OEO is the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management. OEO is the internal DOE office that investigates allegations of sexual harassment and all forms of discrimination. Members are entitled to be represented by a fellow employee or by a specially trained UFT staff representative at investigations conducted by OEO.

SCI is the Special Commissioner of Investigation. This is the external agency responsible for investigating serious allegations of misconduct. Members are entitled to be represented by an attorney. The UFT has arrangements with a panel of private criminal defense attorneys to represent the member at SCI interviews.

OSI is the Office of Special Investigations. It is the internal office of the Department of Education that monitors various allegations of violations of Chancellor’s Regulations and other allegations of wrongdoing. Members are entitled to be represented by a fellow employee or by a specially trained UFT Staff Representative.

OPI is the Office of Personnel Investigation. It is the unit responsible for clearing employees to work for the Department of Education. OPI monitors active investigations, arrest, and suspensions. OPI is also responsible for fingerprints, background checks and re-assignments.

Retirees who receive their pension checks through direct deposit will have their lump-sum payments deposited into the same account as their pension checks.

Retirees who receive their pension checks through the mail will have their lump-sum checks mailed to the same address as their pension checks.

UFT members who take an approved unpaid leave will get all of the rate increases that other employees will receive upon their return. In addition, they will receive all of their retroactive pay so long as they return from leave by Oct. 1, 2023, and remain active until they have received all of their payments. Employees who miss a scheduled lump-sum payment and are on payroll will be paid on the next Oct. 1 and each following Oct.1 through 2027 until all payments are made.

Reach out to the Partners in Progress: Peer Intervention Program (PIP) at the UFT. PIP allows you to receive confidential, non-evaluative one-on-one help from highly experienced, specially selected colleagues who will create individualized professional development plans with you to emphasize your strengths and improve your shortcomings.

Tenured teachers who are having trouble because of supervisors’ evaluations, formal warnings, or Ineffective/U ratings should apply. PIP also works with teachers who have not been rated as Ineffective or U-rated who are seeking to take charge of their professional craft. In any case, the program is voluntary and the ultimate decision to apply is a personal one. The only requirements are that the educator is teaching in a full time program with regular continuous classes and is committed to pursuing a high level of professional growth.

You can apply by using our online form. 

PIP is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and is located at 50 Broadway, 15th Floor, NY, NY, 10004. Summer hours are from 9 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday. If you have any questions, please call us at (212) 844-0600 or email us at pip [at] uft [dot] org (pip[at]uft[dot]org).

The UFT’s Partners in Progress: Peer Intervention Program (PIP) allows you to receive confidential one-on-one help from highly experienced, specially selected colleagues who will create individualized professional development plans with you to emphasize your strengths and improve your shortcomings.

With the PIP, you can take charge of your own professional standards, address instructional issues and turn your career around. Or, after working with your intervenor for several months you decide your career is not fulfilling, with the help of a PIP career counselor, you can discover one that is. This can be either within the education field or a completely different career path.