Yes and yes. Nobody answered at the school and I called my partner and he was in traffic as well. I asked him to let the school know my situation if he got there first.

The AD eventually called me and I told him where I was

Stuff happens sometimes but the fact is you did not adhere to the terms of your contract. Doesn't make you a bad person or bad official. I think you have no leg to stand on by requesting the missing fees.

Just to spark more conversation...stuff happens...like getting hurt during a game. So if I got hurt in the second quarter and wasn't able to finish the game, would I only get half the game check? Technically I didn't fulfill my contract then either.

Why would you expect any more?

Perhaps. But that wouldn't be something you brought on yourself. That's an accident. Being late is your fault.

Well, nine times out of ten injuries are out of our control.

A traffic jam situation could be out of our control, ie an accident on a roadway that radio station traffic reports don't cover.

The school or district was going to pay you the money anyway, you get injured during the first half, and can't finish the game. Not their fault, not yours. Why should they withhold the money, other than to save a few bucks?

You get paid for what you WORK not what you were suppose to work but didn't.

If you were injured in the first half of a game I might see where they would pay you but if you were injured in the first game would you expect them to pay you for the second game as well? But just not showing up is a different story

When I filled in after a JV ref pulled his hamstring, the guy I replaced offered to send me half his check for working the fourth quarter. Naturally, I declined. Four seasons ago I blew out my knee in the second quarter of a varsity game and they had to call a JV official in to work the rest of the game. I don't remember offering anyone part of my check, but I was in a great deal of pain and ended up in the hospital and simply don't remember how I got paid for that -- and didn't care (the fee at the time was something like $57.50).

It all evens out. But if I missed a half of a game because of traffic, I would have probably apologized again to the AD and told him to please keep the money for the entire first game.

Of course, where I live a game cannot start with less than 2 licensed officials. So here, they'd find a replacement or they'd wait.

Lombardi Time ...
 

According to former Green Bay Packer great, Paul Hourning, there were two "times" when playing for coach Vince Lombardi. Regular time versus "Lombardi Time." Regular time was what most people followed. Lombardi Time was always 15 minutes earlier. And it was adhered to by winners. If a Packer meeting was scheduled to begin at 8:00am, astute players knew to arrive and be ready to go at 7:45am. Every time.

AKA military time

All of this is fair.

Really? On the basketball court? I'd bet most of the referee injuries are due to inadequate stretching, carrying too much weight, or otherwise being out of shape. Those are controllable, if we choose.

We're not working under an employee agreement. We're independent contractors. If we don't do the job, we don't get paid. If I hire someone to build a chicken house, and he gets started late, and the chickens arrive before he gets the doors on, and the chickens all escape, I'm not paying him a nickel, even though he did do half the job.:)

World class athletes are in better shape than anyone, and they still pull hamstrings. Just sayin...Stretching before during, and after won't prevent 100% of injuries.

I am not even sure why we are talking about injuries here :confused:

The bottom line is that you didn't make it to the game until the second half. You were not there to work a complete game and shouldn't be paid for a complete game. You already know my opinion, you shouldn't accept pay for any of the game. It doesn't matter if the situation was out of your hands or not - you weren't there. And while I believe you when you say you were stuck in traffic, do you know how many times people use that excuse when they are late somewhere? Had I been in your situation I would not have accepted any money for the first game - even if I had only missed the tip off and got there before the first points were scored.

As someone else said - this doesn't make you a bad person or a bad official. Just accept it as part of life, learn from it and move on.

Then show up on time. It's that simple. Why should a school pay for a full game of two officials when they only got one official for an entire half?

The OP has no right to be upset. I understand things happen and in my younger officiating days I'm sure I was late for a tip off or two for a rec league or even a small private school. One time, my pay was adjusted accordingly and I could only be upset at myself.

But now, I always make sure I give myself extra time and if I even think there is a possibility I may be running late I give my assigner and/or partners a call. Leaving at 4pm for a 5:30 game (during rush hour) that is 45 minutes away to an area that you don't know is really not giving yourself enough time.

Be glad that you got anything at all for the game and that you arent in my association where not only would you have not been paid, but would be fined a game fee for missing the entire first half.