Pay

[jonathantullos]

For you FED guys: How is pay handled within your association? I never actually called in Mississippi but when I was associated with my high school's team the game administrator always had checks for the officials in hand when they arrived at the field. Here in Kentucky, the schools generally send checks after the game. Most of the schools I have called for so far have paid within a week or two, but there's a school I did a game at about a month ago that I'm still trying to get paid for (a game of "he said/she said" so far). The association can do little to nothing about the situation as we are considered to be contracted to the schools for the events.

So, what's it like where you are? If a school doesn't pay in a timely manner, do you have any recourse?

And to add insult to injury: I'm calling a game at the non-paying school tonight. 

[Stk004]

The high schools in my area aren't required to pay until the end of the season, which means we don't get paid until the high school season is over. 

[Aging_Arbiter]

Our association schedules (and most schools pay) through Arbiter.  The few (3 I think) all have checks in hand at game time.

[Mudisfun]

All of our assignments are handled through the Arbiter however payment lies with the school or school district...

Some schools pay at the site prior to the game 

Some schools pay via Ref Pay. Have had some hit my account while gearing up or on the way home. Typically Ref Pay is within a day or two at most. 

The last batch will send a check to your address. 

Occasionally when working a tournament they may pay the association who will pay us but this is on the rarer side. 

 

[Umpire in Chief]

I now get paid almost exclusively through Arbiter Pay and love it. 

As for your situation - My not so humble opinion is:

You should make the initial effort to be paid from the school. When you've made your attempt and have not yielded anything your association should take over. As you mentioned you are an independent contractor, but (IMO) you are contracting to the association, not the school. The association has the agreement with the school. They are the ones which sent you to that location. Therefore, they are responsible for ensuring you are paid.

All that said my association does not operate that way, and we are supposed to chase down our own money in such an event.

[maineump]

If we don't get the check at the site - it is mailed to us (of course after W-9 either way).

If the pay is not sent in 2-weeks, we contact our assignor - he takes care of calling the schools for us. It has always worked out.

My college group doesn't even use arbiter pay - he pays us at the end of the season (a few schools pay at the field or mail them to us). Him paying us takes away all of the worry from the payment - we get paid, he has to get the money from the schools. It is also a great check at the end of the season.

[ricka56]

In Texas, we invoice each game(s) directly to the school (usually thru the ticket taker or HC). Checkt usually comes within 2-3 weeks from the school district. After 30 days, I inquire (4 times in 10 years). After 45 days, the school is to be reported to the state (never happened to me). 

[Kevin_K]

In Northern NJ officials in all HS sports are independent contractors assigned though assigners rather than associations. Most districts pay after the fact via check, but more and more are moving to Ref Pay or Arbiter Pay or whatever it is called today. A few have a check on site. Most schools pay within a couple weeks, but there are some that drag their feet for months.

So many words to say it depends.

[KenBAZ]

In AZ we are paid through Arbiter Pay. I get a notice that funds have been transferred to my account a day or two after the game. Our HS association does not use Arbiter for scheduling however which means we have to maintain multiple calendars. Most of my assignments outside of HS ball are scheduled and paid through Arbiter.

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[kylehutson]

All the schools I work for have a check before you take the field.

Rumor is that many many moons ago (probably before I ever started school as a student), some school(s) decided not to pay their officials because they didn't like the calls they got. The officials boycotted until schools began paying up front.

[LMSANS]

DTS (down the shore), we complete a voucher before the game ( and sometimes a W-9).  We get paid via check in the mail from a couple days to a few weeks.  One district generally takes 2 months.  Most are within 2weeks.

 

[AtlUmp]

In my area the association uses arbiter to assign games. At the end of the season they take the schedule and bill the schools what they owe the association and after collecting the money then gives us checks to cover our pay for the season.

[VolUmp]

Tennessee. 

1) Games initially assigned via Arbiter.

2) Make ups, schedule changes, etc. are assigned the old fashioned way with a phone call.  Say yes often, work every day. Say no a few times, don't expect any more calls. AVAILABILITY is Priority #1.

