Getting paid by High Schools

[coachray40]

Was having a convo with a fellow ref the other day about how much $ we both have outstanding from various HS programs in ref fees.  He told me he was at over $800!!  I was stunned at the amount, but not at the fact that some of these schools are ridiculously slow on making payment.  I'm lucky(?) that I only have about $150 outstanding from two schools, though its been about two weeks since I did the games.

I enjoy HS reffing a lot--this was my first year doing HS--but I have to say that I may reconsider doing it again next year due to the inordinate amount of time it takes some of these schools to pay, and the time I have to spend chasing down checks.  In most cases, it has been a problem due to referee paysheets not being turned in by the coaches/school reps to the schools check writer, or turned in a week or more late.  Why cant schools have payment ready and waiting at the field?  I spoke with the Athletic Secretary at St Amant, and she told me that soccer is the ONLY sport that the schools dont pay at the field prior to, or directly after a match.  She also told me they use Arbiter for referee assignments in almost every sport--wouldnt it be prudent to do so with soccer as well?  It sure would be better than having to do a he said/she said with schools two weeks later as to where the ref payment was.

Are any of you out there having this issue? What do each of you consider a reasonable amount of time to wait for payment? Who are some of the slow pay schools?  Who are some of the better schools about getting payment from?

I have to give major kudos to Lutcher for paying cash at the field.  A new program, but both the girls and the boys programs are organized, well run, and make sure the officials are paid while they are there.  Plus a fabulous facility.

I have to believe there is a better way for the schools to pay us for our efforts. 

 

[Steven Gerrard]

In northeast Louisiana we use Arbiter for the assignment of refs for the games. Also, in every game I refed, the school rep had checks there for the officials. There was one exception since the school principal had been out of town for a few days and could not sign the checks. However, I got that check mailed to my office within a few days.

The only time I ever had a problem getting paid was a few years ago when I refed at a high school tournament in the Baton Rouge area. Had to wait about a month. If that was standard, I wouldn't ref high school anymore.

[premier]

I've refereed in both the Monroe and Cenla area. Monroe pays check(or cash) in hand at the field and Cenla pays check in hand at the field. The Monroe area uses Arbiter sports while the Cenla area uses Game Officials. Never have I had a late payment from either area

[tonygalinto]

If you don't receive a check after about 3-4 days call the school, ask to speak to the person that pays the sports officials. Find out what the hold-up is concerning the check. It could be they only cut checks on a Friday and the game was on a Friday night, it could also be that thy don't have your S/S # . Of course it could be the coach lost it or simply forgot about it.

I will say this, if I had $800 outstanding I would be on the phone talking to the schools, not to another referee about it. A big problem is some referees expect the assignor to baby them and make all the calls to find out why they haven't been paid, instead of them taking some initiative on their own. I have e-mailed another pay sheet directly to the person that pays the sports officials in order to get paid. We shouldn't have to do that but if I wanted to get my money I offered, since the non faculty coach is only at the school during the day about every two weeks. The worst thing you can do is get abusive with the person you are talking to at the school. Threatening to never do another game there gives a good laugh from the payor, they could care less if you ever grace their school again with your refereeing talents, and you may get paid by the end of the school year.

Just my 2cents