Pay in Arrears

FCPS is moving to a pay schedule called “pay in arrears.” Employees will continue to be paid twice a month. The difference will be that the paycheck will reflect the prior pay period. The table below shows the arrears pay period and time worked schedule.

Operational excellence is both a Board of Education and Superintendent priority. The system is moving toward a number of key initiatives that will make our employee experience better, faster, and more accurate–one of which is moving from paying current to paying in arrears.

The process of paying current is not the typical practice for most businesses and school systems across the country, and our current pay schedule, unfortunately, negatively impacts our employees overall. Our system has grown so much that it is difficult to get all the transactions into the system to accurately pay employees. This change will reduce the number of pay corrections, as well as reduce the volume of adjustments submitted to the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System. We currently pay in arrears for summer work and supplemental pay as well as transportation, so we are making this approach system wide.

The alignment between leave and pay in a paycheck will ensure a clear and timely portrayal of what leave has been used and more accurate pay. With our current pay schedule, employees experience barriers:

• There is not sufficient time to hire and activate staff, resulting in delays with employee start dates.
• There is not sufficient time to adjust staff for promotions, degree changes, or other necessary adjustments.
• Employees can put themselves in the negative, which will impact their pay, since the calculation of available leave is not aligned with the pay period.

Paying in the arrears will apply to all employees: twelve (12), eleven (11), and ten (10)-month employees (excluding Transportation since they already pay in arrears). Only bus drivers and bus assistants are not included as they are Transportation staff will not be eligible to select an advance as they are already paid in arrears.

These deductions will continue to be taken over your pay cycle, just as they are now.

As you look at your current pay schedule, you will want to take note of the adjusted new first paycheck date and plan your budget accordingly. In addition, in the first year of implementation, we are offering an optional pay advance for returning ten (10) and eleven (11)-month employees. You must select your advance option in PeopleSoft Self-Service between 5/1/24 and 6/15/24.

If you are a 10 or 11 month employee and elect for an advance, your regular paycheck throughout the year will be deducted to cover repayment of the advance.

• For ten (10)-month employees, the advance will be disbursed on 8/31/24.
• For eleven (11)-month employees, the advance will be disbursed on 8/15/24.

No. For 12 month employees, the system will utilize a gap pay approach. This means, we will issue you a paycheck for 70% of your regular pay on July 15, 2024 while we are shifting to the arrears pay schedule unless you opt out.

Yes. In PeopleSoft Self-Service between 5/1/24 and 6/15/24.

No, because in subsequent years there will be the normal 4 and 2 paycheck gap for 10 and 11 month employees. Opting in to summer pay can only occur in the fall so that payroll has enough remaining paychecks to pull funds to then distribute to you in the summer. Summer pay will continue to be an option for future years. The deadline to sign up for summer pay next year must be made within your first or second paycheck for the 2023-2024 pay schedule. Information on how to sign up for summer pay can be found in the Employee Self-Service option of PeopleSoft.

No. These options are only being provided to FCPS employees to support the initial transition to paying in arrears. Should there be concerns about not receiving pay, you may be interested in looking at the summer pay option, if you are not already participating.

Automatic deductions will continue to be taken across all regular paychecks issued, just as they are now.

Union dues will be deducted on the ten (10)-month pay schedule. No dues will be deducted during the Summer.

Your leave accrual would accrue each pay following your designated pay schedule, just as it does now.

A calculation of the number of days worked versus the number of days paid will be made, and you will receive a payment or a bill for the difference.

A calculation of the number of days worked versus the number of days paid will be made, and you will receive a payment or a bill for the difference. Leave payouts are part of the retirement planning conversations that will occur with employees.

Ten (10)-month employees will receive their 20 paychecks between 9/15/2024–6/30/2025 (for the fiscal year of 7/1/24-6/30/25). Bus Drivers and Bus Assistants are already paid in arrears. Their pay schedule will continue to be 9/15/2024 - 6/15/2025.

The ten (10)-month pay advance, for those who select it during this initial transition year, will be paid on 8/31/24.

Yes. The advance will be paid back over one (1) year and deducted incrementally from each of the twenty (20) pays. If you leave employment prior to the payback, it will be deducted from your final pay or you will receive a bill. Below is a table of the payback amount per pay that will be deducted from your paychecks.

*Bus drivers and bus assistants will not be eligible to select an advance as they are already paid in arrears.

Based on the advance option amount you select, the amounts below would be deducted per pay for 1 year.

Eleven (11)-month employees will receive 22 paychecks between 8/31/24–7/15/25 (for the fiscal year of 7/1/24–6/30/25).

The eleven (11)-month pay advance for the initial transition year will be paid on 8/15/24.

Yes. The advance will be paid back over one (1) year and deducted incrementally from each of the twenty-two (22) pays. If you leave employment prior to the payback, it will be deducted from your final pay or receive a bill. Below is a table of the payback amount per pay that will be deducted from your paychecks.

Based on the advance option amount you select, the amounts below would be deducted per pay for 1 year.

Twelve (12)-month employees will receive twenty-four (24) paychecks between 7/31/24–7/15/25 (for the fiscal year of 7/1/24–6/30/25).

No. However, for 12 month employees, the system will utilize a gap pay approach. This means, we will automatically issue you a paycheck for 70% of your regular gross pay for the paycheck issued on July 15, 2024 that you will pay back to the system over the remaining paychecks over the course of the year. In this one gap paycheck, FERKO and garnishments/liens, if applicable, will be the only deductions taken.

Yes. In PeopleSoft Self-Service between 5/1/24 and 6/15/24. If an employee has a garnishment or lien deduction, you may not opt out.

Yes. The gap pay will be paid back over the remaining paychecks through the course of the year. If you leave employment prior to the payback, it will be deducted from your final pay or you will be billed. You can calculate your deduction amount per pay by taking your gap paycheck amount and dividing by 24. Below is a sample calculation as a guide. This is NOT the actual amount, but used to illustrate the gap paycheck amount and payback period.