I am a full-time teacher of MPCS who also receives supplemental pay for teaching homebound students. How will I be paid?

Answer: You will receive your teacher salary through the end of the school year and will receive homebound pay if you are directed by your supervisor to provide homebound services virtually. Time sheets for work performed will need to be submitted to your supervisor who will forward approved timesheets to Payroll.

I am a full-time teacher of MPCS who also receives supplemental pay coaching a spring sport. How will I be paid?

Answer: You will receive your teacher salary through the end of the school year and your coaching supplement.

I am a permanent substitute teacher. How will I be paid, and will my pay be reduced because I would not have been substituting the week of Spring Break?

Answer: You will receive your daily rate for all previously scheduled work days in the school calendar. A permanent substitute is not compensated during breaks.

Will all substitute employees be paid, regardless of their role?

Answer: The division is still assessing the requirements under new legislation. Further information will be provided to substitutes directly once a determination is made.

I’m concerned if the closure is extended that summer school will be canceled. If summer school is canceled, will I be paid for summer school work?

Answer: A decision has not been made regarding whether or not Summer School will be held. However, should Summer School be canceled, employees will neither work, nor be paid for Summer School.

Should I continue to submit a weekly time sheet as a non-exempt employee?

Answer: No. Time sheets will be automatically generated for non-exempt employees. Time sheets need not be created moving forward unless an employee is asked to complete specific projects by their supervisor.

Who do I contact regarding a question about payoll?

Answer: Please contact brittany.melvin@mpark.net

How will I know if I am expected to work virtually during the closure and will I receive additional compensation for working virtually?

Answer: Your supervisor should communicate work expectations to you during the closure. If you do not hear from your supervisor during this time, please contact them. Exempt staff will not receive additional pay. Non-exempt staff with critical duties will be paid additional hours for pre-approved work during this time.

What if I get sick or will not be available to report to work, physically work, or virtually work (for any reason) when I should be working (physically or virtually)?

Answer: All employees are expected to be available to report to work during their normally scheduled shift. Moving forward until further notice, regular leave policies and procedures should be followed for employees who are unable or unavailable to report to work, either physically or virtually, subject to the new Family First Coronavirus Response Act. Request for leave should be submitted as normal through Frontline/Aesop.

What if I go out of town during this closure and my supervisor requests that I come to work onsite for a meeting or to perform a critical task?

Answer: All employees are expected to be available to report to work during their normally scheduled shift. Regular leave policies and procedures should be followed for employees who are unable or unavailable to report to work, either physically or virtually, subject to the new Family First Coronavirus Response Act. Request for leave should be submitted as normal through Frontline/Aesop.

I am a non-exempt employee. What if I need to work beyond my normal shift?

Answer: Non-exempt employees need to obtain advanced written approval from their supervisor prior to working during the closure. This approval shall be forwarded by the supervisor to the Finance Department for verification against time submitted in Frontline/VeriTime.

I am a non-exempt employee and I have been told by my supervisor I need to report onsite for work. Will I receive any additional compensation?

Answer: Non-exempt employees who are required to physically report to work will receive their normal hourly rate for all hours they are required to physically report to their worksite. The non-exempt employee should clock in and out using the Frontline/VeriTime time and attendance system to record the hours physically worked at the worksite.

I am a non-exempt employee in food services. My supervisor has offered me the ability to report for onsite work during the closure. Will I receive any additional compensation?

Answer: Non-exempt food service employees who agree to physically report to work will receive their normal hourly rate for all hours in which they are required to physically report to their worksite. The non-exempt employee should clock in and out using the Frontline/VeriTime time and attendance system to record the hours physically worked at the worksite.

What is going to happen to my leave now that schools are closed?

