Dear Colleagues,
Please read through our important updates. Also if you have not yet signed up for the spring ER&D there is still time. You can do so by registering here. There will be many offerings in the summer as well but ER&D offers high quality and useful PD and is taught by our teachers at a very reasonable price.
“Written Up” What Does this Mean?
Often our teachers hear “You will be written up if….” So what does this really mean? This scare tactic is not reality. Our teachers by contract have the right to due process. Administration can call a fact-finding if they believe an employee has violated the Employee Code of Conduct. At this fact-finding you would have the right to Union representation. A fact finding doesn’t always result in discipline that would be considered “written up.” If you are hearing this from administration it’s false and not an actual thing. You should continue to do your job because you are all doing amazing work keeping up with all these ridiculous deadlines, mandates and demands! If you are called to a meeting that feels disciplinary, remember to invoke your Weingarten Rights, which you should read word-for-word to your supervisor: “If this discussion could in any way lead to my being disciplined or terminated, or affect my personal working conditions, I respectfully request that my union representative be present at this meeting. Without representation, I choose not to answer any questions.
Insurance Information
Your dependent children can remain on your medical insurance until they are 26 years old. From ages 23-26 dental and vision insurance are not covered. You should receive a notification via US mail when these benefits expire.
Job Share
Job Share plans are due by March 1. If you have a teacher partner with whom you would like to share a position, you should be sure to submit your plans to Human Resources by March 1. If you are interested, qualify for a job share (see Article 4.G of our contract), and need to be paired up, please let me know and I will try to connect you with a like-minded colleague.
Position Open - OFT Professional Issues Director
Deb Tulley was the Director of Professional Issues with OFT. She recently retired and this position has yet to be filled. Ideally this position would be Columbus-based, but OFT leadership is willing to discuss accommodations depending on the candidate’s qualifications. Also, OFT can work with the potential candidate to try to maintain their status within the State Teachers Retirement System. If you are interested in this position, and want to read the job description you can find it here.
Retirement
If you are eligible to retire with 30 or fewer years in STRS, and have at least 10 years in CHUH then you probably qualify for the $24,000 incentive. You must send a notice of retirement letter to the Board no later than March 1. Please contact our office, or email krego@chtu.org to make an appointment to talk through the retirement process and prepare paperwork.
“Data Day” or PD day
January 30th is a PD day which will be in-person. At our last Summit meeting, Union members asked administration to consider having the PD day be virtual (as was the case last year). The response from administration was that virtual PD is too difficult to plan and conduct. It is still our belief that most types of PD could and should be done remotely.
In Solidarity,
Karen Rego
CHTU President