Putnam Schools Create Incentive Plan To Keep, Recruit Nutrition Workers

Putnam County school nutrition workers that qualify will receive bonuses at the end of the month.

Deputy Director Tim Martin said the extra pay serves as a retention incentive.

“We have a great group of workers, but we are short several positions,” Martin said. “We want everybody working with us to stay.”

Nutrition employees who work five hours or more per day earn $500. Those working less than five hours per day receive $250. The payment will be distributed on January 31st.

“You have to be a current employee,” Martin said. “If you worked for us part of the time and quit a month ago or something like that, you will not be eligible. The whole point is we are trying to keep people working.”

Martin said the bonuses also serve as a recruiting tool. Martin said a possible second round following the same guidelines will come May 31st. Martin said new employees hired before then will qualify depending on available funding.

“That funding just for the record does come from the federal school lunch program, so that’s the reason why you’re seeing this for the school nutrition program,” Martin said. “We would love to be able to award our other employees, but this money comes from the school nutrition program.”