While students from the now-shuttered Art Institute of California—San Diego are looking to transfer credits, staff are wondering when their last paycheck is coming.
A letter from court-appointed receiver Mark Dottore to employees this week said in part: "Given the financial circumstances at present in the receivership, those funds have not yet been secured and your pay is delayed."
When the Art Institute closed two weeks ago due to outstanding financial obligations, staff were told their positions were eliminated and a final paycheck would be coming soon.
"It said specifically in the email that our last paycheck would be March 15," said former Art Institute of California—San Diego instructor Mary Broding.
The money still has not come.
"I’m not confident that I’m going to get anything unless it’s through legal measures taken against the company," Broding said.
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Broding, who taught English and art history part-time, said she has bills to pay but should be able to get by.
"It’s a bit of a set back for me but it’s not something that I can’t recover from in the near future — but there are other people who are working nowhere else, who were teaching nowhere else, who were just high and dry without a last paycheck," Broding said.
That includes people like former Art Institute of California—San Diego Librarian Robert Craddick.
"We got one letter that said we would get paid and got another that said the receiver is working on it—and that’s just not good enough for people with bills," Craddick said.
He said he worked at the art institute for 13 years and it was a great place to work but just wants to be fairly compensated.
"Everyone wants their pay and they deserve their pay," Craddick said.
Craddick said he has applied for a few other librarian positions but has yet to hear back. He has also reached out to a lawyer to see what his options are.
The letter from a court-appointed receiver Dottore to former employees also said, "we recognized the importance of receiving your pay in a timely manner and are doing everything we can to expedite payment to you for the funds you are owed."
KPBS reached out to representatives from the Art Institute for comment on payment status but have yet to hear back.
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