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Frequently Asked Questions

You can search the FAQs on our website by keyword or category above. 

A list of the most commonly asked questions.

How can I find out how many days are left in my CAR/sick day bank?

See your payroll secretary in your school, who can advise you as to how many days you have remaining in your sick bank. Your paycheck/pay stub also contains that information, which can be found on the DOE payroll portal (https://payrollportal.nycboe.net).

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How may I use my CAR/sick days?

CAR days can be used for an employee’s personal medical condition; 3 of the 10 self- treated sick days each year can be used for personal business or to care for a sick family member.

Can I request time off on Election Day to vote?

Now that early voting has been instituted across the state, the DOE no longer grants release time to vote on Election Day. To learn more about early voting, visit NYC Votes for upcoming dates and polling sites.

 

What is considered a "non-attendance" day?

There are certain reasons that a member may be absent from work but still be paid, and without being required to use a CAR day, that are called “non-attendance” days. Here are the reasons you may be able to apply for a non-attendance day:

  • appearance for jury duty or jury qualification/selection
  • death of family member
  • funeral of an associate
  • receiving a degree or a graduation ceremony
  • appearance on official business
  • appearance as disinterested witness
  • extraordinary transportation delay
  • legislative hearing
  • military duty
  • quarantine
  • requirement of the school system
  • religious observance
  • school visits and meetings within New York City

View or download the OP-201 form needed to apply for a non-attendance day absence. 

If I need to get screened for cancer, do I need to use my sick time/CAR days? If I need to leave work for a cancer screening, is it paid or unpaid time?

Leaving work for the purpose of cancer screening for up to four hours per year is considered paid leave and you do not have to use your sick time. This time is allowable for all types of cancer screenings. 

Accommodations shall be made for employees requesting time off for the purpose of cancer screening. Requests for such time off must be made in advance and in writing. Approval must be granted by the principal or his/her designee, as long as such request does not substantially disrupt the normal operation of the office/school. 

In the event that the office head or principal determines that the number of requests would cause a substantial disruption, then the office head or principal can limit the granting of such excused leave to a reasonable number of staff requesting it on the same day and deny the other requests until a more appropriate time.

Read the DOE's personnel memo detailing this policy » 

Can I take time off work to donate blood? Will it count against my CAR/sick time?

Employees who wish to donate blood off-site during working hours are to be granted up to three hours unpaid leave on an annual basis. Requests for time off must be made in advance and in writing. Approval must be granted by the principal or his/her designee, as long as such request does not substantially disrupt the normal operation of the office/school.

In the event that the office head or principal determines that the number of requests would cause a substantial disruption, then the office head or principal can limit the granting of such excused leave to a reasonable number of staff requesting it on the same day and deny the other requests until a more appropriate time.

Such time off shall not be considered paid leave and cannot be charged against any leave the employee is entitled to.

I am an occupational therapist/physical therapist. What are my retention rights for taking a leave? Do I have the right to return to my school after my leave is over?

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.

I was a paraprofessional and am now a teacher. How do I transfer my CAR sick days and vacation days from my para bank to my new bank?

Following a title change (e.g., from paraprofessional to teacher or another role), employees may transfer days from their old bank to their new bank by filling out a CAR Transfer Request form . The school payroll secretary processes the form to transfer days to your new bank. 

What documentation is required to take a parental leave and how do I submit it?

One of the following must be submitted by a birth mother, the father or partner of a birth mother: 

  • a copy of your child's birth certificate
  • a copy of your child's footprints or a letter from the doctor or hospital, on official letterhead, stating the child's birth date, parent names, and type of delivery. 

For adoption or foster care, you must submit official adoption or foster paperwork. 

To avoid delays, you may wish to choose options available before the birth certificate arrives so you can submit your documentation as soon as possible. 

Supporting documentation may be uploaded directly to SOLAS or sent via email to: SOLASleavesfax@schools.nyc.gov

Can a member take child care leave after their parental leave ends or must they return to service first?

Members may apply for an unpaid child care leave immediately following a parental leave but must then return to work for 12 months after their child care leave ends. If they do not return to service, they will be required to pay back the parental leave benefit.