Anonymous wrote:
"
The union invited the district to steal money from its employees. Our own union, headed by Nina Esposito, invited the district to the union four years ago to a Saturday union representative meeting to introduce the way the district would be paying our union members instead of paper checks: either through direct deposit or the District's mandated PNC Paycard. The latter(PNC PAYCARD) is the most egregious, unethical, and illegal way to pay its employees. The card has no routing or checking account numbers. If the card is lost or stolen, it costs $10 for a new card and $15 to expedite the card. In the meantime, since there are no account numbers associated with the card, there is no way to go into a PNC and withdraw your earnings. Moreover, the terms state that the first PNC ATM withdraw and first PNC teller withdraw of the month are free. However, after that, PNC charges $2 per ATM withdraw-at a PNC ATM mind you- and $5 per withdraw from a PNC teller inside the bank. If this sounds unscrupulous, it is, but not as much as this. It costs $2.50 to speak to a representative(and the rep is not an employee of PNC), and on the weekends, there are no representatives at all. In addition, The card was and still is charging $2 per ATM withdraw without giving one free, and it was charging $2.50 to just hear your balance without talking to a representative on the phone. I spoke to a rep(again, not a PNC employee) and the rep said that 25 people from our district call every payday to complain. Moreover, the card was assessing $5 teller fees without giving a free one. I have had the card for a total of two and a half years and found $275 worth of these breach of terms fees. These are not courtesy refunds. I caught their graft, yet it is still going on now. What if no one finds these errors? Nothing happens, except employees having money stolen from them WITHOUT EVER KNOWING. The district is taking advantage of those who have no checking accounts, and our own union not only accepted it, our union literally invited it. Remember, we are paid twice a month, so either way, anyone who has this card will have to pay a minimum of $7 a month to get money. Unless you take all of it out at once( which is desperate) you can double, triple, and quadruple the $7 a month fees, not to mention the breach of term fees. It is beyond a class action suit. Nina Esposito should be fired immediately for allowing this to happen, and to introduce this card to 20 union representatives on a Saturday morning rather than informing every school in a formal meeting, shows Esposito's deliberate intent to hide this, and it shows that she works for the district. I know there are many who have this card. Ask around and tell them to tell their story on here. I will be posting a phone number on here to contact me. I have spoken to others. This story will be on the news soon."
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29 comments:
Get a checking account. Seriously. The district pays us using direct deposit. If you do not have a checking account, you must be jumping through a lot of hoops and creating a lot of extra inconveniences to pay bills, make large purchases, or basically lead an adult life. Complaining about the inconvenience created for people without checking accounts is a little silly. How convenient is keeping your cash under a mattress and paying your bills in person or with money orders? Get a checking account.
You must work for the district or the union, which are the same. What dies that have to do with stealing from employees? You must be one of those pathetic teachers with no VAMS who sneaks around ratting on teachers.
There are always at least two teachers like that in every building every year!
7:15
No one is stealing from employees. Adults put their paychecks in checking and savings accounts. The only people I know who do not keep their money in banks are people who earn their money illegally. Almost every employer uses a direct deposit system for payroll. The entire amount you earn is deposited, no one steals any of it.
PPS has direct deposited my check since I began teaching 14 years ago. The bank keeps it safe (without stealing any of it) until I'm ready to use it. This is what adults do with their paychecks. Then they use the money to pay their bills online or use their debit cards to shop. Do you think teachers are stuffing $8000-$10,000 dollars a month into shoe boxes or burying it in their backyards? Do you think we're driving to Comcast to pay our bill in person? We're teachers, not drug dealers.
Yes, I work for the district and I think the union is garbage. As soon as the contract renews and I'm eligible to quit paying dues, I will no longer be a PFT member. I will put the money in my 403B for retirement instead of paying those clowns for their incompetence. As for being pathetic ... I'm a distinguished teacher (since RISE began) with excellent relationships with my colleagues (who also have their pay direct deposited into their bank accounts)
It seems really paranoid to not use banks and to believe that direct deposit is some sort of conspiracy to steal people's money.
No one else is having this problem because they HAVE checking accounts. Why in the world would you pay all of these fees when you can just have your check deposited into your checking account? Why are you throwing money away on fees to avoid having a checking account? That seems shady. It is likely that no one else is noticing all of this "theft" because everyone has a checking account and uses the debit card that comes with the account free of charge, no fees. What's even stranger than your Great Depression era fear of banks, is your belief that teachers who use banks must sneak around "ratting" on teachers. Hmmm... a fear of banks and snitches, this is the mentality of someone doing something sketchy.