Answer: All leave entries from March 16 through June 30, 2020, have been canceled. As of March 16, and moving forward until further notice, regular leave policies and procedures should be followed for employees who are unable or unavailable to report to work, either physically or virtually, subject to the new Family First Coronavirus Response Act. If you previously had entered leave for the period of March 16-June 30, 2020, and are still planning to use the leave, you will need to renter your leave request in Frontline/Aesop. Anytime employees are unable or unavailable to work, either virtually or remotely, they are expected to enter that leave in Frontline/Aesop per normal operations. See FMLA below for exception.

Will I be allowed to carryover excess annual leave into the next school year since my travel plans have been disrupted due to this crisis?

Answer: At this time there has been no authorization to make exceptions to our Annual Leave regulations. This will be revisited at a future date.

How is FMLA/medical leave going to be processed during the closure?

Answer: FMLA cases during the closure will be treated in the same way as FMLA cases prior to the closure and in compliance with the provisions in the new Family First Coronavirus Response Act. All other days during the closure will be processed as they would have been prior to the closure and in compliance with the provisions in the new Family First Coronavirus Response Act. For example, if employees were charged sick leave for their FMLA absence prior to the closure, they will continue to have sick leave assessed until they are able to return to work subject to the provisions in the new Family First Coronavirus Response Act.

What if I am due to return from FMLA prior to the end of the closure?

Answer: FMLA cases during the closure will be treated in the same way as FMLA cases prior to the closure subject to the provisions in the new Family First Coronavirus Response Act. We are requesting that, when applicable, an employee provide return-to-work documentation from their physician before leave deductions will cease. The paperwork should include any work restrictions and modifications that the employee may require fulfilling the essential functions of their job.

What if an employee is on “leave without pay status” and is due to return from FMLA prior to the end of the closure?

Answer: The employee will remain in an unpaid status until the employee provides return-to-work documentation from their physician. The paperwork should include any work restrictions and modifications that the employee may require fulfilling the essential functions of their job.

I’m currently out on Short Term Disability (Hybrid Plan employees only). Will I continue to be paid?

Answer: The employee will remain in the short-term disability status until the employee provides return-to-work documentation from their physician. The paperwork should include any work restrictions and modifications that the employee may require fulfilling the essential functions of their job.

I have applied to MPCS for the upcoming school year. Is MPCS still recruiting and interviewing?

Answer: Yes, we are still reviewing applications, scheduling virtual interviews, and making job offers. Please check out our website for employment opportunities.

I have accepted an offer of employment and have completed the hiring process? When will I start work?

Answer: New hires who have not been given a start date will be contacted by human resources and a start date will be set on a case-by- case basis.

I am a new hire and need to sign up for benefits. When will I be able to do this?

Answer: Newly hired employees who have completed all necessary pre-employment paperwork may elect medical dental and vision plans which will be effective the first of the month following 30 days of employment. You will be contacted by a member of Human Resources to elect benefits.

Will my insurance benefits be affected by this closure?

Answer: No, provided you remain an active benefits eligible employee currently enrolled in our benefit plans, the Division closure has no effect on your enrollment status and benefits.

What types of services are offered through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and how do I access them?

Answer: Anthem EAP and Kaiser EAP offer up to four sessions at no cost for such services as mental health, alcohol or drug abuse assessment, child or elder care, grief counseling and legal or financial services. Contact information below:

Anthem EAP
(855)-223-9277
www.anthemeap.com

Kaiser EAP
(866) 517-7042
http://my.kp.org/commonwealthofvirginia/

Do our benefit plans include telemedicine or a way to see medical professionals remotely?

Answer: Yes. Each of our providers, Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Kaiser Permanente, offer these services. You will need your insurance card, pharmacy information, and a debit or credit card to access these virtual services. You and your covered dependents can have access to this feature.

• For those employees enrolled in Kaiser Permanente, please call the membership services number on your ID card, or go online to: http://my.kp.org/commonwealthofvirginia
• For those employees enrolled in Anthem Blue Cross blue shield, please call the membership services number on your ID card, or go online to: https://www.anthem.com/tlc/
• If you do not have access to your membership ID card, please contact Madison Tiller at madison.tiller@mpark.net

I know each Spring the Division offers open enrollment. How will we be able to do that if the Division remains closed beyond April 13?

