14% of all GTFs were paid late in the fall of 2011. That’s 202 GTFs who were not paid on time.
Of that 202, 90 GTFs – 6% of all GTFs – had signed their employment contracts before September 16, giving the UO a full two weeks to get them their pay checks.
When it comes to paying other employee groups, the UO does not struggle so mightily.
Number of employees who were paid late in fall 2011:
GTFs – 202
Non-Tenure Track Faculty – 80
Tenure Track Faculty – 13
Research Assistants – 15
Administrators – 8
Number of employees who signed employment contracts by September 16, but were still paid late:
GTFs – 90
Non-Tenure Track Faculty – 14
Tenure Track Faculty – 6
Research Assistants – 0
Administrators – 1
We believe this is a problem. It is certainly not the first time that GTFs have been paid late in huge numbers, but we want to make it the last time.
What we have proposed is that if a GTF completes all his or her paperwork by September 16 and is still paid late, then that GTF would receive a $100 “late pay remedy.” We believe that no only will this adequately compensate a GTF for any inconvenience her or she may suffer, but also incentives that UO to take whatever steps are necessary to get GTFs paid on time.
(new language in bold, crossed out language currently exists and would be deleted)
“Section 5. All GTFs shall be paid no later than the last working day of each month they are employed. GTF payroll checks shall be made available after 8:00 a.m. on the last working day of each month. Pay for those GTFs who receive late appointments who complete their necessary employment paperwork less than 10 working days before the start of the term and whose payroll documents are consequently late in reaching the Payroll Department will be processed as soon as possible. GTFs who have completed their necessary employment paperwork more than 10 working days before the start of the term, but whose checks are not available on the last working day of the month shall receive a “late pay” remedy. The “late pay” remedy shall consist of an automatic $100 credit to the GTF’s student account. There will be an additional $100 credit to the GTF’s student account for every 5 working days that the GTF’s check is not made available. ”
The UO has been less than enthused about this idea. Not only have they yet acknowledged that this many GTFs being paid late is a problem – we were told all employee groups are paid late, that the payroll process is very complicated, and no system can be 100% accurate – their “solution” is, well, let them speak for themselves:
“Effective fall 2012, those GTFs who have completed and submitted their fall appointment contract as as well as all required paperwork by September 1, but whose paycheck is not processed by September 30, are eligible for the following remedies:
1. All interest and late fees associated with monies owed to the University for fall term will be waived;
2. Expedited processing of an application for up to $500 through the Jesse M. Bell Graduate Student Loan fund. Emergency loan requests must cite September pay as a reason for the loan application to receive priority consideration and, if granted, the loan fee shall be waived.
No later than August 30, 2012 the Graduate School will develop and post on its website a procedure through which the GTFs described above can identify themselves and access the remedies described in thsi letter. Also by August 30, 2012, the GTFF and all GTF hiring units will be notified of the process by email.
This letter of agreement expires March 31, 2014.”
So, if a GTF does everything right a full month before payday and the UO screws something up, the best that they will do is waive your interest charges and offer you a loan.