SC school system plans bonuses, extra paid leave because of pandemic

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Teachers and staff at a South Carolina county school system could soon be receiving a pay bonus, in addition to extra hours of paid time off if they need to quarantine because of COVID-19.

The Greenville County School Board on Tuesday will consider the pay changes sought by the school district, according to The Greenville News. The leader of the board issued a statement supporting the plan.

Lynda Leventis-Wells, school board chair, said Tuesday’s meeting will give board members the ability “to recognize in a tangible way the tireless efforts of (school system) employees over the last 10 months. From feeding children and providing solutions to those without internet service to the challenges of in-person instruction in the midst of a pandemic, our employees have responded in a big way to every challenge.”

The school district announced its plans Friday, a week after employees were told that federally financed COVID-19 leave expired at the end of 2020. The district intends to use other coronavirus relief aid and surplus money to pay for its plans.

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If approved, teachers and other employees not eligible for overtime will get a $1,000 pay bonus, while full-time staff who are eligible for overtime will receive a $500 bonus.

“Part-time employees, substitutes and adjunct employees who have worked this year will receive a partial bonus based on their particular situation,” a school district statement said.

The bonuses are estimated to cost about $9.4 million and will come from surplus in the district’s 2019-20 general fund budget.

The district also plans to offer up to 80 hours of paid leave for anyone needing to isolate because of exposure to COVID-19, retroactive to the week of Jan. 1. Coronavirus relief aid is expected to cover those costs.

The announcement came amid a post-holiday surge in COVID-19 cases.

Cox Media Group