The hard-to-staff (HTS) salary differential is designed to target employees in designated teaching licenses and/or other UFT-represented titles within specific schools. The HTS salary differential is part of the Bronx Plan – a joint initiative between the DOE and the UFT to support historically underserved schools in targeted neighborhoods throughout the city.

If a teacher or other pedagogue earning a hard-to-staff salary differential is rated Ineffective or Unsatisfactory after the completion of their first school year, and they remain in an eligible position, the differential shall be frozen for the following school year.

If the teacher or other pedagogue then receives an Ineffective or Unsatisfactory the following school year, they will not receive any part of the HTS salary differential for the previous school year. If the teacher receives a rating other than Unsatisfactory or Ineffective, they shall receive the full HTS salary differential payment in the fall of the next school year.

Yes, you may request an appointment with a specific pension consultant by name, but it is not a guarantee that you will be able to schedule a consultation with that person. To schedule a consultation at your borough office, call 212-331-6311

NYSED has published a series of informative briefs in preparation for schools to use the Next Generation standards, which can be found on the NYSED website here: http://www.nysed.gov/bilingual-ed/linguistically-diverse-learners-and-nys-next-generation-p-12-learning-standards.

As a result of the 2018 DOE-UFT contract, occupational therapists/physical therapists on a leave have the right to return to their school if the leave is for one year or less. A therapist on a leave should reach out to their supervisor at some point during their leave to confirm their approved return date or whether they will be changing the date of their return (in that case, they will also need to modify their leave). The supervisor then must enter the member’s name and employee ID as a transaction in Sharepoint (Cybershift timekeeping) in order to get re-staffed and back on payroll in a timely fashion.

The UFT Welfare Fund has negotiated a new program with EmblemHealth to help UFT-represented employees suffering from the Hepatitis C virus. The program gives access to best-in-class care, while eliminating the hundreds of dollars in drug copays normally associated with Hep C treatment. This benefit is available to all UFT-represented in-service employees and their dependents who receive prescription drug coverage through the UFT Welfare Fund.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2020, members who choose to be treated for Hepatitis C at NYU Langone Hospital's Hepatitis C Clinic will have access to world-class treatment by a renowned care team that develops treatment plans tailored to each individual patient's needs. Patients will have no drug copay with free at-home delivery of the associated treatment drugs and the NYU specialty pharmacy team will be available to answer calls 24/7.

You can call NYU Langone Hospital's Hepatitis C Clinic now at 212-263-3643 to schedule an appointment for after Jan. 1, 2020, when this benefit goes into effect. If you have any questions, please contact the UFT Welfare Fund at 212-539-0500.

UFT instructional employees who are rated via the Advance system may have their pay frozen if they received an Ineffective/I rating for the previous school year. Employees paid below Step 8B and who received an Ineffective rating for a particular school year will have their pay frozen on a future paycheck. You should have received prior notification from the DOE to your school email. If there have been overpayments, payroll will notify you and those will be recovered.

However, if you were previously frozen due to an Ineffective rating in a prior school year, but received a recent rating of Highly Effective, Effective or Developing, your pay will be unfrozen and restored on a later paycheck. The check will include any arrears due.

All full-time teachers are eligible to join the Theatre Development Fund (TDF), and once you are a member, you can purchase deeply discounted tickets. The Theatre Development Fund is a not-for-profit organization for the performing arts that works to make theater affordable and accessible to all.

UFT members are eligible to become members of TDF for $40 per year, which gives them access to Broadway, off-Broadway and other ticket offers at prices between $11-$57 a ticket. Members must submit a copy of their current UFT ID card to qualify. For more information and to apply for membership, visit the TDF website at: https://www.tdf.org/nyc/10/TDF-Membership.

The offices of the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) are located at:
55 Water Street
New York, NY 10041
(888) 869-2877
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Directions: 2/3 to Wall Street, 4/5 to Bowling Green Station, J to Broad Street or R/W to Whitehall Street Buses: BM1, BM2, BM3, BM4, M15, M15+, X27, X28, SIM1C, SIM4C, M20, M55

The Supplemental Health Insurance Program (SHIP) is a unique package of benefits developed by the Retired Teachers Chapter of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT-RTC) exclusively for its members. It provides a supplement to coverage available through city's regular health insurance providers and is activated only after those providers have paid their benefits.

SHIP is a low-cost program to coordinate with most health plans available to retirees of New York City systems. For a modest yearly fee, SHIP will supplement certain payments provided by your New York City health coverage up to a maximum lifetime benefit of $100,000/$10,000 for pre-existing conditions.

SHIP does not require a medical examination for enrollment.

SHIP is separate from your health plan and welfare fund and therefore must be notified of any changes (i.e., death, divorce, marriage). 

Helpful links

• SHIP booklet [effective Jan. 2022]
• SHIP benefits [effective Jan. 2022]
• SHIP claim form You may use old SHIP forms if you have them. Please read the updated instruction page before filling in claim form.
• How to file a SHIP claim form
• Notice to all Medicare eligible SHIP members
• HIPAA Privacy Act form
• SHIP premium notices for those not on automatic deduction