FAQ for UFT members employed in  the DOE’s Division of Early Childhood Education

The following Q&A answers some of UFT members’ most frequently-asked questions about the city DOE's COVID-related policies covering health, safety, remote learning and absences for the 2022-23 school year.

If you want a new opportunity, wish to work closer to home or have been placed in excess, the Open Market Transfer Plan gives you the chance to apply for a position at another school. You can view vacancies citywide and apply during the open market transfer period, from April 13 to Aug. 11. This Q&A addresses the most commonly asked questions about the transfer process.

Excessing is the process of reducing staff in a particular school or office when the number of available positions in a title or license area in that school is lower than the number of people in the school who require an assignment in that title or license area.

The UFT’s fight with the DOE over compensation for members who worked over the 2020 spring break ended in January when an independent arbitrator ruled that UFT members will receive one vacation day for each day they worked during what should have been paid time off.

Temporary changes to the federal Public Student Loan Forgiveness program, prompted in part by the settlement of a lawsuit filed by the American Federation of Teachers and years of lobbying by the AFT and the UFT, may allow UFT members to qualify for federal student loan debt relief through October 2022 even though they may not have been previously eligible.