(FORT BEND ISD) – The Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees approved a resolution at its Monday meeting authorizing a supplemental compensation program based on eligible employees’ years of service in the district.
The program would be implemented provided a majority of registered voters on Nov. 8 vote for the board-adopted property tax rate and sufficient additional funds are available for the district to make a one-time supplemental compensation payment to all eligible employees.
Passage of the district’s Voter Approval Tax Rate Election on Nov. 8 would sustain Fort Bend ISD’s tax rate at $1.21, which would the district says would provide funding for additional police officers, more teacher and staff compensation and maintaining academic programs of choice.
In year one of the program (2022-23), employees who have completed 0-4 years would receive $500, while employees who have completed 5-9 years would receive $1,000, etc. Only in year one, would staff members with less than five years’ service receive a supplemental payment.
New employees must be employed no later than October 30, 2022, to be eligible for the 2022-23 supplemental payment. It would be included in employees’ November 30, 2022 paycheck.
The cost in year one is estimated to be $13.2 million and would be paid from remaining ESSER funds.
Beginning in year two (2023-24), employees with five years of service would receive $100 for each year or $500, while those with 10 years’ service would receive $1,000, and those with 15 years would receive $1,500, and so on. Payments would be made only to staff celebrating five-year milestones. For example, a staff member in year seven or year 18 would receive their next longevity payment when they reach year 10 and year 20 respectively.
The cost in year two and beyond is estimated to be $2.2 million annually and would be funded out of the general fund. For this reason, voter ratification of the tax rate is necessary to implement the program.
District years of service is not tracked or calculated for part time employees, so longevity supplements for those eligible employees would be calculated based on their last hire date.
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