Bulletin Vol. 23, No 1 October 2019
Workloads
Your assigned workload consists of your minutes for teaching, remediation, supervision, homeroom and support (box 1 of the workload summary sheet). Every year, workloads must be signed in the schools by October 15th. As of October 15th, your workload cannot be modified without your consent. If administrators wish to modify any assigned minutes, they must receive your permission first before making any changes.
Partial leaves of absence
If you are working at a reduced workload, you must take into consideration that a full school year for a teacher working at a 100% is composed of 180 teaching days and 20 pedagogical days for a total of 200 workdays. If you are working at an 80% workload, you will have to work a total of 160 days including ped. days.
It is important that you take the time to calculate the number of teaching days to identify how many ped. days you will have to work. Once you have determined how many ped. days you must work in accordance with clause 8-12.09, you need to discuss with your principal which of those ped. days you will attend according to clause 8-12.10 of the Local Collective Agreement. You should have this in writing either in a letter signed by the principal or in an email. Make sure to keep a copy of the letter or email.
While on leave, to have a year of experience recognized, you will have to work a minimum of 155 days. When a secondary-level teacher obtains a partial leave without salary which entails being released from one group of students only and that this leave alone does not allow him or her to accumulate the required 155 days, the board shall also recognize a year of experience for him or her, e.g. if you are a Math teacher and teach 4 groups for a total of 24 periods, you would have to take a 25% leave of absence. If you have a 75% workload, you will accumulate 150 days.
Schedule for Absence Deduction
What is the difference between your workload and the schedule for absence deduction purposes? The workload is as explained in the preceding paragraph. The schedule for absence deduction purposes includes other assigned duties (box 2 of the workload summary sheet) and your personal work (box 3 of the workload summary sheet). There is no deadline in the collective agreement for this to be completed, however, it is in your best interests to submit it right away at the beginning of the school year to avoid being deducted a full day (384 minutes) for every absence. If changes occur, revise and resubmit each time. Please note that with the new Local Agreement which took effect July 1st, there is a change with regards to the compensation for participation on the SLSNC. This document is used to prepare your absence report at the school which is sent to HR. Failure to submit it will result in losing more pay than necessary.
Deductions for Sick days or 5-14.06 vs Special Leaves
Sick days and absences due to leaves for family responsibilities (5-14.06) will be deducted from your current year sick day bank to a maximum of 6 days covered by salary provided you have days left in your sick day bank. The rest of the days to a maximum of 10 days can be taken at your own cost. These leaves can be deducted by the minute. As per the new Provincial Agreement, all unused sick days will be paid at the end of the school year. Deductions for special leaves (social days) will be deducted by the day as indicated in the local agreement (5-14.02). It is possible to take certain days (5-14.02 (e) and (m)) in half days. It is to be noted that, for the past 2 years, all personal medical appointments are deducted from your bank of sick days and not from your social leaves bank.
Substituting and Emergency Substitution at 1/1000 vs Casual Substitution Rate
With the shortage of teachers, full-time and part-time teachers are asked to do emergency substitution on a regular basis. Please not there is a process that exists as per our local agreement with regards to substitution as per clause 8-8.05.0.
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 last resort.
Pre-identified pedagogical days for ECA compensation
At Teacher Council, remind the school principal to identify at least four (4) pedagogical days during which teachers will be able to use the ECA deferred compensation day(s) in addition to the four (4) pedagogical days at the end of the school year according to clause 8-12.12.06 b) and 4-2.06 (25) of the Local Collective Agreement. Make sure to put this item of discussion on your Teacher Council agenda as soon as possible.
CNESST
If you have made a CSST claim for a work accident, we encourage you to give us a call at the office to let us know. CSST can become quite complicated and we might be able to foresee an issue or give you additional information.
A quick phone call or email to LTU could help to avoid any surprises down the road.
