It is so important that someone in your school steps up and takes this important role. If your chapter is not organized, there won't be the necessary checks and balances on administration and UFT members will not have the same voice at the school level. Maybe it can be a topic for discussion at the next UFT member meeting at your school.  Please reach out to your borough office or District Representative for further support within this process.

Elections for UFT chapter leaders happen every 3 years. The last election period was in 2021. Prior to the next election, your chapter leader will inform you about important deadlines and new information will be posted on the UFT website. 

Please send your information about the event to New_York_Teacher [at] uft [dot] org (New_York_Teacher[at]uft[dot]org) as early in advance of the event as possible. Please be sure to include the contact information where you can be reached. 

For all subjects for which the student's IEP does not recommend special education services, the student must receive instruction in a general education class with their peers who do not have disabilities. The number of nondisabled students should be more than or equal to the number of students with disabilities in the class in order to ensure an appropriate level of integration. An important consideration in determining the number of students with disabilities and nondisabled students in a nominally “general education” class is that the ratio must not result in a de facto special education class.

Your prep period can only be taken away in an emergency, such as a coverage for a teacher absence. You can lose multiple preps over the course of a semester due to an emergency need, but you will be paid for all lost preps at the current contractual rate of pay except one per term. So, you must do one emergency coverage per semester without being compensated, but you will be paid for all future coverages during the same semester. 

To learn more about the policies regarding prep periods and coverages, visit the UFT website: https://www.uft.org/your-rights/know-your-rights/class-coverage.

You should file reports both at school and with the union.

It is important to file safety/incident reports with the union because it lets us know what is taking place inside of your building.  If you do not report incidents to the union, most likely we will not be notified. Reporting incidents helps the union keep their finger on the pulse of your school. You can use the union's online incident report to file one.

All incidents must be reported as per Chancellor's Regulations.  All incidents should be reported to an administrator and then be reported onto the DOE's Online Occurrence Reporting System (OORS).

You should report any online bullying to both your administrator and the UFT via a Safety report. You can file a UFT incident report online at: https://www.uft.org/your-rights/safety-health/incident-reporting/uft-incident-report. 

The DOE-UFT contract offers you protection and strong support if you have been assaulted while on duty. As well as notifying your principal within 24 hours, you should notify the UFT Health and Safety Department by filing an online safety/discipline report. You should also file a police report at the nearest precinct as soon as possible.

The DOE may waive its normal $1,500 limit on unreimbursed medical expenses on a case-by-case basis for those who are assaulted while on duty in an unprovoked attack by a student, parent or stranger. The OP 505 form is used to request reimbursement as a result of an assault.

The UFT’s Victim Support Program provides mental health support and practical assistance for UFT members who are victims of workplace violence. The program offers victim outreach, psychological counseling and crisis intervention. All services are free and confidential. Call the Victim Support Program at 212‑598‑6853.

All schools are trained every September on General Response Protocols (GRP). In addition, consult with your chapter leader about the school's safety plan.

You can find more information about those protocols and school safety plans in the UFT's School Safety Manual: https://www.uft.org/sites/default/files/attachments/school-safety-info-manual.pdf. 

Yes, the union's Member Assistance Program (MAP) has trained professional counselors who can guide you through the problems that can put your health and job in jeopardy. Our services are free, confidential, professional and supportive.

As a UFT member, you may receive short-term individual counseling a trained licensed mental health professional through MAP. MAP also offers referrals to outside mental health services that accept your insurance plan. 

Please call MAP at 212-701-9620 to set up an appointment. You can also contact us via email at mapinfo [at] uft [dot] org (subject: Referral%20request) (mapinfo[at]uft[dot]org). 

In case of an emergency, please call 911. If you need help after hours, please call 1-800-LIFENET, a 24-hour city mental health hotline.