Answer: Open enrollment is currently scheduled for April 27th – May 14th, 2020. Madison Tiller has been working with Pierce Insurance Agency to have benefit counselor sessions by phone to have them assist you with the online open enrollment process. Trifold’s with information on open enrollment will be mailed to your home address on file on April 13th, 2020. E-mail correspondence from Madison will also be sent out regarding more information on open enrollment.

My license is going to expire June 30. I’m worried because I have done everything except for the hands-on component of CPR and I’m not sure it will be offered before June 30. Will the state make an exception and renew my license?

Answer: We have been in touch with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) regarding concerns about license-holders being unable to complete the hands-on practice of the skills necessary to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

We have been informed that, “The Superintendent of Public Instruction is unable to waive the hands-on CPR requirement since it is required by the Code of Virginia, but VDOE is currently investigating to determine whether flexibility may be an option to meet this requirement.”

What if I cannot complete the professional development points necessary for license renewal?

Answer: The VDOE has advised us of the following, “If license-holders are unable to meet renewal requirements because of closures related to COVID-19, the Superintendent of Public Instruction may make modifications to the licensure regulations to grant a one-year extension of the license (July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021) to complete all renewal requirements.” These situations will be reviewed by MPCS on a case by case basis.

What is the impact of school closings on candidates completing student teaching this semester in educator preparation programs at Virginia colleges and universities?

Answer: The VDOE has communicated with deans and directors of educator preparation programs to address concerns that candidates currently enrolled in student teaching may not be able to complete the following Board of Education 10-week student teaching requirement due to school closings. Any modification request from deans or directors of educator preparation programs will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

What if individuals holding provisional licenses expiring June 30, 2020, cannot meet the requirements for a renewable license this year due to circumstances related to COVID-19?

Answer: VDOE provided this response, “The Code of Virginia allows the Board to extend for at least one additional year, but for no more than two additional years, the three-year provisional license of a teacher upon receiving from the division superintendent (i) a recommendation for such extension and (ii) satisfactory performance evaluations for such teacher for each year of the original three-year provisional license. VDOE is currently investigating options on how to address provisional licenses that expire June 30, 2020, when license holders do not meet the extension criteria noted above.” These situations will be reviewed by MPCS on a case by case basis.

Please contact Pam Kalso with questions regarding licensure at pam.kalso@mpark.net.

I want to resign effective the end of the school year. How do I do that during the closure? When will my last paycheck be and when will my benefits end?

Answer: Employees can provide notice of end-of-year resignations at any time. In fact, while we really don’t want you to leave, in the best interest of our students, the sooner you let us know, the more likely we will be able to find a highly qualified teacher or staff member to provide the best for our students!

In order to resign please submit an email to your building principal with an attached resignation letter. The building principal will forward those emails to Eric Neff.

I want to retire effective the end of the school year. How do I do that during the closure? When will my last paycheck be and when will my benefits end?

Answer: Contact Madison Tiller at madison.tiller@mpark.net. Madison will be available to consult with employees regarding retirement timelines throughout the closure. Virginia Retirement System (VRS) is available to work with employees considering retirement during this time as well. Retirement processes and contact information for VRS can be found at www.varetire.org

For employees retiring at the end of the 2019-20 school year, final paychecks and benefit coverage end dates are based upon current work schedules.

When will staff know about their new salaries for next year?

Answer: Compensation for next year is dependent upon approval of the 2020-21 School Board Budget by both the MPCS School Board and the Manassas Park City Governing Body. At this time, it is expected that contracts and assignment letters for next year will be issued by the end of May.

Will staff receive their contracts and assignments via email notification?

Answer: Just like last year, returning staff will receive an email notification indicating that they need to sign in to digitally sign their assignment or contract. More information will be shared at a later date on the contract/assignment digital process.