During their April 13 meeting, the Great Falls Public Schools board voted to continue pay and benefits for employees throughout the state-mandated school closures.
When the school closures started, the district met with its seven bargaining units to discuss the continuation of pay and benefits for all staff.
During the board’s March 18 meeting, Superintendent Tom Moore said GFPS administrators and union representatives met that day to work through some of the issues regarding the closures impact on collective bargaining agreements.
According to GPFS, the districts reached agreements from with those groups regarding pay from March 16 through March 27 and from March 30 through the end of the school year.
“These agreements both outline that every part-time and full-time employee will be paid their regular hours as long as they continue to work as they are needed and as required by their supervisor. The agreement under this Memo of Understanding would extend to all full-time and part-time employees not covered by a collective bargaining agreement,” according to the staff report from Kerry Dattilo, the district’s human resources director.
Under the agreements,
- the district will compensate and maintain all health and other benefits for all eligible employees during this work period. A determination may be made by a supervisor that some staff may not be required to work on a specific day, but they will be required to be available for work. Employees are required to keep in touch with their supervisor as the supervisor requires.
- If any work is performed beyond a 40-hour week, it will be paid as overtime, but it must be pre-approved by a supervisor.
- If an employee has circumstances relating to the COVID-19 virus, this must be communicated to their direct supervisor immediately. No leave will be taken from personal banks as it relates to these circumstances. GFPS may require medical documentation.
- Any other leave taken during this time period will be deducted from the employee’s leave accrual.
- Staff who will be working on-site at any time during this closure shall adhere to the Center for Disease Control guidelines.
- Employees may be asked by the district to perform duties outside their normal job duties.