3) Each school has paperwork waiting as we arrive for games and we usually revive checks within 5 days.

4) Some tournaments pay the Assignor one big check after all has been settled and we will get a single check from the Association within about two weeks.

 

I have never heard of only being paid after the season is over. That sounds ludicrous to me. 

If we run into any real trouble getting money from the school, which is extremely rare, our association will indeed take over and settle it for us … sometimes even fronting us the money and collecting it afterwards from the school.

If a school fails to tell our Assignor that a game has canceled or been postponed and the officials arrive to an empty field, they are required to pay half a game fee.

If officials arrive at a venue, and weather prohibits the game from starting, or the home team's head coach determines the field is not playable, the school is also required to pay the officials half of a game fee. 

[scrounge]

Central Ohio:

This year, generally all schools except for the City League (urban Columbus, generally not good ball) are paying with ArbiterPay. Columbus sends out checks, generally on a 30-45 day lag. Some smaller, usually private schools (the five Catholic schools mostly) have check ready day of game. The transition to ArbiterPay has been much smoother than I feared.

Games for all leagues - even City League - scheduled thru Arbiter, with reschedules/rainouts also done. If you're open, you're expected to take it barring a good excuse (occasionally I've had to decline games because assignor gave me a game too far away on a weekday, but that's rare - he usually just forgot).

No involvement by association or assignor officially in payment, though they can informally assist in the rare case of missing payment. Assignor is separate from association.

If game is canceled after officials arrive on-site, full payment made. It's almost unheard of anymore to have a game canceled without notification, now that the transition to Arbiter for scheduling is pretty much complete. If the game is in Arbiter and you show up - they're paying. Then again, it's up to you to check - they are requested to call you as a courtesy, and the vast majority will, but all they have to do is change it in Arbiter to canceled/rainout/postponed/etc.

[VolUmp]

5 hours ago, scrounge said:

If game is canceled after officials arrive on-site, full payment made. It's almost unheard of anymore to have a game canceled without notification, now that the transition to Arbiter for scheduling is pretty much complete. If the game is in Arbiter and you show up - they're paying. Then again, it's up to you to check - they are requested to call you as a courtesy, and the vast majority will, but all they have to do is change it in Arbiter to canceled/rainout/postponed/etc.

Sounds like the flow chart works completely differently here.  Schools cannot post a game on Arbiter — they have to email a game "request" for officials to our Assignor, who then posts the game with officials pre-accepted.  I actually agree with this because otherwise, too many of our guys would just decline the games and say, "Oops ... forgot to block that night ... "

So, likewise, if there is a schedule change or a rainout, the school is required to call the Assignor who then can make the change on Arbiter, but as I stated above, often I'll get a call saying, "School A canceled at 7:00, I'm moving you to school B at 6:00 with a different partner ... call John Doe."

In the interest of time, none of the changes will ever be reflected in Arbiter.  The only problem that causes is, you cannot pull up an accurate history of all the games you worked for income or tax purposes.

[maineump]

7 hours ago, scrounge said:

If game is canceled after officials arrive on-site, full payment made. It's almost unheard of anymore to have a game canceled without notification, now that the transition to Arbiter for scheduling is pretty much complete. If the game is in Arbiter and you show up - they're paying. Then again, it's up to you to check - they are requested to call you as a courtesy, and the vast majority will, but all they have to do is change it in Arbiter to canceled/rainout/postponed/etc

We are asked to call the schools if there is doubt. We have some schools that are an hour drive or more. Weather changes in distances like that.

 

20 hours ago, VolUmp said:

I have never heard of only being paid after the season is over. That sounds ludicrous to me.

This happens more than you think. Our college group does this - it works out fine.

 

1 hour ago, VolUmp said:

In the interest of time, none of the changes will ever be reflected in Arbiter.  The only problem that causes is, you cannot pull up an accurate history of all the games you worked for income or tax purposes.

How do the 'new schools' know what to pay you? All of our changes are put into the assigning program, that is how we are notified. It happens as soon as the assignor hangs up.

