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City Council passes historic paraprofessional "Respect Check" legislation 49-0
The New York City Council unanimously passed the "Respect Check" legislation which will provide each NYC public school paraprofessional a $10,000 payment outside of collective bargaining in the coming school year.
Summer payroll dates
See summer payroll dates for pedagogues, paraprofessionals, substitute paraprofessionals and members working in the Chapter 683 special education summer program.
Master the Madness: A Conversation with Dr. Reef Karim
In a rapidly changing world, how can we find our calling and live a more fulfilling life? In this episode of the Brewing Wellness podcast, Dr. Reef Karim — keynote speaker at the 2026 UFT MAP Mental Health Symposium — joins us to explore how we can "master the madness" and cultivate our passion, fostering greater personal growth and fulfillment. Dr. Karim, a transformational scientist and humanistic psychiatrist, delves into how health care providers can better support clients in dismantling barriers and embracing their authentic selves. To learn more, visit reefkarim.com.
I received a "C" rating for my evaluation this school year. What does this mean?
A "C" rating stands for "Can't be evaluated." It's usually given when a teacher has been out on a leave for a long enough part of a school year so as to not be able to be fairly evaluated.
NYC Childcare Navigator can now help families find free 2K seats
The free NYC Childcare Navigator can now help city families find childcare providers who offer New York City's 2,000 free 2K seats. With the June 26 deadline to apply for 2K rapidly approaching, this new feature comes at a crucial time for families.
Cultivating joy
Find out how to cultivate joy on a daily basis and create an antidote to feeling miserable.
Excused absences
Find out about excused absences — occasions aside from personal illness — when UFT members (teachers, appointed pedagogues and other titles, such as paraprofessionals) are entitled to be absent from work but still get paid without using their CAR, or...
Legal Services Plan
Learn all the ways UFT members benefit from the UFT Legal Services Plan, which provides trusted legal help exclusively for UFT members.
Powering success with CTE programming
For New York City’s approximately 1 million public school students, a strong CTE program is a sure pathway to economic stability. But for too long, our CTE programs were treated like a backup plan, the place kids were sent when someone decided...
Members win right to organize freely
UFT members at PS 35 in Hollis, Queens, won a hard-fought arbitration decision against a principal engaging in union animus. The decision confirms members’ rights to conduct union activity without interference or retaliation.
UFT offices open this summer
The UFT offices will be open this summer on a modified schedule.
A big fix for Tier 6
A sustained campaign by UFT members to reform Tier 6 of the New York State's pension system pays off with state lawmakers dropping to 58, from 63, the age at which members can retire without penalty with 30 years of service.
Help students learn naturally all summer
6th-grade teacher Ruth Duran shares tips for educators about how to make summer learning for students feel less like homework by engaging them in activities that tap into their creative sides and activities they genuinely enjoy.
Tom Brown reelected TRS trustee
Tom Brown, UFT assistant treasurer and the current chair of the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) Board, was decisively reelected as a TRS board trustee on June 2. He will serve a three-year term.
Michelle Pérez
Michelle Pérez, a bilingual school social worker, discusses the challenges and rewards of her work in New York City schools connecting families with school-based and community resources and providing crisis intervention and at-risk counseling for...
‘Go all out’ to achieve class size reduction
Teachers in Queens, the city's most crowded borough, said the benefits of lowering class size were seen almost immediately, and they encouraged their colleagues to stay the course in pressing school leadership to do the work.
Designating your beneficiaries
Why it's important to designate beneficiaries, keep your beneficiary designations current after life-changing events and ensure the latest contact information for your beneficiaries is on file with your pension system.
Former UFT VP Roberson honored
Former UFT Vice President for Career and Technical Education Sterling Roberson received the Retiree of the Year Award at the Representative Assembly of NYSUT, the UFT's statewide affiliate.
Celebrating new frontiers in CTE
From dental molds and catapults to barbering and cosmetology skills, career and technical education high school projects displayed a wealth of talent in the exhibit hall at this year’s UFT Spring Education Conference.
Unafraid to speak up and speak out
UFT members share first-person accounts recounting their success resolving issues through the special education complaint process. The process is a powerful tool to safeguard students' welfare as well as members' workplace rights and members should...
SI educators save 2nd-grader’s life
School social worker Shirley Gavidia and 2nd-grade teachers Eva Cerverizzo and Carolyn Sullivan of PS 10 on Staten Island are credited for saving the life of a 2nd-grader who became unconscious earlier this school year.
Required minimum distribution date changed
The Teachers’ Retirement System has moved up the timeline to October for when required minimum distributions from tax-deferred annuities will be paid.
Register for Si Beagle classes starting July 15
Registration for fall 2026/intersession 2027 Si Beagle classes for UFT retirees starts July 15, 2026.
Medicare Part B and IRMAA 2025 reimbursements
What Medicare-eligible UFT retirees need to know about Medicare Part B and IRMAA 2025 reimbursements.
Honoring the UFT’s longest-serving members
The UFT Retired Teachers Chapter honored those with 50 or more years of union membership at its annual RTC Luncheon.
Giving the gift of happiness in retirement
Retired teacher Felicia Pecoraro of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, has turned personal heartache into a mission to give back and bring a bit of happiness to others as a volunteer at the gift shop at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Looking back on a year of results
RTC Chapter Leader Bennett Fischer looks back on the year that is closing, taking pride in a vibrant chapter that advocates for every member and supports both labor and the community. He reminds retirees of the tangible, bread-and-butter improvements...
Together, we win — on Tier 6 and more
UFT President Michael Mulgrew lauds the member engagement that resulted in bringing Tier 6 more closely in line with New York State's other pension tiers. He exhorts members to enjoy the summer and then to continue the momentum built around Tier 6 in...
Staying clear of fraudsters
Scam artists and fraudsters often prey on adults over 60, targeting their savings and good credit. UFT retirees learned tips from the city's Department of Aging to avoid being victimized.
Peña elected UFT asst. secretary
Khiera Peña, a special representative in the UFT Grievance/Arbitration Department, was elected UFT assistant secretary, UFT President Michael Mulgrew announced at the Delegate Assembly on May 18.
Employers spend $1.7B to bust unions
United States employers spend $1.7 billion annually opposing labor unions, a new report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) and LaborLab found.
UFT Welfare Fund health care programs
The UFT offers several health initiatives that provide members with access to medical experts, concierge services for personalized care and best-in-class treatment options. Read our FAQ to learn more about three UFT Welfare Fund health care programs...
Ride-hailing app drivers union recognized
Massachusetts has become the first state to recognize the App Drivers Union, whose organizers said it ultimately will represent nearly 70,000 drivers for ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft.
Donna Menna
Middle school teacher Donna Menna of IS 5 in Elmhurst, Queens, is one of this year's UFT Middle Schools Division Legacy Award winners.
Pell grants to cover workforce training
Under a new Pell Grant program that starts on July 1, new high school graduates from low-income families can apply for federal financial aid for short-term workforce training programs.
Making sense of money
11 New York City schools made the top 100 and a Queens teacher received the Outstanding Educator Award in a national ranking of schools that excel in teaching personal finance.