School not paying on time

amother

OP ↓

Wed, May 08 2019, 3:51 pm

I'm in a new and unpleasant situation in which for the first time in over a decade of teaching (more than one school) I am not getting paid on time. This from a school who always prided themselves on paying on time. As the months go by the checks get later and the excuses longer.

We (my co-teachers and myself) are incredibly frustrated and stressed from this situation. The school feels 'bad' but makes it clear that this is normal/accepted practice.

Is this true??? How can that be? I don't understand how it can ever be okay for someone to work and not get their check. I run out the door every morning, pay my children's morohs and devote myself to my work. After all of that I have to wonder how I will pay my bills because I have not been paid for work that I did. Honestly, I feel that the parents should be aware of this travesty so they can understand why their child's teacher no longer has the excitement for her job the way she used to - it reaches a point where motivation flies out the window.

For teachers and those who know - is it true that this is an accepted practice in tristate area schools? How is this justified (halachically, ethically, morally)? What can we do to stop this terrible practice in its tracks?

amother

Aqua ↓

Wed, May 08 2019, 3:56 pm

I'm surprised this is the first time you've come up against this issue. Some schools are better than others, but many struggle. Some have financial problems, and others have a struggling parent body who need to get better at paying tuition on time. When I first started out, I was officially told by a faculty member to take out a loan to cover my rent and expenses for the first two months of school, until they start paying.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Wed, May 08 2019, 4:02 pm

I'm not a new teacher at all. I am horrified and wonder if those who think this is ok/common understand the ramifications of not getting paid - the resentment that builds, the balls that get dropped. It is terrible that a school who takes upon themselves to educate children don't jump through fire (not literally) to make sure their teachers get paid on time. That is beyond top priority.

amother

Mint

Wed, May 08 2019, 4:03 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Its normal to the extent that it has unfortunately become the 'norm'. that that does not make it acceptable.

amother

↑ Aqua

Wed, May 08 2019, 4:32 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

They also need to pay administrative staff who are more likely to find a different job if they don't get paid. The copier needs paper and toner. The janitors need to get paid. Toilet paper refilled. Electricity bills. Rent. Maintenance. Repairs. The list goes on.

Everyone knows teachers aren't in the field for the money, and are unlikely to quit in middle of a school year and even less likely to strike, so we get pushed to the bottom of the list . Mad

To be fair, all the schools I've worked for did work very hard to pay their teachers. It's just that school budgets are impossible.

amother

Orchid

Wed, May 08 2019, 4:46 pm

Op, I'm sorry this is happening. It makes things very hard. Is anyone saying that's it's ok?
The issue is that while many people are working and depending on their salary to pay their bills, a yeshiva is simply not run like a typical business. Mainly, that they don't throw out kids who can't pay. They just continue to provide services as if they were getting paid. Can you think of any other business that would continue giving services when not getting paid? Of course not. With that in mind, if the yeshiva isn't getting paid then some employees aren't getting paid either.

Hopefully this gets better soon.

notshanarishona ↓

Wed, May 08 2019, 4:47 pm

I have taught in a few different schools. The firstt school I worked at I left, when pay checks were more than 3 months behind and openly told them that was my reason. After my first experience, I always ask current teachers as well as the admin to find out if the school pays on time before I sign a contract.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Wed, May 08 2019, 4:54 pm

The problem is that while the school looks like it is functioning well the reality is quite different. Teachers are very resentful and balls begin to drop(can you blame them??) The students end up suffering as well as the whole morale of the school. Not one teacher feels like expending an extra drop of energy when she is not getting a check.

amother

Cerulean ↓

Wed, May 08 2019, 5:15 pm

My school prides itself on paying on its own schedule, which runs just a month late. My husband is a full day rebbe/administrator its in his contract that payment will be up to 2 months late. His last paycheck was for the first half of january.

So, yes, this is pretty normal.

amother

↑ Cerulean

Wed, May 08 2019, 5:15 pm

dankbar

Wed, May 08 2019, 5:23 pm

What I don't get is something else, I always used to get paid Rosh chodesh for the last month of work, but it was posdated for another month at least, that made it waiting 2 months for payment. What is the chesbon if every check is deposited 2 months later. How to they save one that? So January work they have to cover in March, but in January they are covering November work so what difference does it make for them. They anyway have to cover the wages every month, just it's payment for prior work instead of current work.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Wed, May 08 2019, 5:25 pm

amother [ Cerulean ] wrote:

That's a point of pride? Wow.

Are you okay with all this? My contract which I'm hesitant to renew specifies specific payment days which have turned into jokes.

unexpected

Wed, May 08 2019, 5:36 pm

Many schools do not pay on time (or sometimes at all) because they can get away with it. If you are in NY, with the amount of programs available, every school should be able to pay their bills unless the money is being severely mismanaged. I am in a business where I provide a service to schools and only one school is consistently unable to pay.

amother

Crimson ↓

Wed, May 08 2019, 6:12 pm

I am a teacher. Not in tri-state area.
I have never had this issue, and yes, it is halachikly and ethically a problem.
Truthfully, my husband would NEVER allow me to continue work at a school that didn't pay. No way.
Why should a teacher have to be a martyr!?