[scrounge]

3 hours ago, VolUmp said:

 I actually agree with this because otherwise, too many of our guys would just decline the games and say, "Oops ... forgot to block that night ... "

Yea...pull that more than a couple times with assignors here and you're on the fast track to the pay no mind list.

[Thomas Mullaney]

At our association the schools pay our commissioner immediately after the game and the commissioner then gives us electronic paychecks every other week through arbiterpay.

[VolUmp]

3 hours ago, maineump said:

How do the 'new schools' know what to pay you? All of our changes are put into the assigning program, that is how we are notified. It happens as soon as the assignor hangs up.

I don't understand the question, as every school pays the same rate.

[jonathantullos]

Thanks for the responses, this has been a very informative discussion. The KHSAA requires all schools to submit games throigh Arbiter and the assignors assign officials to the games. All of our scheduling is electronic, though last minute changes and makeups usually include a call or text from my assigner. Very few schools use ArbiterPay and I would be very surprised if many schools around here ever used it (my region is in Eastern Kentucky... Yeah.).

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[BrianC14]

On 4/14/2017 at 0:05 PM, Stk004 said:

The high schools in my area aren't required to pay until the end of the season, which means we don't get paid until the high school season is over. 

Well that's a crock.  Ask them if they pay the teachers the same way.  Rubbish. 

[maineump]

9 hours ago, VolUmp said:

I don't understand the question, as every school pays the same rate.

Do the same umpires do the make-up always? Is there any mileage pay? The way I read your post, is you have been switched venues and partners, by not having it in the Arbitor, how does the school know who to pay?

Just my thoughts, seems that the games should be updated in the Arbitor for everyone's records.

[Umpire in Chief]

On 4/14/2017 at 2:05 PM, Stk004 said:

The high schools in my area aren't required to pay until the end of the season, which means we don't get paid until the high school season is over. 

When I did soccer as a teenager/ 20-something that's how it was for us. The bad is it was 6 months between paychecks, the good was there were some nice checks. 

[MadMax]

I run in slightly different circles than @KenBAZ, so I get a mish-mash of ArbiterPay / RefPay, mailed checks, checks-picked-up-on-site, and cash.

Within ArbiterPay / RefPay, there are some assignors who are known to be none-too-swift at issuing payment. Some are lightning-fast, paying you at the close of the tournament / event or the next day. Some are 2-4-6 weeks out. One in particular is stuck in a bad, unenviable position, and we (the umpires) try to be understanding and accommodating, but sometimes it gets strained.

Back in Wisconsin, one of the large leagues to work within was cash-at-plate. That was fantastic, and spoiled me for years. Add to that, most of the weekend tournaments were cash-at-close, with one TD in particular peeling 20's and 50's off a big wad and handing them to you after you finished your 15th game of the weekend. Cha-freakin'-ching! Or, for others, they'd have an envelope with your name on it, ready to hand you at the end of your set of games.

I'm a mobile umpire. My bank is based and HQ'd back in Wisconsin, so it makes deposits challenging. This bank offers Check Imaging / Mobile Deposit as an app (trei sheik), so I can take that check and have it deposited within minutes of receiving it. I also have Square, PayPal and ChasePay, should any TD or LD want to pay via one of those methods. Lastly, now with cash being handed to me here in Arizona, I opened a AMEX BlueBird card. It's a nifty debit card that has _0_ fees. I can walk into (nearly) any WalMart, go to the customer service counter, swipe my BlueBird card, hand the teller the wad of cash, and it's deposited on my card within seconds. They even have a real-time app to keep track of transactions and current balance, and it includes check-imaging / mobile deposit too.

[maquinn78]

In central Illinois, schools have checks for us as we get to the field. I think some of the older guys would walk away if the check wasn't there when they got there.

As far as rate, schools all pay different rates for different levels. There is no "set" rate. Especially the rural schools, because they have a much harder time getting umpires. They pay higher as most umpires have to drive 30+ minutes (that's a long time around here to drive to a game) to get to the school.