A teacher’s annual salary is based on years of experience (found in the collective agreement) and years of education (as determined by Teacher Qualifications Service). Teachers are paid according to the Education Act, which states that teachers are paid 1/200 of their annual salary for each day they work (with a few variations). Teachers are not paid for vacation periods such as Christmas, spring break, Thanksgiving, over the summer or any other holiday period. School division calendars determine which days teachers are expected to work. These are the days for which teachers are paid.
Since funds are allocated to school divisions over 12 months, paying teachers 1/12 of the annual salary each month from September to August is easier for everyone, including school divisions, to budget. This means that each month some earnings are saved to be paid in July and August. This formula does not work for teachers who work less than a full year or who are not on a continuous contract. These teachers must use a different formula to calculate their pay. The payment of salaries is addressed in Section 220 of the Education Act. If a teacher’s contract is temporary or probationary, or if the teacher resigns on June 30, the summer payout must be paid within seven days of the termination date of the contract. Regardless of the type of contract, teachers who work less than a full school year will have a reduced amount of pay for July and August. At the end of June or the end of the teacher’s contract, the division will perform a final salary reconciliation to determine the summer payout. A rough guide is that one semester, or half a year, of work equals one month of summer pay. This includes paid leave, such as sick days, personal leave days and division-paid maternity leave. For teachers who are under a contract of employment for a period that includes all the teaching days of a school year but that do not teach on all those teaching days, teachers will be paid their full annual salary less 0.5 per cent (1/200) of the salary for each teaching day on which they do not teach. This applies if the teacher has worked more than 100 days in the school year. This calculation ensures that teachers are not disadvantaged if the school year is less than 200 days. For example, if the school year is 197 days and a teacher takes an unpaid leave for 4 days, their pay calculation would be as follows: $75,000 − ($75,000 × 1/200 × 4 days) = $73,500 A teacher who is under a contract of employment for a period that does not include all the teaching days of the school year, or is under a contract of employment that includes all the teaching days of a school year, but who during that year teaches on fewer than 100 teaching days, shall be paid 0.5 per cent (1/200) of the teacher’s annual salary for each day on which the teacher teaches. For example, Chris was hired to work from February 5 to June 26. During that time, there were 94 days worked. Chris used 3 days of sick leave but had enough banked sick leave to be paid for the 94 days. Annual salary × 1/200 × number of days worked = earned income $75,000 × 1/200 × 94 = $35,250 From February to June, Chris was paid 1/12 per month: ($75,000/12) × 5 months = $31,250 (paid to date) Chris’s summer payout will then be calculated as follows: Earned income − paid to date = summer payout Therefore, Chris will receive $35,250 − $31,250 = $4,000 as the reconciled payout for the summer. Important Reminders Teachers are advised to check their pay information every month. At the beginning of each school year, confirm that education and experience are accurate and that annual salary is correct (check the collective agreement). Review the deductions and ensure they are correct. Every subsequent month, review any changes to net pay. Do not forget that there will be an increase in net pay in the latter half of the calendar year as teachers reach maximum annual deductions for the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI). This also means that teachers will see a reduction in pay in January as CPP and EI are deducted from salary again. WORTH SHARING Check your pay statement every month to ensure that your salary and deductions are correct. Pay is not simple and it is individual to each teacher. Review it! #WEAREATA
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Teachers and school leaders, like other workers in Alberta, have certain rights regarding
workplace safety. These rights are rooted in Alberta’s occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation, which aims to preserve and protect the health and safety of individuals in their work environments. Among these rights is the right to refuse dangerous work. Part 27 of the Occupational Health and Safety Code 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 violence from various sources, including students, parents, colleagues or members of the public. When faced with violence or the threat of violence, teachers must identify and address the hazard promptly. Steps must be taken to eliminate or control the hazard to ensure the safety of all workers and others in the vicinity. This involves implementing reasonable controls and regularly reviewing and re-evaluating those controls to ensure their effectiveness. Section 17 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act grants workers in Alberta, including teachers, the right to refuse dangerous work under certain circumstances. This right becomes applicable when there is an undue hazard at the work site. An undue hazard is an unexpected or unusual circumstance in which hazards have not been adequately assessed or controlled or in which the worker risks immediate harm that is not normal for the job. However, before the worker exercises this right, they must ensure, as far as it is reasonable to do so, that their refusal will not endanger the health and safety of any other person. It is important to differentiate between a hazardous system, process or object and a hazard created by the actions of an individual. The first is hazardous all the time, regardless of context: the rusty ladder, the frayed electrical cord, the icy sidewalk. The second is not an innately hazardous situation, but the person’s behaviour could be. In both instances, the teacher is responsible for identifying and addressing the hazard or potential hazard. However, unlike the icy sidewalk, which remains icy until the ice is removed or the temperature changes, a student may display hazardous behaviour that is situational. A conversation with school administration is key to finding ways to implement reasonable controls. Teachers who refuse dangerous work must promptly report their refusal and the reasons 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 inspect the alleged hazard. Section 18 of the OHS 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 disciplinary action can file a disciplinary action complaint with OHS. WORTH SHARING Teachers must understand their rights under Alberta’s occupational health and safety legislation to ensure a safe work environment. While the right to refuse dangerous work is fundamental, it must be exercised responsibly, considering the safety of all involved. Not all hazards are equal. If you’re not sure about your next steps or need advice, call Teacher Employment Services for assistance at 1-800-232-7208. #WEAREATA WORTH KNOWING
