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City schools cease mailing pay stubs, save $23,000
By Denise Dick
Youngstown
The city school district is saving about $23,000 annually by not mailing paychecks and pay stubs.
“We have about 2,000 employees,” said Holly Airhart, an accountant in the district.
First-class postage is 45 cents, and employees are paid twice monthly or 26 times per year.
“That’s half a teacher or an educational aide and a half,” Airhart said. “It’s a lot of money.”
Of the 2,000 employees about 1,100 opt for direct deposit, but the pay stubs were still being sent to them. Those will be emailed to employees or they can pick them up at the central school district office.
During summer, checks or pay stubs will still be mailed.
The money hasn’t been designated for a specific purpose.
“It’s just a savings,” she said. “There’s nothing we said we’d spend the money on.”
Airhart said she hasn’t received complaints about the change from employees.
Some other Mahoning Valley school districts already follow similar practices.
Mary Ann Herschel, treasurer of Austintown schools, said that district’s 550 to 600 employees receive their checks via direct deposit. Pay stubs are either emailed or in rare cases, employees may pick them up.
The only time payment may be mailed is if it’s to an employee who works sporadically, such as a substitute teacher.
Jim Wilson, Liberty schools treasurer, said that since 2005, all 160 district employees have been paid by direct deposit. That was negotiated in employee contracts.
“They still have the option of getting their pay stub electronically through email or they can opt out and get a paper statement through the mail,” Wilson said. “Those that opt out, if they teach here — they’re a regular teacher — it’s sent in inter-office mail instead of mailing it out through the U.S. Postal Service.”
The only time that pay stubs are mailed through the postal system is if it’s for a substitute who isn’t a regular school district employee.
Warren City Schools operates in much the same way.
Aaron Schwab, school district spokesman, said of the 890 employees, 738 have their checks deposited directly into their banking accounts.
The others pick them up at their school buildings as do those who use direct deposit do with the pay stubs. The only employees whose checks are mailed are substitutes, he said.