The Smithville Independent School District will ask for legal help to combat what Superintendent Rock McNulty says are unwarranted unemployment claims against the district.

The SISD board of trustees approved entering into an agreement with Texas Association of School Boards Risk Management Fund at their regular meeting on Monday, Dec. 14.

According to McNulty, substitutes in the school district have started filing unemployment claims when they could not find a class to sub for.

“I don’t perceive it as a big problem right now, but we chose to enter into this agreement because it has the potential to be,” McNulty said. “People are getting smarter and figuring out ways to slip through the cracks. We need someone that knows law to help us fight these claims.”

Under the agreement, TASB will provide legal assistance to SISD in response to unemployment claims made to the Texas Workforce Commission.

McNulty said TASB will provide legal assistance to SISD, represent SISD at all levels of the TWC, assist in preparation or required TWC reports and represent SISD at TWC hearings.

Rick Boehm, director of business and finance for SISD, said that even though the number of substitutes filing for unemployment is not overwhelming, the school district’s goal is to reduce the number of claims, along with the amount of money paid in response to the claims.

“This year so far, the district has spent about $1,000 in unemployment,” Boehm said. “The TWC bills us on claims by orde, and the amount paid to the employee is based on the wages the employee made.”

According to Boehm, SISD will start receiving legal assistance on Jan. 1, 2010, and it will last until Sept. 30, 2010. For these nine months, he said the school district will pay TASB a total of $750.

Boehm said the agreement will then be renewed on Oct. 1, 2010, and it will last a whole year until Sept. 30, 2011, costing $1,000.

“Employees who are filing unwarranted claims are receiving money that could go to the education of our students,” McNulty said. “Hopefully, TASB will help us in transferring this money into the right hands.”