Frequently Asked Questions

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What is FLEX time for teachers?
What is Comp time for Paraeducators or Secretaries?
How do I report earning and using comp time?
What happens if the district is closed when I am scheduled to work?
How is seniority calculated for displacement or layoff purposes?
What is the Dress Code?

What is FLEX time for teachers?

Flex time is meant to be an incentive that a principal can offer to award those teachers who attend specified events or stay after the normal duty day to attend approved activities. Something is an incentive only if you view it as desirable. Since ‘flex time’ has no monetary value, the value is normally derived from being able to use it at a time of need. Your individual need cannot be dictated to occur on a work day or a Friday. If your supervisor dictates to the point of having no value, your defense is to not comply with a request to attend events or stay after the normal duty day.

Most teachers are contracted to work for 7 ¾ hours per day for 196 days a school year. You can only be required to perform duties beyond the above by a specific written contractual requirement. There are some teachers (TRSTs, Media Coordinators, School Psychologists, etc.) who have specific requirements for additional days or time for which they are paid. The only other exception is in the Teacher Collective Bargaining Agreement 6.1-1& 6.2.

First let us emphasize there is no requirement to attend in-service, faculty or parent meetings, or school planning activities outside your contract days and time. No staff meetings or parent conferences should extend beyond your 7 ¾ hour day on a contracted day. You cannot be required to attend Saturday in-services. No in-services or grade level planning or school improvement planning can be required the week before Pre-Planning. The only exception is for activities such as parent-teacher meetings, open house, and graduation. The contract clearly stops short of requiring your attendance, though the term “expected” is still a strong word. The language is further restricted by the requirement of notice by the end of pre-planning and the requirement for mutual agreement providing “flex time.” Flex time is particularly restrictive because it has to mutually be agreed upon and be realistically available for use. The Principal can not require that flex time be used on Friday or a teacher workday or offer you to leave at 3:00 PM when you have students or other requirements which make leaving at that time unrealistic. Flex time should be granted on an hour for hour basis and tracked as it is actually able to be used.

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6.1-1 As a part of teachers’ professional responsibilities, they are expected to attend such after school activities as: parent teacher meetings, open house, graduation. The parties recognize that teachers have obligations outside their professional responsibilities and agree that schedules for such activities shall be provided no later than the last day of teacher pre-planning of each school year and that flex time be provided to those participating teachers by mutual agreement of the principal and teachers.

6.2 Teacher Workday: The workday for all teachers shall be no more than 7 3/4 hours except when mutually agreed upon by the faculty and the principal. Teachers' time shall be spent in the following areas: 1) Planning time, 2) Instructional time, and 3) Non-instructional duty. On non student days there shall be a one (1) hour lunch break. Teacher school improvement / accountability activity days shall not be used for district contact purposes. This does not preclude voluntary participation by teachers should district activities be scheduled on that day. On scheduled county contact days, thirty (30) minutes of travel time shall be allowed, each way, during the regular duty day if teachers are required to attend meetings at locations other than their regularly assigned schools.

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What is Comp time for Paraeducators or Secretaries?

‘Comp time’ is legally defined by Federal standards and is generated when you have earned overtime but have agreed to accept time off instead. It must be officially recorded. Paraeducators and Secretaries are hourly employees and must be compensated for all time worked. Teachers are considered professional salaried employees and do not qualify for comp time. Even if a paraeducator or secretary takes work home, you are to be compensated for the work. You should always limit your work to your assigned hours unless approved by your administrator, as the District requires permission in order to be compensated for extra work.

