School board approves overtime settlement

By By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
April 16, 2002
The Meridian School Board approved a $60,000 settlement of overtime compensation for non-certified employees during its regular monthly meeting Monday.
The settlement was reached for 13 of 76 plaintiffs who claimed they are owed overtime pay by the district. The board's attorney, John Compton, said the claims by the plaintiffs ranged from less than $5 to more than $2,000.
He said he would be writing a letter today to attorneys representing the plaintiffs, letting them know the board approved the settlement. It will then be up to the plaintiffs to accept or reject it.
U.S. Magistrate John Roper set the settlement figure after school officials met with him in conference last month in Biloxi. Roper will set hearings for the remaining plaintiffs' cases.
Compton anticipates that they will be dismissed.
The Lauderdale County School Board will be presented with a settlement figure Thursday when it meets at 5 p.m. for its regular monthly meeting in the courthouse annex.
About 30 former employees of the county school district have filed suit for overtime compensation.