BATTLE CREEK, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Amid the shutdown of all district schools because of coronavirus, Battle Creek Public Schools is opting to pay hourly and contracted workers throughout the period.
The district’s board of education voted to authorize pay for the staff at a meeting on Wednesday, March 19th.
Last week Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order that closed all K-12 school buildings in the state until April 6th to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The workers, some of whom are part-time, were subject to outside contracts that did not guarantee them pay in the event of a publicly declared emergency.
BCPS says that third-party contract and hourly employees will now be paid for the average hours worked per pay period during the years.
A statement released on the district website says, “Since the governor’s announcement of mandated statewide school closures, district leaders have been hard at work to do everything we can to help our community overcome any hardships this may present.”
Teachers, administrators, and secretaries will be still be paid according to either union or individual negotiated contracts reached with the district.
