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‘No more early payroll for direct deposit teachers’
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Posted on Feb 02 2006
Public school teachers who used to receive their biweekly payroll early through direct deposit procedures will no longer get their salaries ahead of their counterparts.
PSS director of finance Richard Waldo confirmed this yesterday, saying that teachers who get their salary through direct deposit would get their money on the same day as the other teachers who get paid through checks.
He said the local government remits to them the payroll funds just one day before payday, which is usually Friday.
Several teachers—specifically those who get their salaries through the bank—complained yesterday of not getting their money earlier than they used to.
Sixty percent of public school teachers are under the direct deposit method involving three banks in the CNMI: the Bank of Guam, Bank of Hawaii, and First Hawaiian Bank.
Waldo clarified that PSS is not abolishing this procedure and that the finance office will always remit to their banks.
Advanced payroll will only be given to teachers who need it, based on the urgency or an emergency in the family, said Waldo, but this still has to be approved by the Commissioner of Education.
Waldo also denied reports that some teachers under the direct deposit program have not received their salaries from the last payroll period. He said those who thought that they have not received their salaries yet should visit or call his office for clarification.
He said teachers who are complaining about it might have a loan in the past or their advance travel expenses deducted already, “that’s why they did not get any paycheck last payroll.”
The Public School System is under continuing resolution and is still getting the same budget allocation of $37.2 million for the last seven years, over 90 percent of which goes to staff compensation.
