No. As long as you hold the minimum degree (usually a bachelor's degree, with a minimum 2.5 GPA) required for a certificate, you may submit an application at any time. In order to receive a written evaluation of your status for a certificate you must...

Yes, you must hold a New York State certificate to teach in the state's public schools. Reciprocity under the Interstate Agreement of Qualification of Educational Personnel is limited to coursework requirements only. You must complete any examination...

You may be interested in an alternative teacher certification program specifically designed for career changers. While you must meet all coursework and other requirements, these programs offer a time-shortened, intensive preparation program operated...

Simply fill out the online form at www.uft.org/text or type the word " UFT" to number 86366. The UFT uses text messages to convey important information and reminders to members. Please note that this is a one-way form of communication and we are...

Learn to identify the signs of bed bugs (visit the Health Department’s website or call 311 for additional information). Frequently inspect your rooms; if you see signs of bed bugs, report them immediately. If you capture a suspected specimen, submit...

Parents of students in the entire building must be notified if there is an infestation, according to state law. An infestation is identified by bed bug reproduction in a given area. A single confirmed bed bug does not constitute an infestation. A DOE...

The DOE Pest Management professional will inspect and, if necessary, treat the room in which the specimen was captured. In most cases, a thorough inspection and vacuuming of the room with a HEPA vacuum by the Pest Management Unit professional is the...

No. Bed bugs are not known to cause or transmit disease and the risk of person-to-person transference in school is very low. No child should be isolated or removed from a classroom setting. It is important to remember that bed bugs can resemble other...

No. If it is a bed bug, it is likely that it was unknowingly brought it into the school by someone who encountered it in another place. If you have captured it, you may have already eliminated the problem. Additionally, many suspected bed bugs are...

You must work one day past your probation completion date. If you finish your fourth year at the end of June, you must return for at least part of the following year to receive tenure. Your probation is not complete until the first day of school the...

For a retroactively enrolled dependent, whether spouse, domestic partner or child, the effective date of eligibility is the beginning of the calendar year in which the dependent is added to the Welfare Fund.

Contact the coordinator of the Si Beagle Learning Center where you would like to teach and make an appointment to discuss your idea. Bring your resume and a course outline. You can also mail a copy of your resume and course outline to: UFTWF Retiree...

Retiree Social Services are available to retiree members and their families by calling 212-598-6880.

There are coordinators in all five boroughs as well as in Westchester/Rockland/Putnam, Suffolk and Nassau Counties, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, the greater Washington, DC area, New Jersey, Nevada, North Carolina, Puerto Rico and Israel. To...

All UFT and Welfare Fund retiree members, as well as their spouses or domestic partners on file with the Welfare Fund, are entitled to participate in the program.

You can call Retiree Programs at 212-598-6879, check out the Retiree Programs section of the UFT website (http://www.uft.org/chapters/retirees/programs), the Guide to Retiree Programs on our website ( http://www.uft.org/health-benefits/retiree...

Your pension is governed by state law and protected by the State Constitution. Whenever the State Legislature made substantial changes in public employee pensions, it passed a new law creating a new plan for people hired after the law’s effective...

Yes, but the required age differs depending on when you joined the retirement system and what pension tier you are in. To find out the minimum age you must reach before collecting full or reduced pension benefits, you can speak to a pension...

The state laws governing the public employee pensions have changed over time. Usually the changes do not apply to people who have already joined the retirement system — in other words, the new pension plan applies only to future members. So the rules...

In addition to the defined benefit Qualified Pension Plan, the Teachers’ Retirement System and the Board of Education Retirement System offer a voluntary program, the Tax-Deferred Annuity (TDA) that allows you to save additional money for your...

In some cases, Tiers III, IV and VI members can purchase service credit for certain employment they had before joining TRS. For your service to be eligible, the work had to have been rendered while you were in public employment in New York City or...

It is very important to choose a beneficiary or beneficiaries so you can be sure that if you die while you are still working for the New York City public schools the person(s) you choose receives your death benefit, instead of leaving it up to the...

Being in the retirement system gives you the security of knowing that if you complete the minimum requirements you will receive a monthly pension allowance for the rest of your life after you retire. If you also enroll in the Tax-Deferred Annuity...

First, your contributions are deducted from your paycheck before taxes are taken out; as a result, your current taxes are lower. (For New York residents, this includes federal, state and local taxes. Please check with your accountant about state...

Tier I — those who joined TRS before July 1, 1973. Tier II — those who joined TRS after June 30, 1973 and before July 27, 1976 Tier III — those who joined TRS after July 26, 1976 and before September 1, 1983 All Tier III members may retire under Tier...

Your pension is based on a complex formula that includes such factors as your date of appointment, your years of service, your age at retirement and your final average salary. You are entitled to an individual preliminary pension consultation any...

If you resign and want to withdraw your pension funds, including the interest earned, you may be able to do so, depending on how long you worked and contributed. However, there may be several other choices available to you. You may be able to...

If you have a username and password on the TRS website at www.trsnyc.org, you can enroll in the TDA Program online at any time. When you enroll in the TDA Program, you should also designate a TDA beneficiary, which is available on the TRS website. If...

You may be eligible for a TDA loan if you have participated in the TDA Program for at least one year; you are an in-service member, or you are on a leave of absence, or you have TDA Deferral status; you are not in default on an existing TDA loan. You...

You may be eligible for a loan from your pension fund account (Qualified Pension Plan or QPP) if: you are either an in-service member or on a leave of absence, you are not in default on an existing pension loan. as a Tier I or II member, you have at...

The TRS Passport Funds provide six investment offerings: The Fixed Return Fund offers a guaranteed rate of return set by the New York State Legislature. The current 7 percent annual rate is guaranteed in accordance with applicable laws. The...

No. Your contributions automatically continue into the next year. However, you may change your contribution rate on the Teachers' Retirement System website at www.trsnyc.org or by filing a hardcopy TDA Contribution Rate Change Form. BERS members may...

The cost of purchasing service is based on your tier in the pension system. You may be eligible to pay in a lump sum, through payroll deductions, or through a TDA transfer. TRS will give you a Cost Letter, which explains the options, the amount of...

There is no limit on the number of years of prior service credit you can purchase. However, you can't receive more than one year of credit for any given school year, and there may be minimum service requirements in a given year. You must complete at...

New members receive a “Designation of QPP (Qualified Pension Plan) Beneficiary Form” with their TDA enrollment application and should file both forms together. Participants in the Tax Deferred Annuity Program should designate a beneficiary for their...

That depends on when you joined the retirement system. Your contribution rate is indicated on your Quarterly Account Statement from TRS or you can call a pension consultant at your UFT borough office. In any case, you will pay a percentage of your...