Anonymous,
Sounds like you could save yourself a lot of time and money by simply opening a checking account. No one is forcing these cards (and all of the associated risks and fees) on anyone. It's been this way for years. There can't be too many people over the the age of 12 who don't have checking accounts. I certainly hope the news does not pick up this story. PPS teachers have a bad enough reputation as it is, without making the public think we would throw all of our money away on ridiculous fees because we're afraid of banks.
Watch the teachers who moan after the union sells us down the river. They'll cry the blues then. When it comes to sticking up for other people over money,they flee. I commend the teacher for citing this illegal act by the union, but these gutless teachers won't do anything, unless they need something. You deserve this union and this district. You are the weak.
I am listening to you talking about banks and hiding money under beds, etc. Are you incompetent or just naive? There are people who come into the district and have not set up a direct deposit. Also you are missing the main point: why did the district initiate this card? Why did the Union allow it? No district lasts employees this way. People get paid by direct deposit or paper checks, not by a PNC paycard. It is illegal to charge employees to get money. You also miss the point that the fees are a breach of the terms. Are you something special because you have direct deposit into a checking account? Is that unique? You are ignorant to banks who illegally assess fees because you are obviously not too bright. You're just a puppet trying to protect one of the-if not- most horrible districts in the country. Oh, I have two checking accounts. Am I twice as unique as you?
Anonymous 10:30
It is not illegal. There is no law that prohibits the use of paycards as long as an alternative method such as direct deposit it offered. This is nothing new. No one using direct deposit is having any issue with fees or alleged "theft".
Several YEARS ago PPS employees were told they would have the choice to have their checks directly deposited (which almost everyone was already doing anyway) or receive a pay card. This is perfectly legal according to state law. I think Tom Wolf even signed the bill that made this legal. I don't know ANYONE who opted to receive a pay card. It seems like a really scary idea because if you lose it, there is no protection. Your money is safe in a bank. Who would want all of their money on a card that is not replaceable? How do you even save money, apply for credit and mortgages, pay bills, etc. with no banking information?
This is the way we have been paid for years, this is not new. It is definitely not illegal. If you look online, you will that almost all employers provide these same choices to their employees. The union sold us all down the river in many ways but this is not one of them, this is state law. If anyone is using a paycard and experiencing all of these hassles and "theft", then it's pretty bizarre to continue to receive your pay via such a problematic method. Especially when the alternative method (direct deposit) is problem and risk free.
This is not an "illegal action" as you say and it's not "by the union" it the legal method that most PA employers use for payroll. Teachers have plenty of guts and we are sticking up for our colleagues who targeted by principals, discriminated against, physically assaulted and injured by students, etc. when no one else (especially the union) will do it. I don't expect too many teachers will be outraged because some goofball who won't get a bank account is making his or her own life more difficult. Your problem is easily and 100% solvable. Get a bank account. No laws are being broken, we've all been getting paid this way for years.
Calling other teachers weak and gutless for pointing out the obvious (that this is legal and solvable) is way off base. We're just trying to protect each other from being assaulted at my school. We have teachers constantly being injured with NO union support. The union is a joke. The teachers are the only ones who have each other's back, but this foolishness with the paycard is beyond ridiculous. You talk about deserving this union and district, but if you are living in 2017 with no bank account and you're not a drug dealer, then you deserve whatever hassle comes with that nonsensical choice.
1:50
It has been this way for years, EVERYONE has direct deposit, it's not special. You can set up a checking account online from any state. You provide the district with the routing information and your money will be in your account. It wouldn't matter if you were new to the district or even new to state. Using a bank is not special, it's what everyone does. Why would it be unique to have bank accounts? Most people open their first accounts as pre-teens or teens. It is VERY unique to not have one. It doesn't matter if you are new to the district or new to the state, you would already have an account. You just need to give the district the routing numbers.
I do not wish to protect the district at all. It is run by charlatans and the only reason I stay is for the UPMC insurance. I just think it's really dumb to continue to be paid via a paycard that appears to be riddled with issues when the alternative direct deposit is seamless. You can open a checking account right now online if you wanted to and you would be able to immediately go to the district website and provide your banking information to payroll.
The original poster wrote about using this troublesome card and being the victim of "theft" for 2 and 1/2 years! That makes no sense.
Most PA employers utilize these methods. The district did not initiate it or invent it, it was signed into PA law. This district is a total Mickey Mouse operation and the union is a farce, and it's hilarious that you think I'm defending them. I'm usually the one getting into trouble for for saying just how stupid I think they are, but choosing to use one of these paycards for more than 2 years is also pretty stupid. This problem with the paycard is preventable and solvable, just don't get one. It's also completely legal for employers to use the card as long as another payment method is offered.
