Payroll glitch means Manatee Charter teachers need to pinch pennies over summer vacation

Several teachers at Manatee Charter School say they are missing hundreds of dollars from their paychecks.

Charter Schools USA, the charter management organization that runs operations at Manatee Charter, discovered a payroll glitch that resulted in several teachers having incorrect summer paychecks.

“On behalf of Manatee Charter School, I deeply apologize for any delay in issuing or correcting your summer escrow paycheck,” Manatee Charter principal Bonnie Brett wrote in an email to the school’s teachers. “We realize this creates a financial hardship and I promise you that this is our highest priority to get this resolved as quickly as possible.”

Charter Schools USA Spokeswoman Colleen Reynolds said she did not know how many Manatee Charter Schools teachers were affected because the payroll glitch was system-wide. Charter Schools USA has 84 schools in eight states with thousands of teachers Reynolds said, but she did not think all teachers were affected.

Kate Harris, a teacher at Manatee Charter, said her most recent paycheck was supposed to be $1,600, but it was $900.

“I just want my colleagues and I to get paid what we earned. Several of us could not pay rent this month!!” Harris wrote in an email to the Bradenton Herald.

Brett declined to answer questions about the issue and referred all questions to Charter Schools USA communications staff.

School District of Manatee County general counsel Mitch Teitelbaum said the district was aware of the issue.

“The district has been in contact with Manatee Charter School regarding an issue with payroll,” Teitelbaum said. “We have been informed that the school is taking steps to clarify the issue. The district’s role with all charter schools is to ensure compliance with all legal obligations required by statute.”

This story was originally published July 17, 2017 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Payroll glitch means Manatee Charter teachers need to pinch pennies over summer vacation."