Part V
The job of an educationally related mental health services therapist (EMRHS) lies in the special compensation category in line with the duties. It is worth noting that an EMRHS might be required to offer additional services to students when necessary, hence requiring additional special packages necessary for the special compensation group. The work deals with issues beyond the normally required from all other employees, hence making it important for the employees to receive additional compensation packages.
Special group compensation differs from traditional compensation in different ways. Special compensation differs from traditional one because the employees do not only receive the base pay, but also other significant add-on packages not received by other employees. It should be stated that employees under traditional compensation system would be entitled to the basic pay offered by the organization without necessarily being entitled to other special packages. In such case, the EMRHSs would have better possibilities to receive additional benefits apart from the base pay.
More so, special compensation differs from traditional compensation in a way that it is usually given to employees who tend to be strategically important to the organization. There are instances when organizations only have one particular employee in a given area to offer particular services to clients. For example, an EMRHS may be considered as a strategic employee to schools due to the numerous services they offer, such as consultation services, conducting psychoeducational multi-disciplinary evaluations and the provision of counselling services to both students and parents. Other additional services of strategic value that put the job in a special compensation category include the provision of intensive clinical interventions and assessments for students with mental problems in the capacity of the school psychologist.
Three sites that were visited to determine the pay levels of the EMRHSs include indeed.com, inlandempire.jobing.com and the management salary schedule from the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District.
Data from the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District offers the base monthly and annual pay for an EMRHS Psychologists based on their working experience. For instance, the average monthly base pay for an EMRHS with 13 years experience has been set at $9,221, while the annual wage is $ 101,431 for a person in category D. A person with 25 years experience has a monthly base pay set at $10,143 and an annual base pay is set at $ 106,612 for a similar person in category D. A person with 15 years experience has been averaged at a base pay of $ 9,123 and an annual base pay of $ 100,353 for a person in category A. It is a clear indication of the view that the base pay varies among EMRHS Psychologists depending on their level of experience and years of working within the organization. The inlandempire.jobing.com also offers average monthly base pay for an EMRHS as $ 8,019 and the annual base pay at $96,228. The average annual base pay given by indeed.com is $ 55,000. However, it is for the starting EMRHS Psychologists working in different schools, for example in California. The site offers geographical comparisons especially with other areas, such as Perris, California. The nature of the school would also influence the manner in which the individual is compensated.
The sites are similar in the sense that they all offer increments in the annual pay for EMRHS Psychologists based on their experience. The trend of increment in the monthly base pay by an estimated $500 on employees is based on their years of working. However, there is a general agreement at all the sites that the base pay offered to an EMRHS would depend on the nature of the school they work at. The job contract agreement between the school and the EMRHS Psychologist determines the rate of payments they receive within every year of their work. However, in terms of current project, the monthly base pay would be set at California’s average wages, which is $ 8,000 per month. It results from the significance of the position held by the individual and the responsibilities they serve within different institutions. They need higher base pay averages for motivational purposes. It is justified by the understanding that employees work better and remain committed to the organization due to the assurance of future benefits. It would be extremely difficult for the EMRHS Psychologist to deliver desirable services to both students and families without motivational pay.
However, the information from the sites differs in terms of the average base pay given to EMRHS Psychologist in California. For instance, indeed.com gives a lower figure of $55,000 for every category, while Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District offers a high average of $96,000 for similar employees. The reason for such difference is not clearly explicated by any of given sites, but it might depend on the level of experience of the individual. Therefore, the contrast in such sites indicates that EMRHSs will not necessarily receive the same level of salaries.
The base pay for an EMRHS should be set at least $150,000 per annum considering the vast duties and responsibilities they are required to offer to the respective institutions they serve. Such kind of annual basic pay alongside with other employment benefits would be crucial in ensuring that they meet their needs in the best possible way, while still working at the institution. They also act as incentive payments that play a vital role in increasing their commitment to the job and the provision of satisfactory services to both students and families. The high salary recommended for an EMRHS is justified by the fact that he/she serves in most urban centers in terms of geography and would need such salaries to sustain his/her life there. For instance, such high base pays would be relevant for San Diego because they would give the employees the opportunity to meet their personal needs in the best possible way. It also serves as motivational and career boosting factors for the employees.
Several legal and voluntary benefits relate to pay for the EMHRS position in organizations. Organizations are legally required to allow employees with serious medical conditions to take a paid leave. They can also take the leave in cases where they need to take urgent care of their ailing family members. The law requires organizations to reinstate and continue with the benefits in line after a leaving relating to FMLA. Therefore, the Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) for such position is allowed especially when the employee is able to prove that he/she has a serious medical condition or is going to take care of a family member.
The law also offers direction on unemployment and retirements packages. In instances where the employee leaves employment at the organization, the law requires for the payment of diverse benefits in terms of unemployment packages, including payment for unused vacation or leave, medical and life insurance and any additional payments based on the months of service at the organization. The company might also voluntarily offer the employee additional packages as an appreciation for the services delivered while working there. Legal retirement benefits that such employees are entitled to, in cases of leaving the organization, include retirement benefits, a payment in lieu of a required notice period, additional payments based on the months of service delivery at the organization and payment for unused vacation or sick leave. Voluntary benefits in line with unemployment benefits might include stock options in the organization. The legal benefit for retiring employees is the employer-sponsored life insurance plan, while voluntary benefits include those offered by the employer in appreciation of the services offered by the employee over the years. Some of the costs that might be incurred by the organization, especially if it fails to comply with the legal benefits, include litigation costs and damages to retiring or resigning employees. The perfect pay package that the organization could adopt to attract and retain employees for a corresponding position include financial planning assistance, health club memberships, long-term care security and retirement security. The information from the market indicates that many employees are attracted to organizations that offer them an assurance for retirement in terms of benefits that would help sustain them for the rest of their lives after retirement.
Part VI
In conclusion, the position of an educationally-related mental health services (ERMHS) is an attractive one due to its availability in every school district. The professionals offer assistance to children with psychological problems, hence ensuring they work well towards the attainment of their goals like normal children in the school setting. They also play the instrumental role in offering support to children and their respective families. The recruitment strategy for the position entails a keen identification of the job requirements, such as qualifications, skills, traits and abilities that would ensure effective delivery of services to students. The selection plan embraced related to the position entails the use of Work Sample and Emotional Intelligence Tests to determine the ability of candidates to work in complex school environments with students from different backgrounds. Training is also crucial to facilitate the adherence of such professionals to ethical standards in the course of dealing with both parents and their children. Effective employment benefits, starting from the beginning of work till retirement, should be readily offered to employees holding corresponding positions to ensure they remain motivated and committed to their duties and responsibilities.