You may reduce your probation by one to two years if you meet the criteria for these scenarios:

Jarema credit: If you worked as a regular substitute under the same license and at the same school level, you can reduce your probationary period by up to two years.

Traveling tenure: If you received tenure in one license area and elected to take an appointment in a new license area, or if you were tenured in another school in New York State, you may be eligible to reduce your tenure by a year.

Records of this work and credits for service should be applied automatically, but it’s in your best interest to double check to make sure you received them.

In addition, if you were appointed and have already received tenure, but later teach under either an ENL, bilingual extension or special education certification, your probationary period will be reduced to one year. Read more »

See the Know Your Rights section of the UFT website for more information about achieving tenure. 

Every year, members on leaves of one term or one year must notify the DOE of their intent for the upcoming school year on or about May 15. You will receive an email from the DOE with a request to submit your intent with that year's specific deadline. 

If you received an email notification requiring that you submit an intention, you must log in to SOLAS and submit your intention to either:

• Return to work
• Extend your current leave
• Apply for a new leave type
• Resign
• Retire

Please note that all communication will be sent to your DOE email address. If you do not notify the DOE about your plans to return or apply for a leave extension by the deadline, you will be deemed voluntarily resigned from your position.

Members whose leaves are less than one term are not required to submit their intent. The following leave types are also not required to submit an intent: 

• Workers' Compensation
• Sabbaticals
• Line of Duty
• Union
• Military

If you have checked your DOE email and did not receive an email from SOLAS, you are not currently required to participate. For further questions, please reach out to your payroll secretary. 

If you plan to: 

Return to service:

• Notify your principal or supervisor of your impending return.

Request an extension of your leave or request a new leave of absence:

• You must submit a leave application online using SOLAS.
• You must submit all supporting documentation within 21 days of the date of application. All leave-of-absence applications are subject to review for eligibility and completeness. HR Connect – Medical, Leaves & Records Administration will review your application and will send a determination to your DOE email address.

Resign from service:

• Contact the UFT to discuss the implications of resigning.
• You should notify your principal or supervisor in writing of your intent to resign from your position at the DOE 30 days prior to your resignation date. ·
• Your letter of resignation should include your name, file/EIS number, title, effective date of resignation and your signature.
• Contact your payroll secretary for information on any final entitlements.

Retire:

• Contact the UFT for a pension consultation.
• Contact your retirement system to confirm your retirement date.
• Information on the retirement process can be found on the HR Connect Portal. Once you have logged in with your DOE/Outlook user ID and password, search for “retirement.”
• We recommend you notify your principal or supervisor in writing of your intent to retire from your position at the DOE.
• Contact your payroll secretary for information on any final entitlements.

You may change your intent before the final deadline. After that, you must submit a request for an exception and provide evidence of a material change or extenuating circumstance. You must make this request as soon as possible.  

No, you’ll receive a lump-sum payment equivalent to your regular compensation from the UFT Welfare Fund at the end of your six-week UFT parental leave instead.

No, the program only applies to privately-employed New Yorkers and not public employees.

Yes, you can. If two or more program participants wish to pool all or any portion of their Teacher's Choice funds to purchase an item for a shared class or assignment, each must complete their own Teacher’s Choice accountability form. All participants should indicate one another’s names on their respective form and include the dollar amount contributed by each person toward the joint purchase. One participant will attach the original receipt(s) or invoice(s) to their completed form and the other(s) will attach photocopies of those receipts or invoices.

Items purchased with Teacher’s Choice funds are the property of the DOE. These purchases must remain at your school for use in your classroom or office assignment; they cannot be taken to a different location if you transfer to a different school. However, software and supplies for personal or DOE-assigned computers may be used at home. Staff members who provide services at more than one location may bring purchased items to any site where they deliver services to students.

If you do not wish to participate in Teacher’s Choice, you should submit a Request for Non-participation (opt-out) form to your school by the deadline indicated for that particular school year. 

If you receive Teacher’s Choice funds in your paycheck and do not submit an accountability form with receipts by the January deadline, the DOE will take back the money from a future paycheck.

Members receive their Teacher’s Choice allotment as part of their regular paycheck, not as a supplemental check, usually in mid-to-late November each year. Since Teacher’s Choice is treated as a post-net payroll adjustment, the funds are nontaxable.

Teacher’s Choice will not reimburse purchases of furniture, fees for trips or performances, gifts for students, computer accessories for home use, power tools, appliances or equipment that requires special wiring or installation, among others.

Also see what types of purchases are allowed »