HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Public Schools Board of Education approved paying a 2 percent retention bonus to all staff who were on district payroll May 1, 2018, during its regular study session meeting Monday.

The amount of an employee’s bonus will be equal to 2 percent of the staff member’s base contract for licensed and administrative staff, or the beginning-of-the-year worksheet for classified employees. Supplemental contracts are not included for purposes of calculating bonus amounts. Employees must be planning to return to USD 308 for the 2018-19 school year.

Kansas law allows districts to provide Recruitment Bonuses and Retention Bonuses to employees outside of formal negotiations. This past week, district administrators discussed the idea with the leadership of NEA-Hutchinson and determined board action would be the easiest and quickest path to award these payments. Employees will get the retention bonus in their June paychecks.

The board approved the retention bonus after an executive session on negotiations.