The unavailability of a teacher to cover a class (i.e., a substitute teacher) constitutes an emergency.

No. A principal cannot mandate meetings or administrative duties during your prep period. If you’re directed to do things like these on your prep, you should follow the directive to avoid being insubordinate. Then, you should speak to the Chapter Leader about being paid the coverage rate for your lost prep. You can also file a grievance for the inappropriate assignment and request coverage pay. You can also request that this issue be raised at your chapter’s Consultation Committee meeting.

To become a full-time paraprofessional for the New York City Department of Education (DOE), you must first become a substitute paraprofessional, and serve at least 25 days in that role. You must also have the New York State Teaching Assistant certificate (https://www.schools.nyc.gov/careers/other-jobs-in-schools/paraprofessionals-and-substitute-paraprofessionals).

Paraprofessionals shall be retained in their school or work site in accordance with their seniority. If excessing occurs because of lack of work, the least senior employee will be excessed from the school or site. Unless a principal denies the placement, an excessed paraprofessional will be placed by the Board into a vacancy within his/her district.; or if such a vacancy is not available, then in a vacancy within the same borough, and if such a vacancy is not available then in a vacancy citywide. Paraprofessionals identified as being at risk of being excessed at the commencement of the following school year will be informed of this no later than June 15, or as soon as is practicable if identified as being at risk of excess after June 15. The deadlines for excessing will continue to be governed by applicable law.

A paraprofessional who has been excessed to another school may request an opportunity to return to the school from which he/she was excessed if within a year a vacancy should occur in that school. Such a request will have priority over any other transfer or appointment to that vacancy, and it shall be effectuated at the next reorganization of the school to which the paraprofessional is returning, except that should the vacancy occur within ten school days after the paraprofessional is excessed, he/she shall be informed of the vacancy and he/she may return to the school immediately.

In accordance with recent amendments to NYSED regulations, IEP teams must make certain considerations before determining that a student requires an IEP-assigned paraprofessional, and the student’s IEP must reflect those considerations in the relevant sections. For a student recommended for an IEP-assigned paraprofessional, the Management Needs section of the IEP must make clear the circumstances during the school day, including related services and non-academic settings such as lunch and transitions, for which the student requires the support of the paraprofessional.

Please remember that if an individual student's IEP requires paraprofessional support including during lunch, the principal or designee must schedule paraprofessional coverage to ensure that the student is appropriately served at all times and that the paraprofessional has a duty free lunch period. Paraprofessionals must not be used for lunch duty.

The answer is NO! If the school wants you to accompany a teacher and a class on a school trip, then the school is responsible for your transportation, admission fees and expenses to be incurred as a result of the excursion. Furthermore, in accordance to the Paraprofessional contract Article 4-B, paraprofessionals are entitled to a duty free lunch period every day even if you're on a school trip. If you don’t take time away from the children to eat your lunch, then you are entitled to take the time upon arriving back at the school. If you arrive back to the school too late to take the time, then you should see your school’s UFT Chapter Leader, who should meet with your supervisor or principal to arrange compensatory time or per session pay.

Educational paraprofessionals who work in activities other than their regular assignments are paid a per session rate for the hours worked. Per session is a positive payment that is issued along with regular payments. Because per session is a positive payment, activities processed to payroll, lag one (1) payroll period. To determine your per session rate, divide your annual salary by 1,375. 

Paraprofessionals who have been arrested will no longer be automatically suspended without pay, under the DOE’s updated policy, to resolve the UFT’s union-initiated grievance that challenged the unfairness of automatic suspensions. 

Paraprofessionals will now have a new review procedure to determine if a suspension without pay is warranted. They will also have a new process to speed up the time it takes to receive back pay and sick days when a suspended paraprofessional is exonerated. Through this arbitration, paraprofessionals gained rights both upon arrest and once the charges are adjudicated. Paraprofessionals who are arrested will now have that arrest reviewed to determine if the nature of the arrest warrants suspension.

If You Are Arrested:

• Notify your supervisor and OPI in writing: email the principal and OPI (OPIARRESTNOTIFICATION@SCHOOLS.NYC.GOV) and attach a copy of the criminal court complaint or fax (718-935-4366) if necessary but the paraprofessional should have a receipt
• Report to school unless told otherwise by the Board in writing
• Notify your UFT Chapter Leader and/or District Representative

Paraprofessionals can apply for a leave of absence using SOLAS (Self-Service Online Leave Application System). It is an online system where employees may easily apply for a leave of absence from their computers or smartphones. Eligible leaves include: Personal Illness, Pregnancy Related Disability, Illness in Immediate Family, Maternity/Childcare, Teaching, Study, School Secretary, School Secretary Assistant, Workers’ Compensation and Military Duty. There is also a leave for Student Teaching which is applied for under a different system than SOLAS. Paraprofessionals are also entitled to Paid Parental Leave.

Paraprofessionals can also take a leave if they are pursing teaching credentials in order to fulfill student teaching requirements. Learn more »

Paraprofessionals who meet the requirements indicated below are eligible for release time for non-classroom study or travel from work to their college/university. The NYCDOE will grant release time each college semester (fall, spring and the 1st summer session only, not later than June 30th) to eligible paraprofessionals who are attending or taking online coursework at an accredited college or university. Release time during the summer session one may be taken but must be completed by June 30th. Release time will not be granted during the months of July and August. This release time cannot be used to attend classes during the scheduled work day unless agreed upon by the school principal or the principal’s designee. However, we do encourage paraprofessionals to take courses during the late afternoon, evenings and/or weekends to avoid conflict with their work schedules. Paraprofessionals may not take classes during their regularly scheduled school day. Release time shall also be granted to paraprofessionals who do not participate in the Career Training Program. Release time does not apply to substitute paraprofessionals. During the fall, spring and summer semesters, the Department of Education will grant 2 ½ hours of release time, per week with pay for study and/or travel to an accredited college. The paraprofessional must complete a total of at least five semester hours/credits during that same semester of undergraduate study to be eligible for release time.