Apply online through SOLAS (https://dhrnycaps.nycenet.edu/SOLAS) up to 15 days prior to giving birth or within 10 days following birth. If you don’t apply within that window, the DOE will require you to explain the extenuating circumstances and may not approve your leave.

You should apply at least 15 days prior to the anticipated due or covered event date, but no later than 10 days after delivery to ensure timely payment of the benefit from the UFT.

If your baby arrives much later than the due date, you can revise your application in SOLAS. Just log back in within 10 days of giving birth. You have to confirm the birth date regardless. 

In general you should apply as soon as possible when you know your plans for using your CAR days and any additional child care leave, however keep in mind that you will not be able to apply earlier than two months in advance of the anticipated event. You should also notify your school or work location so they can begin to plan for your absence.

New parents – including by birth, adoption and foster care - who are in titles represented by UFT are eligible to apply for Parental Leave, and meet the following criteria:
• You must be either:
- A full-time employee or
- An H-bank/non-pedagogical employee who works a regular schedule of 20 hours or more per week
• You must have been an employee and on payroll for a minimum of 12 calendar months from your most recent date of hire.
• You must have been in active status for the 12 calendar months immediately prior to the covered event.

F-status and per diem employees are not eligible for paid parental leave.

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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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.

The School Construction Authority (SCA) is supposed to conduct construction and renovation projects after the regular school day. The DOE Division of School Facilities (DSF) may conduct repairs and maintenance as well as small construction and renovation projects during the school day. However, asbestos abatement projects, whether conducted by the SCA or the DOE DSF, may be conducted only when the building is not occupied.

The “file” is your personnel file that travels with you if you change schools. Supervisors may put into it observation reports and other materials about your performance within three months of occurrence, excluding the summer, but you must be given the opportunity to read it. You can attach a response if you want. Negative material that is not used in disciplinary charges should be removed after three years.

No, all negative materials in your file that are more than three years old should be removed if they have not been used in connection with disciplinary charges. You can request to see your file to verify that this has occurred promptly. Talk to your chapter leader about how this is done in your school.

Per Chancellor's Regulation A-850, all DOE facilities and schools report on sustainability practices to emphasize the importance of sustainability, to create a culture that accepts fiscal responsibility for sustainability goals, to enhance building performance, to foster a sense of citizenship, and to complete and implement a site-specific waste prevention, reuse, recycling, and energy conservation plan.

Each principal designates a person from the school’s administrative or teaching staff to be the Sustainability Coordinator for that individual school. If a school is located on a “campus” (i.e. a building containing more than one school or program), the principals for the various schools may appoint one person to serve as the Sustainability Coordinator for all the schools in the building.

Responsibilities of the Sustainability Coordinator
The Sustainability Coordinator is responsible for:

• Completing and implementing the school’s sustainability plan, or in the case of non-school buildings, the building’s sustainability plan. Sustainability Coordinators shall review and report to the Principal/Building Captain on recycling practices at the school or building, serving as the conduit for sustainable curriculum development initiatives in school buildings.
• Utilizing the U.S. EPA Energy Star Portfolio Manager provided by the DOE in assisting with energy conservation programs.
• If a school is located on a campus, Sustainability Coordinators from each school shall hold periodic campus-wide sustainability meetings to coordinate their conservation efforts (e.g., turn off the lights and equipment that are not in use).
• Sustainability Coordinators shall complete and submit to the DOE’s Director of Sustainability the Annual Sustainability Survey.
• The Sustainability Coordinator shall consult with representatives from all sectors of the school or DOE building, including principal(s), food services, administrative and facilities staff, and wherever possible, parents and students, in developing and implementing all of the sustainability initiatives at the school.

Time Allocation Opportunities for Sustainability Coordinators
Speak with your principal and UFT chapter leader if you are interested in pursuing any of these time allocations:

• School-Based Option (SBOs)
• Professional development hours
• Professional period (Circular 6)
• Per session for after/before school compensation

Tips for Sustainability Coordinators – Build A Team!
Here are recommended steps to take as you fulfill this role:

1. Introduce yourself as the Sustainability Coordinator to your school’s Custodian Engineer, cafeteria staff, PA/PTA, and other school staff.
2. Recruit at least one colleague to be your co-coordinator
3. Start a Green Team/environmental club. This can include both students and staff.

Resources for Sustainability Coordinators
The DOE Office of Energy and Sustainability has great resources for Sustainability Coordinators on their Sustainability Hub including:

• Classroom activities, lessons, and resources 
• In-person and virtual professional learning on a variety of climate-related topics
• Ongoing support from Sustainability Specialists on the Office of Energy and Sustainability team.

No. Your school must provide you with basic instructional supplies and books, such as textbooks, paper, and testing materials. In fact, it's a contractual right. Instructional supplies are part of the system-wide standards and schools are responsible for providing them to teachers and functional chapter employees. 

If you want something beyond these basic supplies, you do have the option to purchase items for your classroom with money from the Teacher's Choice program.