Registration is open for an evening of practical information, useful resources and meaningful connections with fellow educators!

The Men’s Health and Wellness Evening, taking place on November 3, 2026, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, will provide support to all men, male-identifying and non-binary educators in strengthening their health and well-being. Participants will learn how to make better use of their group health benefits and understand the services available through the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP).

If you are interested in joining the session, please sign up at https://abteach.cc/men-wellnesssession.

#WeAreATA

Teaching is a deeply meaningful profession that requires compassion, commitment and constant care for others. At the same time, educators often carry significant emotional, professional and personal responsibilities that can affect their well-being.

Taking care of your health is important, but finding the support you need is not always straightforward. Held on November 3, 2026, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, the Men’s Health and Wellness Evening will offer clear, practical information about the supports available through your group health benefits and the Employee and Family Assistance Program.

These may include psychologists, registered dietitians, financial advisors, lawyers, life coaches, registered nurses, sleep consultants, fitness instructors, career coaches, naturopaths and life transition coaches, among others.

The session will help participants better understand the available services, how to access them, and how these resources can support their health, family life, career and financial well-being. Participants will also explore how to effectively use group health benefits, including benefits and services that members may not realize are available to them.

The evening will place particular emphasis on the experiences and wellness needs of men, maleidentifying, and non-binary educators. It will provide a comfortable, respectful setting to consider issues such as managing stress, maintaining physical and mental well-being, navigating career and family responsibilities, planning for the future, and seeking support when needed. This is also an opportunity to step away from the demands of the workday and connect with other educators.

The goal is straightforward: provide useful information, encourage honest conversation and help participants leave with a clearer understanding of the resources available to support themselves and their families.

One evening. Practical information, useful connections and a stronger approach to your health and well-being.

If you are interested in joining the session, please sign up at https://abteach.cc/men-wellnesssession.

For more information, contact TEMS@ata.ab.ca.

To view previous Worth Knowing documents, please visit this link.

If you have been hired by a new school division or you have a revised Teaching Qualification Service (TQS) evaluation from additional education you have taken, it is your responsibility to submit proof of your experience and education in accordance with the timelines set out in your collective agreement. Check your pay statement each month to ensure you have been placed appropriately on the grid and that your salary is correct.

 New TQS Evaluation or Starting with a New School Division
A teacher’s annual salary (as set out in the 2020-24 collective agreement or 2024-28 legislatively imposed settlement) is based on years of education (as determined by the Teacher Qualifications Service) and years of experience (as determined by the teacher’s collective agreement).

Teachers hired for a teaching position with a new school division, or those with a revised TQS evaluation due to new education, are responsible for submitting proof of their experience and education in accordance with the timelines set out in clauses 3.3 and 3.4 of the Central Table Terms of their collective agreement.

Teachers should also review their pay statements every month, particularly if they have delayed submitting their documentation to their employer. If a teacher finds that their pay statement shows they have not been paid correctly, it is their responsibility to contact their employer to resolve the discrepancy. If the teacher is unable to correct the error with the employer promptly, the teacher must contact Teacher Employment Membership Support (TEMS) so that the Alberta Teachers’ Association can provide support in resolving the issue. Delays in reporting a pay error could result in a loss of income, so it is critical that teachers closely scrutinize their pay statements.

For newly employed teachers in the school division, until the school division receives satisfactory proof of teacher education, proof of an application to the Teacher Qualifications Service (TQS), and proof of experience, the teacher will be placed on the salary grid at four years of education and zero years of experience.

Adjustment dates for increased teacher education, for applications or proofs received within 60 operational days, shall be retroactive to the month following submission. Applications or proofs not submitted within 60 operational days will be adjusted to either September 1 or February 1, whichever is closest after submission.

Adjustment dates for increased experience (earned increment) shall be September 1 and February 1. 

Proof of Education
Clause 3.3 of the collective agreement requires that the evaluation of teacher education for salary grid purposes be based on a statement of qualifications issued by the Alberta Teacher Qualifications Service. If proof of teacher education or an application is received within 60 operational days, payment shall be made retroactive to the month following submission; however, if this documentation is not submitted within 60 operational days, salary will be adjusted either September 1 or February 1, whichever is closest after submission.

Teachers who remain with their employer are not automatically reassessed for grid placement, even if they have completed further education. A new application for re-evaluation through the Teacher Qualifications Service would be required. The Association has taken the position that teachers included under the new special consideration for other education and experience language should be re-evaluated in accordance with the legislatively imposed settlement. Please note that the Association and some members have filed grievances regarding automatic revaluation.

Proof of Experience
Clause 3.4 requires employers to recognize experience gained while holding a valid Alberta teaching certificate or its equivalent in the relevant governing jurisdiction, and while working in a position that requires a teaching certificate as a condition of employment. A teacher on contract earns one year of experience after 140 operational days with the school division, whereas substitute teachers can earn one year of experience after working 140 operational days with the school division in the preceding five years.

​It is important to remember that no experience is accrued during vacation periods and leaves of absence without salary, and that a teacher shall be granted only one experience increment in any one school year. However, uncredited experience shall be carried over for the calculation of experience increments. Adjustment dates for additional accrued experience are September 1 and February 1, but only one increment may be granted in any one school year.

Contact TEMS at 1-800-232-7208 for advice and support.

To view previous Worth Knowing documents, please visit this link.

Alberta teachers are eligible for a provincially funded COVID-19 vaccine through Primary Care Alberta. The Government of Alberta has outlined the processes for booking a vaccination appointment at a public health centre and for receiving the vaccine at a pharmacy. The Alberta Teachers’ Association (Association) is sharing this information so members know how to access the vaccine, should they wish to receive it, and what steps to take if they are billed in error.

