Q: After the board has approved our compensation plan for the upcoming school year, what steps should we take to notify employees?
A: The district compensation plan includes wage and salary schedules, stipends, benefits, and incentives. The superintendent recommends any changes to these plans to the board, including the amount of money that should be budgeted for pay increases to employees. The board approves changes to the plan and expenditures for pay increases through the district’s annual budget review and approval process.
Districts use different methods to inform employees about their pay. The most common way is to send each employee an individualized salary letter explaining the amount of their pay increase, their new salary, any stipends or incentives they will receive, and the effective date. If technology permits, it is even better to include the dollar value of benefits paid by the district on their behalf. The amount paid by the district for health insurance, retirement, and other benefits is a sizeable portion of the compensation package and is one that is often underappreciated by employees. If individualized notices are not a feasible option for a district, administrators can post the compensation plan on the district Web site or mail it to employees.
