1. How is experience reviewed and credited?

To be granted credit for experience, a certified employee must meet all of the state’s guidelines as defined in the GADOE 160-5-2-.05 Experience for Salary Purposes

2. How to submit employment verification requests to my previous employers?

Instructions for submitting employment verification requests are located on the Human Resources website under the Compensation and Employment Verification menu or click here. 

3. How many days must I work in order to receive a year of experience credit? 

In accordance with the GADOE Experience for Salary Purposes, you must work 63% of the full work calendar or a minimum of 120 days during a full academic year.

4. My previous employers completed the GA Professional Standards Commission (PSC) experience verification form. Could I use this form to verify your experience? 

Yes. However, please keep in mind that GAPSC verification forms do not provide sick leave balances that may be eligible for transfer. In order for sick leave to be transferred, you would need to request a sick leave balance transfer as part of the verification process. Also, a letter on the district letterhead with the total sick leave that is eligible for transfer is acceptable. 

5. I worked for HCS in the past. My experience from past employers was verified as well. Do I need to resubmit verification forms to these employers again? 

No. In order to receive additional credit for experience obtained after employment with HCS, verification forms must be submitted to the Compensation Manager for review. 

6. Can I receive experience credit for substitute teaching or paraprofessional experience? 

Teaching experience credit is not given for substitute teaching, teacher aide, student teaching, or paraprofessional experience.

7. Who should complete the employer section of the verification form? 

An authorized representative should complete the employer section. Typically, the Human Resources and/or Payroll department is responsible for completing the verification form. Refer to the school district/employer website for appropriate contact information. 

8. The school district closed down. What are my options for verifying your experience? 

Please contact the human resources department to discuss available options. 

9. Will the HCS Human Resources Department contact school districts to obtain verification? 

No. It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure that verification forms are sent to the appropriately identified former employers and contact these employers if the forms are incomplete or delays occur. 

10. How will I know that a verification form has been submitted to Human Resources? 

New hires will be provided a Google shared link to view pending and approved verifications. 

11. Will I receive experience credit for military service? 

In order for a certified employee to receive credit for military service, a copy of the employee’s DD214 must be submitted. The employee may receive up to three years’ credit for active military service in the Armed Forces of the United States. Experience credit is not granted for service in the Reserves or National Guard.

12. I’m a new teacher with no prior experience. Do I need to complete the verification process? 

No. The verification form is used to verify prior experience for salary purposes. However, if you are transferring from a Georgia school district in another capacity and have available sick leave for transfer, complete the verification process to request sick leave balance. 

13. I’ve been hired through a third party agency. Should I complete the verification of the employment process? 

No. If you received a compensation estimate with instructions to submit a verification form, please disregard the email.  

14. Is there any experience outside of education that is acceptable? 

There may be instances where experience outside of education is acceptable. Refer to the GADOE 160-5-2-.05 Experience for Salary Purposes guidelines. 

1. What happens to my pay if I’m unable to get an experience form completed in time for payroll? 

For new hires with start dates between July 1st and August 31st, verification of previous experience that is received by HCS Human Resources prior to September 30th of each year will be effective the date of hire and a retroactive payment maybe warranted. If experience is received by HCS Human Resources after September 30th, experience will be effective the date the verification form is received in HR and no retroactive payment is warranted.

For new hires with start dates between September 1st and June 3oth, verification of previous experience that is received by HCS Human Resources within thirty (30) business days of the date of hire will be effective the date of hire. If experience is received after 30 business days of the date of hire, experience will be effective the date the verification form is received in HR and no retroactive payment is warranted.

2. Is the compensation amount on the new hire total compensation estimate my final salary? 

No. The compensation estimate is a salary estimate based on limited information submitted on your HCS employment application. Please keep in mind that the Compensation Manager may not have access to all employment and certification information upon submitting the compensation estimate. It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure that all required documentation is submitted for certification and experience purposes. 

3. I have 10 years of teaching experience. However, I’m paid on step 12. Is this accurate? 

In accordance with GADOE 160-5-2-.05 Experience for Salary Purposes, an individual holding a category T certificate and having zero years of experience is placed on Salary Step E. After one year of creditable experience in a Georgia school district, that individual is advanced (i.e., skip years one and two) to Salary Step 1 as if he or she had three years of creditable experience.

4. If I’m a new certified employee at HCS, when do I expect to receive my first paycheck? 

Teachers new to HCS, who begin the first day of pre-planning week, will receive their first paycheck on August 31, and the teacher will receive the earned annual salary divided over 13 checks.

5. I don’t have a teaching certificate. How will this affect my pay? 

You will be placed on the provisional pay salary schedule based on your highest degree. Official transcripts must be submitted to the HR Certification Specialist to ensure certification placement. 

6. What is FICA? 

FICA is a U.S. federal payroll tax. It stands for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act and is deducted from each paycheck. FICA helps fund both Social Security and Medicare programs, which provide benefits for retirees, the disabled, and children.

7. What is a supplement? 

Position-level supplements are the dollar amount paid annually to an employee for performing a supplemented duty.  Note: There are supplements and stipends that are beyond those required in an employee’s primary position for which a salary supplement is paid. These payments are not included in the compensation estimate, such as extracurricular activities.

8. How will my salary be affected if I begin employment after the first day of the fiscal school year? 

Should an employee work less than the scheduled days for his or her position, the annual salary will be pro‐rated based on the actual days worked. The total annual salary from the salary schedule will be divided by the scheduled days for that position and multiplied by the actual number of days to be worked. The salary is then divided over the remaining months that the employee has to be paid.

1. When can I enroll in benefits? 

For employees that transfer from district to district that were enrolled in health insurance, your health coverage will transfer to HCS automatically.  For all new hires to HCS, you have 31 days to enroll in supplemental benefits (e.g. dental) and health insurance. Your benefits coverage becomes effective the first month following one full calendar month of employment, unless the hire date is concurrent with the first of the month. If the hire date is concurrent with the first of the month, then coverage is effective the same month following the hire date.

1. How is unused sick leave transferred from district to district? 

Employees are entitled to transfer up to 45 days of accumulated, unused sick leave from one school district in the State of Georgia to another and to or from the State Department of Education. As part of the employment verification process, a sick leave balance for transfer is requested.

2. If I should need to be absent prior to receipt of the sick leave being transferred, how would this impact my pay? 

If there is no leave available at the time of absence, absence will be charged as Leave Without Pay.  If/when any leave is transferred from another district, the school leave entry person would need to send a correction form to get absence changed and employee pay reimbursed.