Employee Services
Frequently Asked Questions
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Who should I contact if I need help with my teaching certificate?
- Maddie Ardoin, mgardoin@lpssonline.com in Employee Services can assist with all certificate questions.
Which Certificate Application is required if I would like to make updates to my existing certificate? (Name, Education, etc)
- You will need to complete a Certification Update Application with applicable fees.
I recently graduated with my Masters. Should my teacher pay increase?
- Once your certificate is generated with your updated education, a pay adjustment will be made according to policy.
My teaching certificate will expire soon. How do I renew my certificate?
- You will need to complete a Certification Update Application with applicable fees.
I am certified to teach in another state. What do I need to teach in Louisiana?
- Complete an application for an Out-of-State Certificate Application Packet.
Can I teach even if I am not a certified teacher?
- Certificated professionals are given priority when filling job vacancies.
Required
- Principal Recommendation for position
- Bachelor's Degree with a minimum of 2.2 overall GPA
- And ONE of the following:
- Praxis PPST Reading and Writing Scores
- Praxis CORE Reading and Writing Scores
- ACT score of 22
- SAT Combined Verbal/Critical Reading and Math Score of 1030
- NTE Communications Skills Score of 645
Payroll
When do full-time employees get paid?
- All full-time employees get paid on the last working day of the month according to the Teacher calendar. This means November and December payroll tends to fall prior to these school breaks.
When do employees receive substitute/supplemental payments?
- If you are a full-time employee receiving supplemental pay or a substitute employee, you will typically get paid on the 12th of the month. There are months that the payroll cycle may fall between the 11th and 13th depending on the weekend.
Who should be contacted for coaching stipend accuracy?
- If you have questions regarding the sports you are being paid for, you can contact Nicholas Jeffers for verification. If the information they have is accurate according to your sport(s), you can contact Sheila Guillot in Employee Services for clarification.
Who should be contacted for band or choir stipend accuracy?
- If you have questions regarding the band or choir assignments you are being paid for, you can contact Paget Guidry for verification. If the information is accurate there, you can contact Sheila Guillot in Employee Services for clarification.
When should I turn in verified years of experience?
- As a new employee to LPSS, you have 90 days to turn in your prior years of experience verification forms in order for the pay to be backdated to the date of hire. If years of experience are turned in after the 90 day mark, the verified years will be added to your salary going forward.
Who should I contact if I have questions regarding my payroll?
- Questions regarding the accuracy of your salary or contract(s) should be directed to Sheila Guillot.
When are steps accumulated?
- Steps are accumulated in July of each year.
How can I update my tax withholding?
- You can send an updated L4 and/or W4 to Sheila Guillot in Employee Services. These forms can be found under Forms & Applications or in Google.
If I resign on the last working day of the school year, what does that mean for my summer pay?
- You will receive your regular payroll checks through the month of August if you resign on the last day of your associated work calendar.
- You will continue to receive insurance benefits until the end of August.
- If you are not planning on returning to your position the following school year, we encourage you to submit your Voluntary Separation Form as soon as possible. This will help ensure our students have the proper support on the first day of school.
Leaves
When do my sick/personal leave days renew?
- Days will typically renew in July of each year.
- Any unused sick days will roll into accumulated sick leave.
- Any unused personal days will roll into accumulated sick leave.
- 244 day employees are allowed to carry over up to 10 annual leave days per year. These days will remain in the employee’s annual leave bank.
How does bereavement leave work?
- The employee uses days available under their current sick leave, up to a maximum of 10 days. One of those days must be the day of the funeral. Bereavement leave is granted for immediate family. Those family members that are deemed immediate family are: the husband, wife, children, mother, father, mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandchildren, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, sister, brother or a person living and being cared for under the same roof as that of the employee.
How will I be paid for my maternity/paternity leave?
- LPSS allows 6 weeks under a natural delivery and 8 weeks under a c-section for maternity leave. All paid leave (current sick, accumulated sick, personal days, annual leave) must be used prior to being eligible for Extended Medical Leave (EML). An employee on EML shall be paid sixty-five percent (65%) of their salary. Employees are offered up to 30-days of EML within the 6 or 8 week period. The employee must have no remaining paid leave for the utilization of EML.
- Eligible employees that meet FMLA standards (www.dol.gov) are also eligible for up to 12 weeks of un-paid, job-protected leave per year. Employees that are eligible may request additional un-paid time off up to the 12 week maximum. FMLA runs concurrent with maternity leave (it starts on the day of delivery). Holidays are not counted against an employee’s FMLA leave entitlement unless the employee was otherwise scheduled to work on those days.
- Paternity leave – LPSS offers paternity leave to employees. The employee is able to use available paid leave (current sick, accumulated sick, personal days, annual leave) up to a 2-week maximum.
What steps do I take if I need 6 or more consecutive days off?
- You will be required to fill out a Sick Leave Packet located in “Forms and Applications” and have doctor approval.
- The packet needs to be hand delivered to the Employee Services Department.
EARSS
Who do I contact if there are issues logging in to SmartFind Express?
- The EARSS Operator at Central Office, Shelley Laviolette
Who do I contact if my location, classification or schedule is incorrect?
- The EARSS Operator at Central Office, Shelley Laviolette.
Who do I contact if my absence or substitute assignment has been entered into the system incorrectly?
- The EARSS Administrator at your site location.
How do I report an absence for Jury Duty?
- The EARSS Administrator at your site location can submit your absence for you. It is mandatory that you send a copy of the summons and pay slip to Employee Services, Natosha Dartez.
Listed below are all of the resources available to new and continuing substitutes for the Lafayette Parish School System. If you have trouble with any of the links below, please e-mail the EARSS Operator at subsystem@lpssonline.com.
If you need to make changes to your personal, payroll or tax information, click here for the proper forms.
Certification & NCLB addresses out-of-state certifications, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements and more.
2025-2026 PRAXIS Reimbursement Application
2025-2026 Tuition Reimbursement Application
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