Getting paid

[Ohioref3]

Just a general question for everyone...

As an official would you rather get paid at the site when you arrive for the game, or would you rather get one check at the end of the month with say 6-10% taken out of the check to cover association dues. What are most states doing to get paid, and what system as an official would you like to see in place as for getting paid?

[Camron Rust]

Getting paid once a month is certainly without the headaches that can occur with trying to find who is going to pay you and getting to actually do so.

You're either going to have % taken out of a check, pay an assignor's fee, or the schools will pay the assignor (and pay the officials a little less). Anyway you cut it, you get about the same.

The bookkeeping is so much easier with monthy checks/statements.

[IREFU2]

I agree.

[refnrev]

You guys get paid?

[refnrev]

Now for a real answer. I'd rather get paid at the beginning of each game.

[Ref-X]

Hello, ALL
I am new to the forum. I enjoy reading your post. They are very informative.
I’m in Jersey. For HS games we get paid before the game or sign a voucher and get a check a few days later. No long wait and no % taken out. That is how it should be.

[Texas Aggie]

Apparantly it is different around the country, but I've never been handed a check at the game site, before or after. I have been paid in cash on rare occassions (not this year; first year back after 10 year absence). I usually get paid 2-3 weeks later.

As far as money taken out, no way. I'd rather pay dues and keep all of the check. Even at 6%, I'd be out more from check commissions than I would with dues. Besides, how equitable is it for someone who works 30 games versus someone who works 75? How many games does one have to work to be in good standing? And if I (or you) work a predominantly large school varsity schedule (in Texas we are paid based upon gate receipts), do I get the same taken out of my check as someone who worked the junior high games the night before in the same district does? He made $40; I (or you) made $140.

[Smitty]

Our association pays once a month, and I like that. I get a nice fat check every month. But I don't depend on the money I get from reffing. I would do it for free - the money is a fortunate byproduct for me. I can see where people who depend more on the money would want to get paid at every game. I am glad I don't have to deal with that. During summer leagues, we get paid at the game site. It's not always easy - in fact it's often frustrating when you don't really know who is supposed to be paying you and making sure you get their attention before they disappear. Having the losing coach pay me after the game is not always a picnic either. I've also forgotten to get paid, and going back to the school after the fact is also a royal pain. So give me my once a month paycheck and I'm happy.

Oh yeah, plus we get mileage added in automatically, so that is nice having that done for me as well. We get a nice itemized list of our games, the fees, the mileage fees, and that fat check. Sweet.

[Edited by Smitty on Oct 25th, 2005 at 03:56 PM]

[Ref-X]

We do not get paid through out association. If we did that might be ok. There are some organizations out side of HS that pay on there billing cycle. Ever 3 or 4 weeks. I don’t deal with any of those organizations any more. You have to chase after these people 2 and 3 months looking for your check. No thank you. I need to know who is paying me, how I’m being paid and when. I believe when you are dealing with people and money, you must treat it like a business and be professional. I love basketball and Officiating but not enough to do it for free.

[Ref-X]

(We do not get paid through out association)

Sorry typo. I was trying to say. " We do not get paid through our assocation".

[Camron Rust]

Originally posted by Ref-X
Hello, ALL
I am new to the forum. I enjoy reading your post. They are very informative.
I’m in Jersey. For HS games we get paid before the game or sign a voucher and get a check a few days later. No long wait and no % taken out. That is how it should be.

How does the assingor get paid? They're not doing it for free. If they're not getting a % out of the officials pay the school is likely paying them a per-game assignors fee. Either way, you're getting the same money.

If they are getting a cut of the dues, I'd assert that such a method would be imbalanced against the person working few games. The costs of running the association and assigning are proportional to the number of games and the burden should be tied to the number of games.

[Ref-X]

You are correct the assigner is being paid a fee by the schools. If it is a per-game fee or a flat rate, I am not sure of. My main point was that I would rather be paid when I get to the game then wait for a check. On the states HS official web site they state what they pay officials per game. And that is the amount we get when we get to the games. Nothing is taken out.

And to my knowledge our assigners do not get a cut of our dues. Our dues do go to the cost of running the association, but not to the assigners. Because they are paid by the league that are assigning for.

[garote]

I live in Utah and it varies by school district. Some pay cash at the site. Others have a check ready. We just add our name. Some schools have us fill out an W-9 and send the check the next day. One district does the W-9 and then you get paid sometime in the next 3-7 years. Just kidding, but they consistently take at least 1 to 1 1/2 months to get it to you. I once got a check for a January game in April.

As far as the fee to the assignor. We pay the fee at our first association meeting.

[Ohioref3]

It seems like most associations across the country get paid at the site or fill out a voucher and receive the check in the mail within a few weeks. Is that what most officials prefer? What are most association dues like? What do the association dues cover? I came from an association in the northwest that paid their officials once a month on a check, that was ok with me, but we also had 9% taken out of our checks to cover association dues. it might not seem like alot but if you average say $1000 per month during basketball you are paying the association $90 per month, and if you make say $1500 on a monthly check you are paying the association $135 per month. We also paid $15 to the state for their association, and my local association also took out an additional $10 per sport to work. If you add three and a half months of working high school basketball at say $1000 per month we were giving the association $325 to work basketball for that season, and thats not even including the summer games and tournaments that we work, which we still only got paid once a month and had 9% taken out of that check. I added all my money up that I made for officiating basketball for the year and it came to $5000, and after the percentage that was taken out of my checks I landed up paying $450 to my association to work basketball for the season, and that seemed like alot of money to me. And on top of that I received a 1099 and had to pay taxes at the end of the year on the $5000 that I had made. Any other thoughts on this matter?

I recently moved to the midwest and I was shocked to see that what was taken place in my new association was not the same as my last one. When I signed up to officiate basketball I paid a one time fee for that sport for the year which was $40 which went to the association, I paid another $40 fee for the entire year which went to the state association dues. I then paid for my instructional material out of my own pocket which was $20. I then was paid at the game site when I arrived with a check in my name, with the full game fee in my check. I also worked a bunch of summer leagues and tournaments and was paid cash at the site even though the games were assigned through my association. I also liked the idea that I was not taxed at the end of the year because I didn't make enough money at that school to get taxed.

[RookieDude]

My Association is great.
They take the National average for NFHS Varsity games and then add a % of how you are ranked in the association. If you are ranked Number one then you get the national average PLUS 100%! If you are ranked last...you get national average PLUS 1%.

My Association pays for all my gear...patent leather shoes, new beltless sansabelt pants, and 2 V-neck shirts every year. Also included is the latest in UnderArmor wear, one Fox 40 and of course, all the current Officials Rule books and Manuals.

We are trained by the highest ranking Final Four Official in the previous year's college game. He determines the top 3 prospects in our association...and those individuals get free passes to the next years Final Four!

If you get selected for a State Tournament game...you get to go meet the President of the United States of America!

Oh yea, we ride to games in stretch limos...Varsity Officials enjoy cold refreshments and great snacks, JV Officials drive.

You like my Association? Well, just e-mail the esteemed JCrow...he will be glad to sign you up!