Laura Glesby Photo
Superintendent Negrón: We're on it.
Connecticut’s minimum wage rose to $15.69 in 2024 — but Abe Benghiat’s substitute teaching paycheck stayed at $15.
Benghiat testified on Zoom at Monday evening’s hybrid Board of Education meeting that New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) had not immediately adjusted compensation rates to comply with the rising minimum wage.
Since 2021, Benghiat wrote in an email, he has worked as a part-time substitute teacher in New Haven “on my off-Fridays to give back to the community.”
As an uncertified substitute, he gets paid the minimum wage for 6.75 hours of work per day. In 2023, he said, that amounted to $101.25 per day, or $93.50 after tax deductions, at a rate of $15 per hour.
After he substituted at Career High School on the first Friday in January, the school district paid Benghiat two weeks later — and continued to pay him $93.50, even though the state minimum wage had risen.
NHPS spokesperson Justin Harmon confirmed on Tuesday that the school system paid the old minimum wage for the first four school days of January.
“The new rate, which reflects the new minimum wage, is $105.17 [before taxes — about a $4 difference]. Subs will receive retro pay for the first four days of the month,” he wrote in an email message.
On Monday, Benghiat told the Board of Education that the school system has “failed one of the most vulnerable employee populations… by failing to raise the wage in compliance with state law.”
In addition to notifying NHPS officials, Benghiat emailed a state Labor Department’s wage and hour investigator, Sharon Casey on Jan. 19. Casey responded, “It is not your responsibility to ensure that all substitutes are paid adequately. You are in no position to be making demands of the school system. I suggest you contact your union rep about proceeding with any further inquiries.”
During Monday’s Board of Ed meeting, board members and NHPS administrators did not respond to Benghiat’s testimony.
When asked about the matter just after the meeting, Superintendent Madeline Negrón said she contacted the district’s human resources director upon learning of Benghiat’s situation. “If it is the case” that employees were paid below the new minimum wage, she promised to “bring it up to par immediately.”
“I thank the gentleman for bringing it up in public comment,” she added.
Some of the Board of Education members present at Monday night's meeting.
Looks like the superintendent has a lot of class and is a problem solver who addresses concerns decisively. On the other hand the speaker who is using his Fridays to give back is charging the district for his services. At least he will get what he asked for by next Friday or the Friday after next. I guess we should feel fortunate for his charity.