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El Segundo teacher urges board to fix payroll portal, seek on-site benefits help
Summary
An El Segundo Middle School teacher told the board the district
Al Luna, an eighth-grade U.S. history teacher at El Segundo Middle School, told the El Segundo Unified School District Board of Education on Dec. 9 that a recent switch to a paperless payroll system and a new online benefits portal has created confusion, missed premium payments and anxiety for staff.
"Many of our teachers are finding the system difficult to log into, and we receive little to no hands on training to learn about it," Luna said during public comment. He described receiving a cancellation notice from Texas Life, administered by American Fidelity, for missing premium payments that are deducted through payroll and called the notice "deeply unsettling" for his family's financial security.
Luna urged the board to prioritize three actions: step-by-step, in-person training and help sessions for the Best Portal website; a simple documented protocol for reporting and resolving pay and deduction errors with guaranteed timelines; and confirmation that benefits representatives will be available on campus during open enrollment windows so staff can enroll or renew in person.
Why it matters: Payroll accuracy and accessible benefits enrollment affect staff financial security and classroom stability. Luna said the problem has caused anxiety among teachers and that on-site assistance from benefits vendors can make a meaningful difference for employees who are balancing heavy workloads.
What the board heard: Luna described concrete consequences tied to the portal rollout (a benefits cancellation notice) and asked for a combination of technical training and process changes so staff can verify pay accuracy and restore missing coverage quickly. He said employees need a reliable pathway to report problems and receive timely resolution.
Board response and next steps: The board did not make a formal motion or direct immediate districtwide action during the comment period. Officials thanked him for speaking and indicated willingness to work with staff and vendors; district staff have not yet announced a specific timeline for additional in-person enrollment support.
Ending: The board continued with its agenda after public comment, taking up recognition items and budget and curriculum presentations later in the meeting.
