The school consultation committee is a contractual right that gives school chapters voice and empowers them to address and resolve school issues. The principal is required to meet with your UFT chapter committee once a month at a mutually agreeable...

The Department of Education and its employees are prohibited from discriminating against you on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, age handicapping condition or membership in, participation...

Before the end of June and by the opening of school in September, your chapter committee should meet with your principal to discuss and have input into the school’s budget. This contractual provision also requires the principal to share school...

School Leadership Teams must be established in each school. There are three mandatory members: the principal, the Parents Association president and the UFT chapter leader or their designee. The committee should have at least 10 members but no more...

The city whistleblower law prohibits any “adverse personnel action” (dismissal, suspension, discipline, “U” rating, denial of assignment without justification) against you in retaliation for you making a report about the conduct of a DOE officer or...

The operational issues resolution process in the DOE-UFT contract gives UFT-represented educators more voice at the school level to tackle workplace issues. Chapter leaders can bring issues to their principals in a one-on-one meeting, a consultation...

There will be one or two periods of time during the school year, based on a school's Measures of Student Learning selections, that will be designated as " MOSL windows" for the entire school district by the Department of Education. These periods will...

Teachers were once required to punch in and out with a time clock, but the UFT was able to eliminate of that hold-over of factory-model teaching in the 1990s. Today, the principal must consult with the UFT chapter committee and establish alternate...

An absence due to a death in your immediate family is classified as a "non-attendance day," -- you receive full pay and it is not deducted from your Cumulative Absence Record (CAR). If your parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, spouse or...

This is the formal name for your bank of “sick days.” You are credited with one CAR day on the 16 th of each month of the school year, for a total of 10 days for the full school year. If you are regularly appointed, you can accumulate up to 200 CAR...

There is no specific number of absences that is automatically considered excessive. According to an arbitration award, facts and circumstances that must be considered include, but are not limited to, the employee’s attendance and work history...

You are entitled to full pay for time spent on jury duty. Your jury duty time during the school year is classified as non-attendance days. Jury duty that causes you to miss per session time does not count as non-attendance; if you miss per session...

Attendance at education conferences, meetings or conventions are treated as an excused absence with full pay and are not deducted from your CAR. Prior approval of the principal and superintendent are required.

If you are going to be absent due to religious observance, you should give your principal sufficient notice so that he or she can hire a substitute teacher for you. Your school secretary has the appropriate form for you to fill out. In many instances...

You may receive an excused absence to attend a graduation ceremony of a close family member. See the guidelines below: Pedagogues and paraprofessionals: One day with principal’s or supervisor’s permission to attend their graduation or that of a...

In the event of a major storm, the chancellor will determine whether to open, close or delay the opening of school. The union will try to convince the chancellor to do what is safe. The DOE may also pivot to remote instruction, for which digital...

As a newly hired pedagogue, you will receive an e-mail from the DOE’s Department of Human Resources with important information on next steps in your career. This information should be placed in your official school file, but you should keep a copy...

You must have a valid New York State certificate for the area or level you want to be eligible to teach. You can apply for a full-time teaching position that matches your certificate title. Once you are hired to fill a position, you will be licensed...

Keeping class sizes within proper limits is not just a professional right to enable you to do your job better; it’s also an educational benefit for students who can receive more individual attention. Contractual class-size limits vary with the school...

If your school has been designated to either close or be phased out, and a new school(s) is opened in your building, the contract provides a process by which you may apply for a position in that school(s). Fifty percent of the positions available by...

Teachers in danger of being charged under section 3020-a of the State Education Law for incompetence may either volunteer or be recommended by their principal to participate in the Peer Intervention Program program to improve their teaching skills...

It is very important that all UFT-represented workers understand the regulations on corporal punishment and verbal abuse: Regulation of the Chancellor A-420 - Pupil Behavior and Discipline - Corporal Punishment Section 100.2 of the Regulations of the...