FORT WORTH -- Fort Worth schools can't afford to give employees a pay raise, but administrators are proposing that all permanent employees get a one-time extra payment equal to 1 percent of their salary.
If approved by trustees, 11,000 employees would be eligible, costing the district about $5 million. Superintendent Walter Dansby would not be eligible. The board will discuss the proposal at a meeting tonight.Employees are going into their second year without a pay raise. Administrators did not recommend a salary hike in the 2012-13 budget, which includes a $27.6 million shortfall. Still, administrators and board members worry about employee morale and losing teachers to other districts."We are experiencing hard times. There were no pay raises last year, no raises this year and at the same time we have surrounding school districts that are giving raises," said Clint Bond, a district spokesman. "We think this will help bring confidence and be a morale booster to them."Administrators are proposing a one-time payment in October that is equivalent to 1 percent of an employee's 2011-12 base salary, not including stipends or extra-duty pay, Bond said. To qualify, employees must be permanent employees, not substitutes or temporary workers. They also must have had a satisfactory job evaluation for the 2011-12 school year.To pay for the initiative, the district could take $4.9 million from the general operating fund, with the rest from other funds, Bond said.The school board has held several discussions about employee pay, but some trustees were wary of adding a recurring expense to a tight budget.Trustee Juan Rangel is concerned that the district could lose talented employees if it does not give raises in coming years."If we are going to be competitive with other school districts, we've got to put up or shut up," Rangel said Monday. "We are trying to keep highly trained and highly skilled people."The Fort Worth-based United Educators Association warned the district last month that it was concerned about the district's ability to attract and keep employees."We want the district to be competitive with other districts, but we also understand the deficit budget," said Steven Poole, the association's executive director. "If all they can do is a one-time payment, I'm sure the employees will appreciate it."Jessamy Brown,817-390-7326Twitter: @jessamybrownHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