When was the last time you logged into your online ATA account? MyATA contains important information that is not available to the public. When you log in to your online ATA account, you can receive the following benefits: 1. Bargaining updates We are currently engaged in central table bargaining with the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA). It is important that all members stay up to date on the process. You can also stay up to date on bargaining and other Association events by signing up for the Member Update emails. 2. Ability to vote on provincial collective agreements Ratification of teachers’ provincial collective agreements (between the ATA and the TEBA) takes place exclusively online. 3. Vote in ATA elections Provincial Executive Council (PEC), which conducts the business of the ATA, is made up of 20 members, 18 of whom are elected by teacher members. PEC elections occur every two years and take place exclusively online. 4. Access the ATA library The ATA library offers books, periodicals, videos, databases and learning materials such as robots and other maker space items, and many educational games. Materials are available in English and French and can be mailed to you anywhere in the province or accessed online. Return postage is paid for by the ATA library. The library also does research for teachers upon request and can send articles to teachers in two to three business days. 5. Receive a no-cost ATA specialist council membership If you are an active member of the ATA, you can join one of 20 specialist councils of your choice at no cost. 6. Print your own ATA member card You must show your ATA member card to attend events, receive discounts or be eligible for other offers from various retailers and service providers. To set up your MyATA online account, follow these steps:
WORTH SHARING It is important to keep your online ATA account up to date. It allows you to access bargaining updates, vote in provincial collective agreements and provincial executive council elections, access resources from the ATA library, receive a no-cost membership to an ATA specialist council of your choice and print your own ATA membership card. To request an account or update your information, go to teachers.ab.ca and click Login. If you require assistance, please contact Membership Support by e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at 1‑855‑407‑3891. #WEAREATA On 2024 05 10, the Provincial Executive Council (PEC) approved the initial proposal for this round of central table bargaining. The approval came after many hours of discussion and deliberation during its two days of meetings last week.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association and the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) officials held a significant meeting today, 2024 05 16, to commence the matters bargaining phase of central table bargaining. This initial meeting was a crucial step in setting initial ground rules, planning for the next day of bargaining on 2024 06 07 to exchange initial proposals. We want teachers to be fully informed about these important developments. As in previous rounds, once the initial proposal is shared with TEBA, we can share our initial proposal with members. The Association is in the process of finalizing the French translation of the initial proposal, which should be completed later today or tomorrow. Our goal is to post both the French and English versions of the initial proposal simultaneously. The initial proposal will soon be available on the Collective Bargaining Update page (no later than 1200 hrs on 2024 05 17). To access it, please click here. Your Central Table Bargaining Committee (CTBC) will provide bargaining updates at the conclusion of each bargaining session. Questions about the approved initial proposal can be directed to members of CTBC, your District Representative or the Table Officer of PEC. WORTH SHARING The Central Table Bargaining Committee met with the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association today to commence matters bargaining for the 2024 round. Now that parties have exchanged initial proposals, the Association’s proposal is accessible here in both French and English. The next bargaining date is set for June 7. Watch for bargaining updates after significant bargaining dates. #WEAREATA All Alberta teachers must meet the Teaching Quality Standard (TQS) throughout their careers.
To determine whether they are meeting their professional obligations under the TQS, they must use their reasoned professional judgment. Teachers are responsible for delivering curriculum outcomes to students. In most cases, how teachers meet those outcomes is within their professional scope of practice. In relation to the TQS, teachers have a professional obligation to foster effective relationships; engage in careerlong learning; demonstrate a professional body of knowledge; establish inclusive learning environments; apply foundational knowledge about First Nations, Métis and Inuit; and adhere to legal frameworks and policies. Teachers’ workloads are at an all-time high. With significant competing interests and expectations, and a finite amount of time and energy, teachers may need to make choices. During difficult times, they may need to re-evaluate their priorities. In this process, they should determine what are must-dos and what are merely nice-to-haves. An example of a must-do is delivering the curriculum and doing the associated assessments. In reviewing their professional practice, a teacher should consider, for example, whether outcomes can be addressed with five assessments rather than the seven they are currently using. This type of prioritization is critical to managing workload. An example of a nice-to-have is additional voluntary service. Teachers take on extracurricular activities because they enjoy them and are devoted to them. However, giving up free time has an impact on all aspects of teachers’ lives. With limited time and potential workload issues, they may need to re-evaluate their participation in extracurricular activities. There may also be times in a teacher’s life or career when they can give more or less of themselves. Teachers have the power and authority to make choices in many areas, including managing their workload. They should not feel guilty about re-evaluating their priorities, as their primary role is to provide instruction and assess student learning. While teachers individually make these decisions, they should do so with the understanding that it is OK to set boundaries. If you have questions about managing your workload or deciding whether an activity is a must do or a nice-to-have, contact Teacher Employment Services for advice. WORTH SHARING Teacher workload is at an all-time high, and teachers may need to renegotiate their work commitments. Setting boundaries and protecting one’s time should be a normalized individual decision of teachers. #WEAREATA |
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Updates from ATA ProvincialArchives
June 2024
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