Ken de la Bastide
Herald Bulletin

ANDERSON — Anderson Community Schools will be providing cash incentives for employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

The school board on Tuesday approved a memorandum of understanding with the Anderson Federation of Teachers to give employees who voluntarily get vaccinated a $150 reimbursement.

Charles Rubright, attorney for ACS, said the reimbursement can be obtained by employees through Sept. 15.

He explained that ACS will be getting some federal COVID-related funding for a one-time expenditure.

Rubright said ACS is looking for a way to fill the gap that occurred the past year in classroom instruction as a result of the pandemic.

“This is just another step,” he said. “There will be more in the future.”

The memorandum of understanding with the AFT raises the hourly pay rate for teachers who volunteer for summer school classes from $25 to $40 per hour and for other employees to $30 per hour.

“We’re working to recruit additional students and staffing for summer school,” Rubright said. “This can be reimbursed from the COVID funding.”

The pandemic was an unexpected event that allows the school system to increase the pay rate, the attorney said.

This article was made available through Hoosier State Press Association.