Mars Area School Board voted unanimously in favor of a three-year agreement with the Mars Area Education Support Professionals (MAESP) Association.

MAESP’s membership also approved the agreement, which retroactively takes effect on July 1, 2020, continues through June 30, 2023. The association represents approximately 116 members of Mars Area School District’s support staff, including custodians, maintenance staff, nursing assistants, paraprofessionals, secretaries, and some food service workers.

The contract maintains all existing benefits with no additional costs to employees, who are also eligible for a $500 supplemental payment for the 2020-2021 School Year, if they meet agreed-upon criteria.

The agreement provides additional days off for those who were hired after July 1, 2012, and enables these employees to take Paid Time Off (PTO) in lieu of paid personal, sick and vacation days. PTO days may be used by employees for any paid absence

Any unused personal and sick days (as of July 1, 2021) will be converted to PTO days. In addition, support staff would be permitted to accumulate unused PTO days for future use without limitation.

The contract includes biannual, 50-cent/hour wage increases for all support staff, effective Jan. 1, 2021, and continuing through the remainder of the contract. Custodians, whose pay rate is less than $13/hour as of July 1, 2021, will receive a $1/hour increase on that date and an additional 50 cents with each subsequent wage increase. (Note: Starting wage rates for each classification will be determined by the District.)

Anyone interested in viewing the MAESP contract, once it has been finalized, may complete and submit a “Right to Know” request form. The form is available online at https://www.marsk12.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=783672&type=d&pREC_ID=1186722 or may be obtained at the District’s Administration Office (545 Route 228, Mars).   

For more information, call (724) 625-1518.