Embedded Files
Below is a reverse-chronological record of our CalSTRS audit communications shared with members through Faculty Representatives.
EMAIL SENT ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 8:50AM
***For immediate distribution to all HDTA Members***
CalSTRS Error - We continue to learn more about the impact of this 2022-23 error on our retirement, an error that affects nearly 800 of our members. HDTA Leadership is in continued conversation with Jon Carrino, our Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, as well as representatives from CalSTRS to fully communicate the impact, and what the district can do to make it right. A huge thank you goes to the HDTA members who have been crunching the numbers and building the case for all of us. HDTA Leadership is meeting next week to discuss next steps.
The Standard Disability Insurance - Many of us are already enrolled in The Standard, the only CTA-approved disability insurance. Theresa Vaughn, our Standard rep, will be hosting a 15-minute Virtual Town Hall next Wednesday, December 10, at 4:00 p.m., for any HDTA members who wish to learn more, as well as Site Reps who are already enrolled who simply wish to better understand this to explain it to our members. CLICK HERE to register; scroll to the bottom of this email for more info. A recording will be available for those who cannot attend live.
HDTA United is all of us - From the counselors fighting to protect their professional day, to the educators at our non-traditional sites like Bowman and Sequoia who are advocating for their unique needs, to the junior high educators who said, "Our school would be safer with TWO full-time AP's," HDTA members across our district are speaking up and saying, "Give us the time and the resources to do our jobs like the professionals that we are." HDTA United isn't just the faces on the website; it's all of us. An injury to one is an injury to all; a victory for one is a victory for all. Thank you for all you do for our members and for our community.
United,
Ron
EMAIL SENT ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 4:48PM
Site Reps,
I’m attaching two things FYI:
the letter I personally received from CalSTRS, so you can see what members are looking at if you didn’t get one yourself, and
the follow-up message from our Director of Fiscal Services explaining the situation.
Here’s a quick, plain-language version you can share at your sites.
CalSTRS found that the 4 percent off-schedule payment from 2022–23 was reported to the wrong retirement category. It was entered as regular salary instead of supplemental income. The money isn’t missing, it just needs to be reclassified and moved to the correct account. The District and CalSTRS are already working through that correction, and no action is required from members.
There’s also a smaller group of about 60 people, mostly tied to CLAD-related payments made around this same time, who will experience a similar correction.
I also want to acknowledge how this feels. We’ve already had one major payroll issue earlier this year, and seeing another correction notice pop up so soon after is frustrating and discouraging. I shared in my phone call with Jon Carrino this afternoon that the district needs to take meaningful steps to rebuild confidence in how payroll and retirement reporting are handled.
Our Director of Fiscal Services, Gretchen Bergstrom, is fielding the technical questions on this and should respond in a reasonable time. If you or your members have additional questions, please reach out to us.
—Ron
CalSTRS letter sample (1).pdf
EMAIL SENT ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 12:01PM
SITE REPS--Please share with your members:
Hi everyone,
A number of members (myself included) received CalSTRS audit notices this morning. I know this kind of message can create stress, especially given the payroll issues we’ve already seen over the past year. Even though the audit focuses on 2022–23, we are right to wonder what it means for us now and what the District is doing differently moving forward.
HDTA will be asking the District to walk us through what happened, who might be affected, and how they’re ensuring accurate reporting going forward. We deserve clear information and some reassurance that the systems that handle our pay and retirement data are reliable.
For now, if anyone at your site received the notice, encourage them to save the documents for now. We’ll share updates as soon as we get a fuller explanation from the District.
Thanks for helping keep your sites informed.
United,
Ron
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