Syracuse School District Adds 13 Jobs to Resolve Payroll Issues

The Syracuse City School District (SCSD) has created 13 new positions to address ongoing payroll issues that have affected hundreds of teachers and staff at the start of the school year. The district’s Board of Education approved the measure unanimously, with salaries for these roles totaling at least $912,000 annually, excluding benefits. This action follows a troubled transition to a new payroll system that has left many educators unpaid or underpaid.

The district has already invested $10.9 million in switching from the former PeopleSoft payroll system to the new Oracle Cloud platform known as “SCSDConnect.” This amount includes $2.1 million paid to the consultant firm BerryDunn for assistance during the transition. According to district spokesperson Amanda Malinowski, the additional staff is necessary to “ensure accurate payroll” and allow existing employees to concentrate on educational priorities rather than payment discrepancies.

New Roles and Funding Strategy

During a board meeting on Wednesday, Commissioner Karen Cordano inquired about the funding for these new positions. A district employee clarified that the district will not fill vacant roles in other departments, reallocating those funds to support the hiring of these 13 new employees. Board President Tamica Barnett stated, “These positions are in response to the board asking what additional resources the district needs to mitigate any obstacles regarding our payroll issues.”

Three of the new roles were listed as anticipated on the SCSD website on October 23, but they were not discussed in the prior work meeting. The agenda for the meeting on November 12 was the first to include these positions, which will be distributed across various departments, including human resources, information technology, and finance. The positions are as follows:

– One Account Clerk II earning $46,913 annually
– One Accountant II earning $81,781 annually
– One Maintenance Worker I at $24.30 per hour
– Two Payroll Clerks earning $58,560 annually
– One Personnel Analyst with a salary range of $68,958 to $95,481 annually
– Three Personnel Specialists earning $66,288 annually
– One Programmer II earning $78,990 annually
– Two Senior Data Analysts earning $84,872 annually
– One Senior Systems Administrator earning $99,373 annually

Continuing Challenges with Payroll System

The new payroll system has faced significant challenges since its implementation on July 1 this year. Over 900 teachers and staff reported issues, ranging from missing paychecks to incorrect deductions and raises not being reflected in their payments. Although Scott Smith, the head of the teachers’ union, noted that the number of problems has decreased, he emphasized that not all issues have been resolved.

These payroll discrepancies have had real consequences for employees, affecting their ability to afford essential items such as groceries and fuel. Malinowski indicated that the transition has been complicated by staff unfamiliarity with the new interface and confusion over how to accurately input and approve hours worked. The district is taking steps to improve communication and training regarding the new system.

As the SCSD moves forward, it is prioritizing the filling of these new positions to stabilize its payroll processes and support its staff effectively. The district aims to mitigate the ongoing challenges and ensure that educators can focus on their primary mission: educating students.