Paid for games

[coach_ump4]

Does anyone else have issues getting paid for the games they do. I know there are a lot of umps from other states or just wandering if it is our state. We very rarely get paid the day of the game and they send us the check in the mail usually somewhere between a week to 3 weeks later.

[SRP]

We get paid by check from the league 2 - 3 weeks after the game. I think they run checks twice a month.

I'm fine with that time frame.

[Umpire in Chief]

It all depends on the league and terms of the contract. Some we get paid at site, others mailed from the team, others mailed through our association. I can get confusing.

[Big Red]

For the games I work through my organization, which handles scheduling for 4 different leagues, same same...get paid by check, usually by the following week. They also have the ability to e-transfer the funds for free if you are w/ a particular bank.

Other games that I "freelance" I usually get paid in cash at the game...the ones I know and trust, I get the money afterward. New parks/leagues, up front.

[semper_fi_72]

No trouble getting paid.

USSSA mails out the checks on Monday morning after a weekend tournament is over.

High School checks usually arrive withing 10 business days.

Adult Ball checks are cut by a City and they usually arrive the following Saturday.

Most others are cash on the field.

[Stan W.]

I have a "mish-mash" of payment types and time frames.....

For my college games- checks by mail, usually with in 2 weeks.

For HS, it is up to the Home HS to pay the umpires so we get the following:

Most of our schools give us checks onsite prior to the game....

A smaller number issues checks mailed to your home usually promptly...

Summer Ball

Our association contract states cash prior to the game.

but...we often have to wait until the treasurer (wife) show up...and we have a league who splits umpire fees between teams..... so we get a combo of cash and checks

we recently cut ties with a league who played games with our pay... they have a treasurer who is against paying umpires ...was continualy delaying payment of umpires....we offered them a contract which called for cash prior to the game...... they delayed discussing it, we signed another league and left them to find gypsy umpires.....

Now to that end........I hope everyone is using some sort of game journal. The one I use is a simple columnar journal where I entr all the details on my assigned games....

I have a column for:

Date:

Home Team:

Fee expected:

Game result:

Fee receieved:

Comments:

Partner:

Plate or Base:

Simply filling in each column lets your manage your "Business" and keep track of all funds.....I mark off fee recieved once I get the check....a quick glance at my book would show any outstanding fees..

I also make sure to do a quick review of my performance and note any unusual events so I can work on my game....

As to fees...

First off I do not have any issues with those who choose to volunteer........god bless you all....

My policy is that I do not umpire for free. Of course I have, on occasion, umpired free for league fundraisers or benefit tournaments...but for the whole, I am paid.

For what?.... For my fee, you get 20+ years of experience, an umpire who is on time, professionally dressed and equipped, current on the rules applicable to the game level to be played, Registered and /or certified with the supporting organizations,recently educated on the developments of the game through Pro clinics, HS clinics and independent study of all the available reference resources...and fully insured with liability policy............and I love the game.

If I choose to work on my skills I must pay for the camps and clinics that I attend to learn to be a better umpire.... You can begin to see that the return on umpiring financially speaking is not large.........especially when you start the season in the hole $400 to $700....

It isnt for the money........My umpring money is not financing my life.......If it was "for the money".........after deducting expenses and figuring in the hours, I could do better financially as a greeter at walmart......... BUT I do expect to get paid.....My pay is not a gift, or a gratuity it is my due for the above service..............

and it is imperative that we manage that part of our business......

Edited June 10, 2010 by Stan W.

[jjb]

I have a "mish-mash" of payment types and time frames.....

It isnt for the money........My umpring money is not financing my life.......If it was "for the money".........after deducting expenses and figuring in the hours, I could do better financially as a greeter at walmart......... BUT I do expect to get paid.....My pay is not a gift, or a gratuity it is my due for the above service..............

and it is imperative that we manage that part of our business......

