FILE:  DJCB

Cf:  GAL, GBA

Cf:  GBRIB, GBRIH

SALARY DEDUCTIONS

The Lincoln Parish School Board maintains that salary deductions which are considered statutory, including federal income tax, state income tax, retirement, etc., shall be deducted in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. 

Any voluntary deductions desired by employees may be authorized by the Superintendent or the School Board, when such action is determined to be in the best interest of the school system.  Said request shall be submitted in writing by the employee.  The employee shall also sign a form authorizing said salary deduction and verifying knowledge of all regulations governing salary deductions.  The School Board does not assume any liability for compliance with governing requirements and regulations.

The School Board no later than the following school year, shall deduct and withhold from any employee’s earnings a specific amount for the payment of regular dues to any organization so designated by the employee.  Before any deduction is made, however, fifty (50) or more teachers or employees or ten percent (10%) of the total number of employees, whichever is less, shall have specifically requested and voluntarily authorized the deduction in writing.  Any amount shall be remitted to the organization designated on a regularly scheduled basis as determined by the School Board.

The School Board shall only be responsible for making approved salary deductions as requested in writing by any employee of the School Board.

Under no circumstances shall special arrangements be made as to the commencement or transaction of salary deductions.

The School Board shall authorize the payroll deduction for an agent that acquires 7% of the total number of employees who desire a particular tax sheltered annuity.  The employee must sign an authorization for payroll deduction and it must be submitted by the agent at least thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of the deduction.  For the deduction to continue, 7% of the total number of employees shall be enrolled as of January 1 of each year.

For all categories of supplemental insurance and other employee benefits  (i.e. Insurance contracts that would be paid for in full by the employee,) other than tax sheltered annuities, the School Board shall select one (1) carrier through a competitive process for each category to be placed on payroll deduction.  Only those approved categories and carriers will be allowed payroll deduction status.  All School Board approved categories and carriers of insurance coverage or other employee benefits will be reviewed by the Insurance Committee every three (3) years or earlier when deemed necessary.  Following the review process, the committee will present its recommendations to the School Board for final action.

PAY DEDUCTIONS FOR EMPLOYEES EXEMPT FROM THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT (FLSA)

Executive, administrative, and professional employees are considered exempt from the overtime requirements of federal law.  These employees are paid on a salary basis which typically does not allow for deductions in pay.  However, the School Board maintains its rights to deduct the pay of executive, administrative, and learned professional workers under the following circumstances.

Deductions from pay are permissible when an exempt employee:  is absent from work for one or more full days for personal reasons other than sickness or disability; for absences of one or more full days due to sickness or other disability if the deduction is made in accordance with a bona fide plan, policy or practice adopted by the School Board for providing compensation for salary lost due to illness; to offset amounts employees receive as jury or witness fees, or for military pay; for penalties imposed in good faith for infractions of safety rules of major significance; or for unpaid disciplinary suspensions of one or more full days imposed in good faith for workplace conduct rule infractions.

Safety and workplace conduct rules include, but are not limited to, those rules and regulations present in the Lincoln Parish School Board Policy Manual, the Louisiana Revised Statutes, and notices provided by principals or other School Board supervisory personnel to employees that relate to school specific matters requiring that regulative action take place.

Payroll deductions in all cases not involving absence for personal reasons, safety rule violations, or workplace conduct infractions shall be made upon a showing by the employee’s supervisor to the Superintendent and payroll department that such deductions are warranted.  Such a showing shall require proof of the employee’s jury/military service or the School Board policy allowing for additional employee compensation due to salary lost on account of illness.

Payroll deductions due to employee absence for personal reasons, safety rule violations, or workplace conduct under this policy shall be made according to School Board policy providing for the discipline of the class of employee in question.

Nothing within this policy shall abrogate tenure rights as listed in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:443 and 17:493.

If an employee feels that his/her pay has been unfairly docked, that employee has the option of filing a formal grievance in accordance with the School Board’s grievance procedures.

Ref:    29 USC 201 et seq. (Fair Labor Standards)

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:437, 17:1184, 17:1202, 17:1315

Board minutes, 9-19-89, 3-2-93, 10-4-05

Lincoln Parish School Board