Happy New Year!!

From all of us at LTU, wishing you good health, happiness, and success in the coming year

 

January Pay

With the beginning of 2019, you may notice a reduction in your net pay due to the fact some deductions are reactivated with the start of the new calendar year.  Depending on your salary, when you reach the maximum deductible for QPP, EI and QPIP, the amounts taken for these programmes cease, therefore your net pay increases.  In January of every year, as we begin a new taxation year, all deductions are reinstated on your pay until the maximums are reached.  Therefore, you may notice a decrease in the net amount.

 

The new Local Agreement

As of July 1^st, 2018, the new local agreement is in effect. The agreement is available on our website at www.ltu.ca.

 

Pension and Insurance

If you need to communicate with the board regarding Pension or Insurance questions, you will need to communicate with Marianne Girard who is temporarily replacing Laura Gargano. You can contact her by phone at 450-621-5600 extension # 1323 or by email at mgirard@swlauriersb.qc.ca.

 

Personal Bulletins

As per clause 3-3.07 of the Local Agreement, by October 31st, or within 30 days of engagement for all others, the board shall supply each teacher with a Personal Bulletin.  All bulletins were sent out to teachers on October 29^th . You must verify all the information to make sure it is accurate.  In the event there is an error or information needs to be updated, please contact François Badin (fbadin@swlauriersb.qc.ca) in HR to make the necessary correction.  You can do so by email or by phone ASAP.

 

Substitution for an Undetermined Period of Time

If an absence of a teacher is not predetermined to be 40 days, a contract will not be issued. After 20 days of replacing the same person without missing more than 3 scheduled workdays, the substitute teacher is entitled to be paid retroactively back to the first day worked at his/her scale based on schooling and previous experience (you must make sure all official university transcripts and any letters of work experience from previous employers in a related field should be sent to HR as soon as possible). After 40 days of replacing the same person without missing more than 3 scheduled workdays, the substitute will be entitled to a contract retroactive to the first day worked. It is important to remember that the issuing of a contract is based on the official paperwork that the employee sends to HR. The information floating around the schools might not always be accurate so it is best to check with LTU or HR directly about the status of your replacement.

 

Act of God

For an event to be deemed an Act of God it must be “sudden, unforeseeable, inevitable, thus making it impossible for a normal and reasonable person to meet his/her obligation to be at work.” A teacher must support the absence with proper documentation or a written statement (on the absence report or sent separately via email to HR) that explains the reason why it was impossible to report to work due to a sudden and unavoidable event. HR will ultimately determine, according the definition mentioned above, if the reason is valid. Please be aware that the board looks very closely at each absence where the Act of God clause is invoked. The days should be taken in full days, but the half day option can be used for impassable roads, mechanical failure, collision or transit system delays. Each case is looked at individually.

 

Oversize Class Compensation

Twice every year, at the end of January and on the last pay in June, the board pays teachers for the excess students in their classes. Students coded with a 14, 50 or 53 are always weighted even if the teacher or the student receives services in the class. All other codes are only weighted, if the student or teacher does not receive any services (attendant time, assistive technology, etc.).

 

If you have coded students in your class that you feel need services, make sure your administrator is aware and make the request for services to the School Level Special Needs Committee. It is also important to keep track of all services provided to coded students in your class.  This will allow you to verify if you have been properly compensated.

 

Teachers should always request to see the paperwork explaining the oversize payment. On this document, you should be able to see the number of students in the class as well as the number of students including weighted students. You should also be able to see each student that is coded. Should you experience difficulties obtaining this information, please do not hesitate to contact us by email or by phone.

 

Substituting and Emergency Substitution at 1/1000 vs Casual Substitution Rate

If a teacher, full-time or part-time, is asked to substitute during a period that is part of their workload, they will be paid at 1/1000 of their salary.  A teacher who is working on a percentage will be paid at a casual sub rate unless they are asked to do emergency substitution during time that is part of their teaching schedule, in which case they will be paid at 1/1000 of their salary. Emergency substitution should be a last resort.

 

Leaves for Family responsibilities

In accordance with clause 5-14.06 (leaves for family responsibilities) which is part of the Provincial Agreement, a teacher may be absent from work, without salary, for 10 days per year to carry out obligations relating to the care, health or education of his or her child or of his or her spouse’s child or because of the state of health of his or her spouse, father, mother, brother, sister or one of his or her grandparents.

 

The leave may be divided into days.  The days used for absences shall be deducted from the teacher’s annual bank of sick leave days up to a maximum of 6 days.  The leaves can be deducted by the minute the same way deductions are made when using a sick leave.

 

Teachers are responsible for verifying the number of minutes that are indicated on the absence form.  If the number of minutes indicated is inaccurate, you have the right to change it before signing and submitting your form.  We strongly suggest you make a copy of your absence reports and keep a record of them.

 

Religious leaves

The new religious leaves clause from our new local agreement is now in effect. Teachers who requested a leave for the teacher’s professed religion had to make the request by completing the religious holiday request form and return it to the school principal prior to August 31^st, 2018. The approved days will remain on file and teachers will no longer need to make the request on a yearly basis, and this will be in effect for the duration of the present local agreement.

 

Teachers coming back to work or teachers who obtain a contract during the school year must, as soon as possible, complete the religious request form and return it to the school principal.

 

The all new LTU Website

If you have not already done so, please visit our new website at www.ltu.ca.