Also, I'm thinking you're far more than twice as "unique" as me.
There is only one reason I can think of where an employee would not utilize a checking account for payroll deposit. That is when a person wants to keep money away from debtors. Spouse and child support are withdrawn directly from a persons pay BEFORE it ever gets to the wage earner. Wages, pensions and SS are unable to be garnished. However, if the earner does not have an account with a bank, the money is more difficult to find. A bank cannot report to bankruptcy court what does not exist. In the case of the Affordable Care Act, provisions are in place for the IRS to take cash out of an individuals account to pay the tax (penalty)
It has not been suggested that the board or the union collect the fees. It looks like fees collected are going to PNC. Not the board, not the union. While I would love to point a finger Nina's way, I can't. BTW, was this "law" signed by Wolf or Corbet?
If very few people use the cards there would be few fees to collect. Any idea how many people use the cards? If a lot of people are using them they must have a reason. For example, medical bills these days can be exhorbitant with no basis in reality- even if you have Upmc coverage, some people need to go out of network or have a bill from before they got coverage. A small emergency can wipe out savings.
Here's another example- the New York Times recently had an article about how a company owned by Jared Kushner holds residential rental property (including in this area). Tenants who needed to move out due to serious maintenance problems, and who apparently followed all procedures for early termination, were wrongfully and mercilessly pursued for rent and attorney fees. Interestingly, tenants were required to buy payment cards from a particular vendor in a location difficult to reach without a car, making late payments (and, of course, fees) more likely. Sometimes the unrelenting collection originated with an error on the part of Kushner's company, but faced with clear evidence the law firm would not drop the action. Bank accounts were drained. Things have gotten out of hand and it is not surprising that some people may seek an alternative to a system that leaves them vulnerable.
Enough with the insults to other commentators- a couple of recent comments need revision for civility before they can be posted.
No, some people can't get a checking account. Is is their fault,mist likely yes. However, the point I think the person is making is that our union should try to help, not hurt its members. The main point that I see is that this is another piece if evidence that shows how Nina Esposito and that rotten union if OURS, is incompetent and biased toward the district. For instance, what happened to teachers getting paid in August, rather than waiting until September 15 th to be paid after working 18 -19 days without being paid. Why did Esposito allow that? I hope you are not so naive that you think it was her reason.
Another example of our Union not working completely for the benefit of the members. These type of actions really began with Tarka and continued and has been continued by Nina. Somewhere along the way, many members became the enemy and the Board their ally. Very sad.
10:30, you sound like a good person, but you are not reading what the blogster is saying: the cards fees are illegal, not the card itself. I know three people who have this card, and they have spent hours of time and frustration getting money back. There is no problem with the card, but to gauge employees to get their money, and then to assess fees(PNC driven or not) that go against the terms is ILLEGAL. You're used to this magistrate-credit union driven town where no one complains. Our district is Mayberry with Barney Fife at the helm. 11:47, I'm with you, why aren't we paid on August 31st, and why did that charlatan Esposito, along with her flunkies Billy Boy and Harold the Great, send out an email saying we were going to be paid on August 31st, only to rescind it a couple of months-if that- before August 31st. You elementary teachers-as a whole- are the ones who voted this mountebank Esposito in as president, but like the one commentator above states, you're crying the blues now because your PSSA scores-on a whole- are anything but blue.
Parallel topic--union and who voted-- I have worked at all 3 levels and yes-- elementary teachers did vote for this leadership-- this leadership came from elementary. Ni it shouldn't make a difference-- but at least be aware-- you are now getting the " school without consequences" that started when kids are in elementary school--you are now feeling the- "keep them in the classroom no matter what" that has been going on in elementary school. Remember-- cant take before a magistrate, can't call security-- younger students act out in more physical ways than high school students from buses to lunch. Watch them the first day of school, when security cuffs them for what was their standard middle school behavior- such as roaming the halls. I am not advocating suspensions, etc-- but at least be aware that when the supports dont exist in elementary school, teachers are more dependent on the good will of administrators when a student acts out. Parents ask, " what did the teacher do?" not much if they want their job. So yes, they voted for people that at least know what it is like to have no options, no consequences.
I have this credit card from PPS and PNC and that is the ONLY way I can get paid as a swim coach. There is no direct deposit.
I get one pay per year. It goes into this card's account.
