I can't believe this is happening. I hate the DOE

No, I didn't lose my job........... I guess that's what it sounded like..........


For a little background history.... I teach special education. When I applied for my job, I already had my Masters degree. I couldn't have applied for it without it, because my undergraduate degree is NOT in education. When I first got my job, I did everything I was told to do with forms, etc.

Fast forward to this week....... I got a form from my payroll secretary that says what my salary was from the year. It reflects a salary that is $6,000 less than what I am supposed to make and does not show that I have my masters degree. I didn't notice the difference in salary during the year, because with all that they take out in tax, uft fees, etc, it's never the exact amount you are supposed to make anyway. I had no reason to believe it wasn't the correct amount I was supposed to receive.


Well, now they are claiming I was supposed to apply for salary differentials. I am honestly saying that I have not even HEARD of that word until yesterday! Nobody has every said anything about that to me!!!!!!!! Supposedly, I was supposed to receive an email about this. I went back in my email history and there is NOTHING about it. When I was hired, I showed proof of my masters....... if I don't hear that there's anything I need to do otherwise, how am I supposed to know?! I hate how the DOE thinks everyone should just KNOW things

The woman on the phone who I spoke to
about this was VERY rude to me..... asking if I am "in this world" and "know anything about email communication" She also laughed when I told her I received no such email. She couldn't believe I never heard of this before, even as a new teacher, and asked if I ever talk to any other teachers at my school where I could have gotten this info. Ummmm yea lady, because slary differentials is always the leading conversation in the lunch room If it's SO important, why should I have to depend on word of mouth?!

Well, the current situation is I most likely WILL NOT be getting that money back. It's several thousand dollars that I earned since I had my masters degree, that I will likely not be receiving. It will likely be an issue that I will have to get the UFT involved with. I am just so annoyed beyond words and needed to come on here to vent. It was a complete lack of communication that I now literally have to pay for.

Re: I can't believe this is happening. I hate the DOE

oh man i am so sorry to hear this. that sucks so much and i too would be furious. just wanted you to know that when i applied for my 30 above differential i got the forms from my payroll secretary. when i submitted them to the doe they were bounced back to me bc i forgot to check a box or something. when i called the so-called help desk, the lady was so incredibly rude and nasty to me and basically called me an idiot for not knowing exactly how the form should have been filled out. so many of those people seem to be jerks on power trips who probably didnt get out of the fifth grade and so they feel the need to belittle teachers whenever they get the chance.
keep fighting for that money tho....maybe talk to your UFT rep. good luck.

Re: I can't believe this is happening. I hate the DOE

That is terrible! It is the RESPONSIBILITY of your payroll secretary (and most stink) to give you those salary differential papers!

However, they HAVE to give you your $ retroactive! GO FIGHT, SERIOUSLY!

GL

Re: I can't believe this is happening. I hate the DOE

Posted by BabyLove08

However, they HAVE to give you your $ retroactive! GO FIGHT, SERIOUSLY!

GL

Re: I can't believe this is happening. I hate the DOE

I think she must not be "of this world" if she doesn't realize that e-mail can get lost in cyberspace Hope you can some of your money back

Re: I can't believe this is happening. I hate the DOE

that stinks!

well its prob not as bad as me. because for the past 3 yrs i was being OVERPAID! they had me down as masters +30 and i only have my masters. i didnt really realize it until i saw my friends pay check. anyway - im going to have to pay back A LOT OF MONEY. I called and the woman told me that someone elses trasccript was attached to my paperwork. how crazy is that so their mistake causes me a lot of problems. i hate them!

Re: I can't believe this is happening. I hate the DOE

I, too, lost out on that money my first year. It sucked!

Re: I can't believe this is happening. I hate the DOE

I worked as a summer intern during college with the DOE and I remember vaguely that everyone that got hired at that time (this was awhile back and they change things all the time) had an audit type of paper stating what they had and what they still needed, if anything. Do you have a copy of something like that? Or some sort of other proof that they knew you had your master's when you got hired? or that your school knew? If you get hired with a master's, I didn't think you had to apply for a differential because that's what you were being hired with.

I would definitely talk to your UFT rep. My husband had a small salary issue and his UFT rep did a pretty good job with it quickly and people from the UFT even called back after the problem was resolved to make sure everything continued to be resolved.

Re: I can't believe this is happening. I hate the DOE

It is also the duty of the UFT rep to make sure that everyone is on the right step. You may not be able to get Sept-Dec, but you should be able to file for Jan-Dec.


Good Luck! The information and forms that you need are right on the DOE's website

Re: I can't believe this is happening. I hate the DOE

Thanks for the support, etc!


I am still so annoyed by this whole situation. Nothing has changed since I made that post. Apparently the UFT reps won't be in again until Monday so there's little I can do until then. (They told me this on Tuesday)

I'll keep the board updated.. but hopefully getting my experience out there will be a lesson to others about salary differentials. I wish I had known this a year ago

Re: I can't believe this is happening. I hate the DOE