CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla -- Imagine getting your paycheck after months of hard work, then your boss tells you, you have to pay it all back. That’s how 90 teachers are feeling in Charlotte County after the district made an error. The Charlotte County School District is forcing more than 90 teachers to reimburse the district for the extra money they've made.
"I think this was human error, it was a lack of communication a lack of clear procedure," said Renee Wiley, the President of the Charlotte Florida Education Association. Wiley says the district overpaid teachers by $100,000.
Wiley says teachers are paid for up to nine years of prior teaching experience, but teachers hired in 2016 or later made more than those who started prior. To say that doesn't sit well with her and other teachers is an understatement.
"The people that are affected are upset, they are hurt, they are angry they feel betrayed," Wiley said.
The teachers have to pay the money back because of the Florida Administrative Code 6A-1.052. The contract language says the minimum that can be taken out is $25 a paycheck and the maximum is one and a half percent of what is owed.
Wiley says it could take up nine years in order for teachers to pay that back. "Some people decided to come from other counties to Charlotte county to teach. They wanted to be here, and now they’re regretting that decision," Wiley said.
Fox 4 did reach out to the Charlotte County School District, we were told they could not comment.