It is a HUGE pain and I'd join in any protest to get this changed.
Rip off.
And, as a sports coach, the terms of my employment are via the UNION. And, I can not be part of the union. That's another matter.
One pay a year on that card; that is frightful; that means either you take it out all at once or you will be paying many times over to withdraw; I have one also; I called up and had $110 in fees that were an illegal breach of terms; get in touch with Thomas Paine; he is the man to talk to regarding this graft.
Yes, get in touch with me, Thomas Paine. I have more than just the PNC card issue, such as Nina Esposito spending money on attorneys to defend her in front of union member. Why? Because she is guilty as sin, and she is panicking, and she does not care about our union body; she is like Harold Grant, who only cares about his wardrobe, his big umbrellas, and cell phone bill. WHY ARE WE NOT GETTING PAID ON AUGUST 31st OF NEXT YEAR WHEN WE ARE DEAD BROKE? What is the reason, Nina? Give us a specific example of why you RESCINDED your email that stated we would get paid? Impeach Nina Esposito; she is selling us out, but most of you teachers are worthless and weak; you only care about your pigeon-s--t pay and your dime a dozen teacher certification. You deserve what you get if you do not line up against this triumvirate of traitors. You're all happy that there is only one day to go, but within two months it will be upon you, just as in the ending of "The Lottery". You deserve what you get. Get in touch with Thomas Paine if you have guts, but if you are the snake who is reading this and saying to yourself, "Ooh, I don't want to get into any trouble", then don't you dare get in touch with me. I will only be helping out those who email me at Thomaspaine4281@gmail.com. The rest of you fend for yourselves, as you ALWAYS DO!
Reminder to keep posts civil, personal insults detract from messages.
I agree to be civil, but with this union? Am I to believe that civility and lies are better than insults and truth? Go away, please-just because you are afraid, don't get in the way of my truth. Here's the truth; the union allowed the district to get away with paying us in August because the union works for the district; what other union leader would send out a confirmation of a pay change, only to rescind it later? Answer: Nina Esposito
How about civility and truth- the insults are distracting
I agree, but lies and deceipt are more insulting.
Sabbatical teachers are cheated out of August pay. I am a teacher who began my sabbatical in April. However, the days worked in August were worked at full pay. If you recall Nina Esposito sending an email telling teachers we will be paid on the last day of August, but then she rescinded it, I believe I know why. Nina Esposito sided with the district so that teachers who begin a sabbatical after September 15th will receive August earnings, BUT AT HALF PAY IN JUNE. It is simple, our salaries are divided by 192(work days). Read Article 53, section 17d, subset-f. Ask yourselves this question? Have I or any teacher I know in this district used up sick days before going on unpaid sick leave? .Ask, how much was I paid? I can guarantee you that your salary was divided by 192 x however many days you had left, meaning if you knew you had only three days left, you would receive a three day payday. If you don't believe it, then try taking off a day without going into AESOP. What will happen? You will be docked one day pay by dividing your salary by 192. That is why NINA ESPOSITO rescinded her email. She did not want the district to pay us, or she was too incompetent to know that an employee going on sabbatical after September 15 will not receive the August pay at full rate. If you're thinking that the two week pay in June makes up for it, it does not. Remember, school begins on 8/23, so the whole thing begins again: teachers work from 8/23 to the middle of September without being paid. My situation: I worked 146 days at full pay(76% of the school year), but was only paid at full salary for 70%. I make $91,760. What is 6% of $91,760? $5,505.60. The union allowed this, but wants no part of it because they know many members have been cheated thousands of dollars on sabbatical, and our union leaders, especially Esposito are terrified to go into these classrooms again, so they let it go. When August rolls around and you are asking your peers why there is no income in August for gas, supplies, clothes, food, food for the family, etc. Now, you have the answer. Anyone who went on sabbatical after the first pay of the year, you were cheated thousands.
This is huge- this should be a headline, not a post. I know teachers who have grieved this and the union had a private list who were paid, but the union does not want to go public with it because the district will be under investigation, so the union and district have a deal: pay, but don't say.
New post: PNC PAYCARD SITE DOWN FOR OVER A WEEK-NO ACCESS TO PRIOR STATEMENTS- Is anyone experiencing this? I find it very suspicious that since this post has gone up regarding the breach of terms, conditions, and intent of the card, there is no access to any prior statements other than transactions during this month. I called a rep(again, not a PNC employee), and the rep said the site is down. The site has been down for well over a week. I praise those that have the integrity and guts to reveal their findings with this district mandated paycard for employees without a checking account and coaches who are paid like this.
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