with cheating employees. With the competition public schools are faced with, there needs to a change of attitude on how employees are treated.

Editor’s note: The Apache Junction/Gold Canyon Independent reached out to AJUSD to ask if it is refusing to pay its returning teachers until Aug. 2; that it had refused to pay its new teachers until that date but recently changed it to July 19; and if AJUSD is short the funds to pay its teachers. Also, when did teachers start work and when is the pay supposed to be sent to them; was there a change this year and why; and does it also affect staff employees? Nicki Bosch, AJUSD public relations director, said in an email: “Thank you for reaching out with your questions. Here’s the accurate information regarding our teacher payment schedule: Our new teachers reported for work on the eighth, ninth and 10th of July. They were paid for these three days on the following Friday, which was within the pay period. Returning teachers and the rest of our staff will receive their pay as scheduled on Aug. 2. There was no refusal to pay our new teachers; they were compensated according to the payroll schedule. There have been no changes to the payment schedule for this year.”

Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.