Previous Story
Contractual staff planned for PSS
|
Posted on Jan 12 1999
The Public School System is planning a major hiring-policy shift by entering into service-contract arrangements to bring down personnel expenses.
Acting Fiscal and Budget Officer William Matson said PSS could expect 10-15 percent in savings for personnel cost even if half alone of the PSS employees elect to be hired on service contracts.
Under the arrangement, PSS need not pay for the retirement benefits and insurance premiums of employees.
“Perhaps in the future, we can all have professional services,” said Board of Education Chairwoman Marja Lee Taitano.
Federal Program Coordinator Tim Thornburgh, who was tasked to review the proposal, called the proposal “a win-win situation.”
He said: “It enables those who elect the professional services contract to actually see a slight increase in their salary. And it also enables the PSS to see a decrease in total cost because we will no longer pay from 24 percent and up for retirement and for insurance.”
Personnel costs take up 94 percent of the school system’s $38 million budget.
PSS has budgetted at least 1,000 full-time employees, 80 percent of whom funded locally, with the rest funded with federal money.
Some teachers were said to have broached the idea in lieu of a 10 percent cut in their salaries.
The plan is contemplated to begin next fiscal year.
