An empty classroom is seen during the first day of the reopening of the Primary School No. 2 in Krakow, Poland, on January 18, 2021. Poland. Poland's youngest children of grades 1-3 returned to school for the first time since closing schools on November 9, 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Older pupils will still remain at home attending classes online. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A North Carolina school district is in the hot seat after issuing bonuses to teachers, only to ask for the extra coins back! On Jan. 12, 225 teachers from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) district received $1,250 bonuses on their paychecks.
Five days later, CMS caught the processing error. The money was meant for “new” educators as a recruitment incentive. CMS contacted the vet teachers about returning the bonuses on Jan. 18, per PEOPLE. In total, the payroll mistake cost the school district $281,250 in bonuses.
CMS clarified in a statement that:
“These 225 teachers are not new to their area and should not have received the bonus.”
Instead, CMS planned to issue monthly funds for the critically needed teachers, per WPTV.
“These teachers do receive the monthly ‘retention’ critical shortage differential in the amount of $200 a month. However, the recruitment bonus was inadvertently processed, as well, this month in error,” CMS reportedly stated.
As mentioned, the district requires the teachers to return the bonuses in total. However, CMS has given two options to do so — considering some teachers might’ve used the funds during the five days they were unaware of the processing error.
“Employees will have the option of repaying the bonus in a lump sum from their February check or may choose a payment plan with deductions over three months,” CMS said.
CMS reportedly supervises over 20,000 teachers, support staff, and administrators across 184 schools, per their website. The district did not reveal whether they considered allowing the impacted teachers to keep the funds. They did, however, offer an apology for the error.
“We understand the challenges this error may have caused, and we are committed to working closely with each of the teachers impacted. We value the work of all CMS employees and sincerely apologize for any distress or inconvenience.”
Meanwhile, across the country in Oklahoma, 16-year-old teacher Shania shook TikTok this week when she revealed her day job. Shania teaches third grade and began her college education at the age of 13.
