Difficulties with Time/Work Tracking / Auxiliary Staff

ALLOWANCE PAYMENT - DIFFICULTIES WITH TIME and WORK TRACKING 

As we paid full salaries on April 11th and as we are struggling with crediting folks for time worked in March, we need to reflect the debits in the April disbursement - this cannot be done on March 31. RZ needs a week to get the accounts in order. 

As I understand many places don’t pay on the same day - so I am suggesting that we pay by the 7th of the month. Any thoughts. 

We should inform staff early and if anyone wants exceptions we can consider this time. 

WEEKLY AND DAILY PLANS 

Weekly plans -  Not provided - RZ, CG

Attendance Provided - Weekly plans not clear - DV, TH, 

Weekly plans not provided - NP, MR do  not have tasks in their plans - shall let that be. 

STAFF 

We cannot give staff "Make Work” to cover the time - both MR and NP have a need for physical presence - unless they can improve connectivity and outputs. Tried them with tasks but MR did not send outputs - so also the case with NP on one tasks. NP needed for legal work immediately. 

I have talked to MR, RZ shall follow up today. 

I shall talk to  NP. 

Talked to AA over the weekend at length - she has a thesis submission due on May 11 but is trying to avoid this route - I gave some ideas on how to complete a thesis based on her work - not sure she does that - told her that I am willing to be the external supervisor - if so tries to submit she should suspend all work here. 

She has also has got the govt appointment and given a letter accepting it - although she is not keen on it. She may not like it but I would not bet against her accepting the appointment. Anyway, for that she should get another govt job that she has applied for. 

I eased it to her that given our Masters rule, we shall have to end her appointment this month. I had reminded her of this multiple times including at recruitment. She says that she is learning a lot with us.  

Apart from the rule, we need to stretch out our budgets given that we have one grant and give priority to the core staff in the back end. 

If she wants to work voluntarily she can continue or is willing to do an assignment for me personally (Climate Atlas).  Champika Jayatillake may be more competent with the Climate Atlas. Talked to PW - on this - he supports. CJ worked with us briefly sometime back. 

Also trying to get PW daughter Rashmi’s help with the KMV. 

Talked to SS - we agreed on the work - and rather weakly asked for some financial support - seems she has not got her salary from the University yet. We need to encourage her work. 

Also talked to CC - seems to be on track. 

Talked to Hasmiya as per last mail - regards support for RB AQI on HP proposal. We are doing a zoom call at 7 pm with PE and RB and her. AN may attend and FS can do follow up later. 

AUXILIARY STAFF 

PT has given us value as he got survey plans for free - and has outputs that shall benefit 

Work in Dengue, PO and Hydrology. Shall discuss a payment for him - had told him we shall pay for 1.5 days. 

Going forward We shall pay an allowance based on hours worked to SS as well while on Univ shutout - so as to cover her costs and so that there is no bottlenecks in the paper outputs.