For Substitute Teachers

Substitute Teacher Salary Schedule as  of 9/1/2010

There is an additional 1% on base as of 2/1/10.

Salary Differential

Effective 9/1/07, all substitute teachers who hold an active, Massachusetts teaching license shall receive a differential equal to three percent (3%) of the per diem rate.

Per Diem Annual Bonus

Individuals who served as per diem substitutes for 120 days or more during the school year will receive a bonus of $1,000 in June of that year. Individuals who served as per diem substitutes for 150 days or more during the school year will receive a bonus of $1,500 in June of that year. Interruption of service does not disqualify you from receiving this bonus. As long as you have completed the 120 or 150 day requirement, you are eligible to receive it.

Sick Days

Long term and cluster substitutes accumulate one sick day for every 20 days worked. Sick time is cumulative from year to year provided that the substitute remains a bargaining unit member, and sick time shall carry over upon becoming teachers or paraprofessionals. Per diem substitutes are not eligible to use sick time.

Health and Welfare Benefits

Cluster substitutes are also eligible for BTU Health & Welfare benefits, including dental insurance, eye care and legal services, and should call (617) 288-0500 to sign up.

Cluster substitute teachers are granted bereavement.

Health Insurance

Substitute teachers and nurses who work a minimum of three days per week are eligible for health insurance. This should be obtained after the first 30 days of employment but before 60 days of employment by calling the City of Boston's Group Insurance office at City Hall at (617) 635-4570; or you can visit the office at Boston City Hall, Room 807; or you can sign up at open enrollment in April of each year.

If a substitute works twenty (20) hours per week on a regular basis, he/she may receive health insurance as follows:

• 75% of the total month premiums for the policy selected by the employer including master medical or the equivalent benefits, or;
• 90% of the total monthly premiums for all approved and authorized health maintenance organizations.

Sign up for health insurance at Boston City Hall within thirty (30) days of employment  or at open enrollment in April of each year.

Professional Days

Long-term and cluster substitutes shall participate in profes-sional days along with regular teachers/nurses/paras and shall be compensatedtherefore.

18 Hours of Professional Development

Long term and cluster substitutes willbe required to attend the eighteen hours of professional development required ofteachers. This time is scheduled beyond the school day and long term and clustersubstitutes will be paid for this time.

Application for Teaching Positions

Those substitute teachers who are certified, recommended as a result of central interview, have a letter of recommendation from a Boston Public Schools administrator, and who apply for teaching positions, will be guaranteed up to four (4) interviews.

For the central interview, complete a Boston Public Schools Personnel Bulletin that in the past has been issued in November or December of each year. The bulletin is called: "Paraprofessional/Substitute Teacher Applications for Teaching Positions."

Retired teachers

Retired teacherswho return to subbing shall not be required to take any test.

Retirement

INFORMATION AS OF 4/30/10

Automatic 7.5% pre-tax deduction

Part time, temporary or seasonal employees not members of their employer’s retirement system are required to contribute a portion of their paycheck into a mandatory retirement plan referred to as OBRA.  Your OBRA plan is established in lieu of paying into Social Security, and is established as a 457 plan under the Internal Revenue Code.

OBRA – Contact Nick Baseel of Great West Retirement Services at 1-800-457-1900.

(At termination of employment substitutes can receive cash distribution or roll-over their accounts.)

Tremont Credit Union

Substitutes are also eligible to join the Tremont Credit Union. Offices are located at BTU headquarters and at the Braintree Executive Park, 150 Grossman Drive, Braintree, MA 02184. Through the Credit Union, you may authorize payroll deductions for savings and checking, arrange for a loan, and take care of many other banking needs. For more information, call 1-781-843-5626.

Joining the B.T.U

All of the above benefits have come as a result of collective bargaining between the BTU and the Boston School Committee.As exclusive bargaining agent, the BTU negotiates the contract, enforces the contract, and promotes the general welfare of the membership.

Each school has Union Building Representatives, elected to serve the staff in the building in dealings with the administration. The Building Representative is also the first line of communications between the building staff and the Union office. Many questions can be easily and quickly answered at the building level by asking the building representative.

Joining with nearly 7.000 others makes us a stronger union, better able to represent all of us. We encourage you to join. If you haven’t already filled out a membership application, please ask your union Building Representative for one.

Visit the Frequently Asked Questions page to find out more about the role of the Boston Teachers Union and how to stay informed and involved.

If you have any questions, please call Jenna Fitzgerald, Para/Substitute Field Representative at 617-288-2000 or jfitzger@btu.org.