Hundreds of Portland Public School (PPS) custodians are facing financial strain after being asked to return overpaid wages earned during the January ice storm. The district’s error in overpaying custodians has created a significant hardship for many, who are now struggling to adjust their budgets and make ends meet.
The overpayment issue stems from the lack of a contract at the time of the storm. Custodians were working without a contract, resulting in confusion over pay calculations. Many custodians received overtime and inclement weather pay in their January paycheck, but the district is now claiming that they were overpaid and demanding the money back.
The amount of money that custodians are being asked to return varies, with some being asked to repay as much as $500. This has come as a shock to many custodians, who were already struggling financially due to the pandemic.
In addition to the financial hardship, the overpayment issue has also created a sense of distrust between custodians and the district. Custodians are now questioning the district’s commitment to transparency and fairness, and they are concerned about future participation in severe weather events if the issue remains unresolved.
PPS has acknowledged the error and expressed regret for the stress it has caused employees. However, the district has not provided a clear explanation of how the overpayment occurred or how it plans to prevent similar errors in the future.
As a result of the overpayment issue, custodians are now demanding that the district allow them to keep the money, provide clarification on how the January checks were calculated, and take steps to ensure that this type of error does not happen again.
