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.
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.
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