Stan, I have an Accountant who does my taxes, who's in complete agreement with you. According to her, my pay is not a gift, nor a gratuity...it's a joke...(she thinks I'm an idiot, and tells me on an almost daily basis)....

[Mike Prince]

I use a spreadsheet to keep track of my season, primarily to track my games so I can validate my checks. Another benefit of this is that I can easily track the age groups I work, the partners I work with, etc.

Our association pays approximately every two weeks, but it varies. Right now we are several weeks behind. Not a big deal to me as we always get paid and like many here my ump money isn't paying my bills or putting food on the table. Most of the time I'm using it to buy more gear or building a little 'rainy day fund' that I can use to make a vacation more fun, surprise my wife or kids with a gift, or just go out and buy something I normally would not buy.

[mstaylor]

HS is a combination of paid by check at site and paid by group at the end of the season. Summer leagues pay cash at the site, tournaments pay at the end of the week-end.

[yawetag]

I use a spreadsheet to keep track of my season, primarily to track my games so I can validate my checks. Another benefit of this is that I can easily track the age groups I work, the partners I work with, etc.

Same here. When I get paid for a game, the "Pay" column gets colored green.

As for the OP, high school is all paid through the association at the end of the season (should be in the mail soon). For summer, it's a mixture. One league pays through the association, one pays by check twice a month, one pays cash after the game from the UIC, and the others pay cash at the plate.

Keeping up with it is simple with the spreadsheet. I can even tell you how much I've made for each organization, as well as hourly rates.

[mstaylor]

I get my HS check at the end but we are already paid.

[PeteBooth]

As to fees...

My policy is that I do not umpire for free. Of course I have, on occasion, umpired free for league fundraisers or benefit tournaments...but for the whole, I am paid.

For what?.... For my fee, you get 20+ years of experience, an umpire who is on time, professionally dressed and equipped, current on the rules applicable to the game level to be played, Registered and /or certified with the supporting organizations,recently educated on the developments of the game through Pro clinics, HS clinics and independent study of all the available reference resources...and fully insured with liability policy............and I love the game.

Stan I do not know about you but I HATE it when the fans / coaches say You are there for "the kids"

I am NOT there for the kids. I am there so that no team gains and unfair advantage over another not intended by the rules.

Umpiring is a BUSINESS and IMO should be treated as such.

If the teams do not cancel the game within 2 hours of game time and I am on the road I get PAID. a travel Fee which is 1/2 pay.

if the games is cancelled ONCE we take control we gate a FULL game FEE.

There are other mandates as well. The Point: as mentioned, upiring is a business and as you say we have "up front" expenses that we incur and we cannot "quit our day jobs"

Pete Booth

[yawetag]

If the teams do not cancel the game within 2 hours of game time and I am on the road I get PAID. a travel Fee which is 1/2 pay.

if the games is cancelled ONCE we take control we gate a FULL game FEE.

With my organization, we're required to call the school before leaving to ensure the game is still being played. If so, and I get in my car, I get FULL pay.

[UmpJM]

You can get PAID for doing this ?!?!?!?

In my neck of the woods....

Schools pay you directly, usually a check mailed within approx. 2 weeks, sometimes they'll have a check for you at the game.

Most tournaments, some travel ball, Men's League, paid by monthly check through the umpire association.

Some travel paid at the field.

The association has a "hotline" for cancels. Team is responsible for calling hotline 2 hours before scheduled start to cancel. If they don't and I leave my house, I get a full game fee, regardless.

JM

[jnazz]

I work games in the interior of British Columbia. The pay schedule is as follows:

Babe Ruth House League - monthly cheque

High School - at game cash

Legion - end of season cheque

Men's - at game cash

Most Legion tournaments pay at end of tourney in cash or cheque. And I believe the LL and Cal Ripken also do monthly cheques.

[kwiggie]

we recently cut ties with a league who played games with our pay... they have a treasurer who is against paying umpires......

Is this same treasurer against suiting up himselfherself to fill these "volunteer" roles?