Northside ISD is one of several large districts setting an even higher standard than the state requires with regard to criminal history checks for employees. In May, the district voted to spend $125,000 to fingerprint employees who didn’t fall under the umbrella of the law: nonexempt employees such as custodians or cafeteria workers hired before Jan. 1, 2008.
The change comes following the district’s firing of a bus driver who was charged with sexual assault. The driver was convicted of similar charges in 1982 in Arizona, a fact the district’s previous background checks failed to uncover. A district spokesman said a fingerprint check would have caught the offense.
Doug Phillips, director of investigations and fingerprinting for the Texas Education Agency, says that some other large districts including Dallas ISD and Austin ISD have also undertaken the process of fingerprinting nonexempt employees hired before Jan. 1, 2008. Phillips recommends the move for districts that can stand the additional cost.
—“NISD expands background checks to all workers,” by Lindsay Kastner, San Antonio Express News, May 20, 2009.
The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) has updated the administrative rules that provide guidance to school districts regarding the certificates required for specific assignments of public school educators (19 TAC §231.1). The new rules, effective June 21, 2009, updated the chart “Assignment of Public School Personnel” to include current and previously issued certificates. The consolidation of information into one resource will be of great benefit to HR administrators.
The new chart 
(pdf) at the end of the text of 19 TAC §231.1. Select the link “Attached Graphic” to view or print it.
The U.S. Department of Education has provided federal funds to the Texas Education Agency to help teachers, librarians, and counselors who want to apply for National Board certification offered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) for the 2009–10 cycle. The funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis with priority given to candidates from high-poverty, low-performing school districts. National board certification is a prestigious accomplishment for teachers who meet the organization’s rigorous standards.
First-time candidates can earn a subsidy of up to $1,250, half of the $2,500 participation fee. Teachers, librarians, and counselors who hold bachelor’s degrees, have three years of experience, and hold a valid teaching certificate or counseling license or work in a state-approved school where certification is not required can apply.
To apply, candidates must have an NBPTS-issued number and must have made the initial $500 payment. Retake candidates who have not received subsidies are eligible for up to $350 for two exercises. The application deadline is Dec. 31, 2009.
Educators can learn more about how to apply for funds on the State Board for Educator Certification Web Site . Texas does not offer any incentives for teachers who earn National Board certification. A handful of Texas school districts offer multi-year stipends for successful candidates.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers a telephone service that allows employers to verify up to five employee names and Social Security Numbers (SSNs) at one time using a telephone agent. In late September 2009 this service will be replaced by a fully automated system that will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and allow verification of up to 10 employee names and numbers at one time.
The new Telephone Number Employer Verification (TNEV) will be similar to the online Social Security Number Verification Services (SSNVS) accessed through the Social Security Administration Web Site.
Employees who verify SSNs for their employers must be registered users in order to access TNEV or SSNVS. Individuals must register online by selecting “Business Services Online;” registration cannot be done over the phone.
In recent HR Services workshops on Managing Personnel Records, attendees gave the online verification system high marks. One practical suggestion they made was to use the system periodically to keep your user ID and password current to avoid having to reregister.
Knowing how much the average teacher earns lowers support among the general public for salary increases. A national survey conducted in 2008 by Education Next and the Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard University found that most of the public has an inaccurate picture of how much is spent on public schools as well as the amount of teacher salaries. Most are inclined to support increases in both until they are given the facts.
Survey respondents underestimated average teacher salaries in their state by more than $14,000, nearly one-third of the actual national average salary of $47,000. When provided with the facts, support for salary increases among the general public decreased by 14 percent and support among teachers dropped by 8 percent.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released a technical assistance document that provides guidance on how federal anti-discrimination laws apply to workers with caregiver responsibilities. Employer Best Practices for Workers with Caregiving Responsibilities supplements guidance issued by the EEOC in 2007 under the Unlawful Disparate Treatment of Workers with Caregiving Responsibilities .
The EEOC’s hope, according to Acting Chairman Stuart J. Ishimaru, is that employers use these guides not only to avoid unlawful discrimination, but to “think broadly about the ways in which family-friendly workplace policies can improve workers’ ability to balance caregiving responsibilities with work.”
Caregivers are not protected by federal law based on their caregiving status alone. Protection under federal law occurs when an individual is discriminated against based on a characteristic protected by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act. Examples of discrimination include the following: treating male caregivers more favorably than female caregivers, making assumptions about pregnant workers, not providing fathers the same benefits and flexibility as mothers, and stereotyping based on association with an individual with a disability.
The new best practices document includes recommendations for workplace policies aimed at removing barriers to equal employment opportunity for workers with caregiving responsibilities. Examples include leave policies that allow employees to use leave to care for ill family members, flexible work arrangements, and part-time opportunities with proportional compensation and benefits. Another recommendation is for employers to educate their workforce, particularly supervisors, about stereotypes and biases against working mothers and other caregivers.
The EEOC has also published a Q & A on the enforcement guidance . This document is available on the EEOC Web Site and provides a brief overview of the issues.
A study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that the poor health of workers reduces productivity more than employers realize. The multi-year study of 10 employers is one of the largest to date on the topic and included more than 150,000 employees.
Contrary to popular belief, employee absences due to illness are not the largest productivity culprit. Presenteeism—when employees are present at their jobs but unable to perform at full capacity—is a greater drain on productivity than absenteeism, according to researchers. For each dollar spent on medical costs and pharmaceuticals, employers experience $2.30 of health-related productivity losses (both absenteeism and presenteeism). Also, productivity losses are just as pervasive among executives and managers as they are among rank-and-file workers. Top-level employees had more presenteeism impact due to burn out that affected the quality of their work.
When medical and drug costs plus productivity losses are considered, researchers found that the top five costliest conditions for employers are depression, obesity, arthritis, back and neck pain, and anxiety. The research could spur new interest among company leaders in starting or maintaining health management programs that address productivity issues.
—“Unhealthy Employees Cut Productivity, Study Finds,” by Joanne Wojcik, Workforce Management Online, May 2009.
