Payroll timeline concerns aired as board approves classified personnel action 3–2

Classified payroll staff and a former district employee used public comment at the March 11 Perris Union board meeting to press the board on payroll timelines and a personnel action that trustees later approved.

"When timelines for payroll were cut short, it has been hard to meet deadlines — especially when they were cut from five days to two days," said Cynthia Abena Medina, a confidential principal secretary at Perris High School, describing late nights and weekend work reconciling time cards and collecting signatures.

Later in public comment, Santiago Silva, a recently released account clerk, told the board he was released from probation without cause and alleged workplace harassment by a cabinet member. "They told me I had done nothing wrong. They just released me without cause because they can," Silva said, and urged trustees to consider that context before voting on the employee action.

The board moved the related classified personnel item from the consent calendar to a separate action item for discussion and vote. After discussion and the public comments, the personnel action (moved as item 13.1) passed by a recorded margin of 3–2.

Trustees addressed the payroll timeline concern later in the meeting, agreeing to add payroll timelines as a formal action item and to pursue digitizing timecard and payroll processes. President Garcia and staff discussed Red Rover as one software option; trustees asked staff to return with an implementation plan and timeline. Trustee Stafford asked that timeline and payroll digitization be listed as actionable future board items so the board could receive proposals and make decisions.

What to watch: Staff will present proposals for addressing payroll timelines and a plan for digital timecard/payroll implementation; the board also requested an historical report on student transfer and district enrollment data to inform budget and staffing decisions.