Things to Check

As the year comes to an end, it might be a good idea to check a few things and to get organized for the new year.

Have you checked your pay slip recently?  We helped to organize and attended a New Teacher Orientation recently, and the new teachers were particularly interested in a section called Payslip 101.  We were impressed with their focus, and it reminded us that all members should be paying attention to their own payslips as intently.  Many of you will notice a slight decrease in your take home pay in January, and each year we get questions regarding this pattern.  Your payslip will show an increase in any area which maxes out during the year - EI, for example.

We always advise members to keep a copy of their September payslip, and to record their absences throughout the year.  The employer system which tracks your absences actually lags a wee bit behind because pay is processed a few days before the end of the month.  Therefore, if you are absent in the last few days of the month, your sick leave entitlement may show as more than what you actually have left to use.  If you want an accurate record of your sick days, keep your own record based on the September amount minus the days you know you have used.

And this is a good time to remind you that if you going to run out of sick leave - if you have fewer than 10 days left in your sick leave, you should apply for SIP (Salary Indemnity Plan), which is a BCTF insurance plan you see noted on the pay slip as a deduction from your pay.  SIP ensures you receive money even when you have no sick leave days left.  Call the office for help with this if you need it.

The amount you receive for pay is based on your qualifications and your years of experience - check page 106 in the contract which shows the amount of your yearly salary - divide the number by 10 for your monthly pay.  You might also note we have had no raise since 2010.

Members at the orientation had so many questions, and there are many more things even experienced teachers need to know about their pay.  If you have any questions, call the office and we will try to help you.
We will try to find some time to post more regarding this topic - meanwhile, a quick tip for organizing for the new year.  Prepare a folder in which to keep any letters from the District - this really helps you when you are wondering about any employment history like, "How much of a leave did I take in 2005?"  Or, "When did I take a leave?"  In the same folder keep a copy of the pay slip for September and June of every school year...

A final piece of "organizing for the New Year" - - please follow the BCTF updates on Provincial Bargaining - you will need to access the information through the membership portal.  It is really important that you follow this carefully.