PSS personnel nix service contract
The Public School System will need to launch an aggressive campaign to sell the professional services contracts among its personnel who at this early are not buying it.
Based on the recent salary options survey made by PSS, majority of its employees are not letting go of their usual employment contracts.
“Most of the people who responded wanted to stay as is, they don’t want to give up,” Commissioner of Education Rita H. Inos told members of the Board of Education.
According to Inos, employees wanted to continue to enjoy their health insurance and retirement benefits.
“Those are the two factors that compete our attention,” she added.
The responses gathered from schools only counted close to 60 people who chose the professional services contracts. However, this small group would bring some $700,000 savings for PSS based on initial projections.
With five more months to go before the renewal of contracts, the Board is not giving up on the professional services.
Member Anthony Pellegrino instructed PSS officials to come up with a package that will include medical and retirement benefits. By using this type of contract, employees will bring home more cash while maintaining both benefits, he said.
The professional services contract was proposed by some teachers of the Marianas High School during the pay cut scare last November. Both PSS officials and the Board bought their proposal in an effort to bring down the personnel cost from its budget which presently allots 94 percent for salaries.
The PSS is looking at 15 percent savings if half of its personnel will avail of the professional services contracts.