If you have questions about your personal employment situation or need support navigating these steps, please contact Teacher Employment Services at 1-800-232-7208.

Accessing Your Free COVID-19 Vaccination
The following information has been provided by the Government of Alberta. The Alberta Teachers’ Association is sharing it to support our members.

The Government of Alberta has provided guidance on how teachers can access the provincially funded COVID-19 vaccine, including how to book an appointment for the voluntary vaccine.

Booking Your COVID-19 Vaccination at a Public Health Centre
Under the Back to School Act (BSA), teachers holding a valid Alberta teaching certificate are eligible for a free COVID-19 vaccine administered at a Primary Care Alberta (PCA) public health centre.

To Book an Appointment
• Go to the online booking site.
• Select the vaccine type.
• Select your age group.
• Confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements. (A nurse will verify this at the appointment.)
• You may be asked if you want to participate in a University of Calgary study on adverse events. Participation is fully optional.
• Book one appointment at a time.
• Enter your personal health number (found on your Alberta health card).
• Search for a convenient location.
• Choose your preferred appointment time.
• Confirm your appointment.

What to Bring to Your Appointment
• Photo ID or two pieces of non-photo ID
• Alberta health card
If you are an eligible teacher, you will not be charged, but you will be asked to complete the standardized financial form used at all public health sites.

Accessing the COVID-19 Vaccine Through a Community Pharmacy
Teachers may also receive the COVID-19 vaccine at a participating pharmacy.

Note the following:
• Not all pharmacies will have COVID-19 vaccine stock. Contact them first.
• Pharmacies may bill your private insurance for the cost of the vaccine.
• Pharmacies may charge an additional injection fee, which must be paid upfront. The injection fee may be eligible for reimbursement through a health spending account.

PCA cannot assist with pharmacy-administered vaccines. Read the full guidelines.

To view previous Worth Knowing documents, please visit this link

Teachers must understand their rights under Alberta’s occupational health and safety legislation to ensure a safe work environment. Refusing dangerous work is a fundamental right. However, it must be exercised responsibly to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

Not all hazards are equal, and when it comes to hazards involving an individual, it is crucial to separate the person from their behaviour or actions. The person is not the hazard, but their behaviour or actions could be. If you are unsure about your next steps or need advice, call Teacher Employment Membership Support at 1-800-232-7208 for assistance.

​Teachers, school leaders and central office members, like other workers in Alberta, have specific rights and responsibilities regarding workplace safety. These rights are grounded in Alberta’s occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation. This legislation clarifies workers’ rights and other regulations, including those addressing workplace violence and the right to refuse dangerous work.

Part 27 of the Occupational Health and Safety Code (Act) identifies violence as a workplace hazard. Violence is broadly defined as any conduct that causes or is likely to cause physical or psychological injury or harm, including threats, aggression and physical attacks. Unfortunately, teachers may encounter workplace violence from various sources, including students, parents, colleagues and members of the public.

When faced with violence or the threat of violence, teachers must promptly identify and address the hazard. Steps must be taken to eliminate or control it to ensure the safety of all workers and p 2 others in the vicinity. This includes implementing reasonable controls and regularly reviewing and re-evaluating them to ensure their effectiveness.

Section 17 of the Act grants workers in Alberta, including teachers, the right to refuse dangerous work under certain circumstances. This right applies when there is an undue hazard in the workplace, such as an unexpected or unusual circumstance in which hazards have not been adequately assessed or controlled, or when the worker faces immediate harm that is not normal for their job. However, before exercising this right, the worker must ensure, as far as is reasonable, that the refusal will not endanger the health and safety of any other person.

The legislatively imposed settlement (LISs) for 2024-28 also includes safety protections beyond those under the Act. The article appears in all public, Catholic and Francophone LISs and should be found at 16.5. The language states that all employers recognize that every teacher has the right to work in an environment free from harassment, violence and the threat of violence. It also requires employers to take every reasonable precaution to protect teachers from harassment, violence or threats of violence. Members are encouraged to connect with Teacher Employment Membership Support for assistance in navigating an issue and in understanding how this language, the Act and an employer’s harassment policy may intersect.

It is important to distinguish between a hazardous system, process, or object and a hazard created by an individual’s actions. The former is hazardous at all times, regardless of context: for example, a rusty ladder, a frayed electrical cord, or an icy  sidewalk. In the latter case, it may be the person’s behaviour, rather than the hazard itself, that is dangerous.

In both cases, the teacher is responsible for identifying and addressing the hazard or potential hazard. However, unlike the icy sidewalk, which remains hazardous until the ice is removed or the temperature changes, a student may exhibit hazardous behaviour in a specific situation. In this case, a conversation with the school administration is key to implementing reasonable controls. As part of the discussion, a hazard assessment may be warranted, as such assessments are essential to safeguarding everyone’s health and safety at school.

Teachers who refuse dangerous work must promptly report their refusal and the reasons for it to their principal and their school division. After discussing the matter with the worker, the employer must immediately act to remedy the dangerous condition or to inspect the alleged hazard.

Section 18 of the Act prohibits disciplinary action against workers who exercise their rights under the legislation, including the right to refuse dangerous work. Workers who believe they have faced such action can file a complaint with OHS.

If you have personal concerns that are not part of the OHS hazard assessment but affect your health and safety at work, consult your doctor. If your doctor identifies any limitations or restrictions, you will need to provide medical documentation so your employer can make appropriate accommodations. For more information, contact Teacher Employment Membership Support at 1-800-232-7208.

To view previous Worth Knowing documents, please visit this link.