Austin: Park and Rec summer temp counselor says she hasn't received the $500 bonus from the City, and she isn't alone
Published: Wed, 10/05/22
Park and Rec summer temp counselor says she hasn't received the $500 bonus from the City, and she isn't alone
She said this is not the first time the City of Austin didn't pay her appropriately during the 10-week temp job.AUSTIN, Texas — A temporary summer camp employee with Austin's Parks and Recreation Department said the City has not paid her and others the $500 bonus they were promised.
"I shouldn't be advocating for money that I earned," said the temp summer camp counselor.
She wants to stay anonymous because of fears of backlash but said H.R. has given her the runaround about when the check will come.
"I qualified for it," she said. "I worked. Why haven't I been paid what you put in writing?"Emails show that on May 12, employees were told they would get a $500 end-of-summer bonus for working 20 hours a week.
On Sept. 6, she was told she qualified for the bonus and should expect it either Sept. 16 or 30.
"I was working in triple-digit weather," she said. "I worked for it. My time is not free. My bosses have yet to get a clear answer from H.R. as to when we would be paid out."
She said this was not the first pay issue during her 10-week temporary job.
"I was paid 13 hours less than what I actually worked," she said.
She said she did not get the rest of that paycheck until more than a month later.
"Yeah, I'm not the only one," she said.
In a statement, the City blamed "an extreme influx of applications from the department's extensive hiring campaign" and said "37 employees got paid late, but affected workers got an extra $150 bonus."
In her case, she said she did not receive that bonus. Despite that, she just wants the $500 she was promised.
"If you want to retain employees, then pay them accordingly," she said.
KVUE spoke with another employee who said she also did not receive her bonus. She said it has been tough because when you make $16 an hour, a $500 bonus makes a difference.
KVUE is waiting to hear back from the Austin Parks and Recreation Department about the most recent payment issue.