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2.8 Regular Straight Time Hourly Rate: The “regular straight time hourly rate” means an employee’s straight hourly base rate and applicable supplements and longevity if any.
2.9 OVERTIME: “Overtime” shall be defined as hours worked in excess of forty (40) hours during the basic work week.
2.10 COMPENSATORY TIME: Compensatory time earned in lieu of overtime pay is at the rate of one and one-half times per hour worked. All other compensatory time is earned as listed in the specific article. Compensatory time must be used at the worksite earned and in the school year it is earned. It cannot be carried over from year to year. Use of compensatory time must be approved by the administrator and used when it least impacts the students.
8.4-2. Full day paraeducators shall have a paid duty free lunch period of not less than twenty (20) minutes of each school day, scheduled around the regular school lunch hours. When a scheduled lunch period is unfeasible, the principal/director must consult with the Director of Employee Relations to work out a solution. The Association President will be notified of the situation and proposed solution.
8.4-3. Full day paraeducators shall have a fifteen (15) minute break in the morning and a fifteen (15) minute break in the afternoon while classes are in session. When a scheduled break(s) is unfeasible, the principal/director must consult with the Director of Employee Relations to work out a solution. The Association President will be notified of the situation and proposed solution. When scheduled breaks for Interpreter/Tutors are unfeasible, they shall receive one-half (1/2) hour pay supplement upon prior approval by the Director of Exceptional Student Education.

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5.10 Break Periods: All employees are entitled to two (2) fifteen minute breaks in each 7 1/2 - or 8-hour shift, but said breaks cannot be taken consecutively or added to extend the meal period.
5.11 Meal Periods: All employees who work more than four (4) hours daily shall be granted a meal period of not less than 30 minutes nor more than one (1) hour of each work day. Time of meal period to be approved by the principal/immediate supervisor.
5.12 Regular Straight Time Hourly Rate: The "regular straight time hourly rate" means an employee's straight hourly base rate and applicable shift premium if any.
5.13 Overtime: "Overtime" shall be defined as hours worked in excess of forty (40) hours during the basic work week.
5.14 Holiday, Vacation, Sick Leave: Time worked for purpose of computing overtime, holidays, vacation, and/or sick leave shall be considered as time worked during an employee's regular scheduled work week for the purpose of computing overtime.
5.15 Compensatory Time: Compensatory time is time earned in lieu of overtime pay at the rate of one and one-half times per hour worked.

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How do I report earning and using comp time?

Your sign in and out sheet is your official time record and should accurately reflect all time worked. Paraeducators and secretaries should always put down the ACTUAL hours that you work. If you work more than 40 hours in a week, you earn over-time, which must be paid at 1.5 times your regular rate of pay. If you accept comp time instead of overtime pay, then you should receive an hour-and-a-half for every hour for which you would have earned overtime pay. It is important to keep your time records accurately through your sign in sheets as they have been used to document hours worked when over and under payment is alleged. You should sign in at the time you arrive and out at the time you leave. The District must pay you for all the time that you work, including overtime. It is important to clarify when your supervisor is insisting that a project be completed, whether you are authorized to work overtime. If not, leave on time. The law requires that you be paid and that any “comp time” is by your choice and can be reasonably used.

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What happens if the district is closed when I am scheduled to work?

We have seen the District close its doors this year on days when only twelve-month employees are scheduled to work in order to reduce energy costs. The District cannot legally lock you out and force you to use vacation leave. While many of you are comfortable with having the time off and using your vacation, some have expressed concern about needing to maintain their vacation for planned events or you don’t have earned vacation to cover the days. The District has continued its practice of offering alternative schedules for those who do not either have vacation days or do not want to use their vacation days. If you do not want to use your vacation days, the alternative is to work with your administrator to identify time worked beyond your normal working hours. In almost every case, work has been identified that needs to be done or that has already been completed that qualifies for comp time. If ever this cannot be resolved directly with your administrator, call PEA. The Director of Employee Relations has always been able to resolve any remaining situation for the affected employee.

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How is seniority calculated for displacement or layoff purposes ?

Seniority is by the date of hire in the district for the contract you work under. The only exceptions to the seniority rule are for specific certifications or licensure. Example if the LPN Para is the last hired no one else can take her position due to licensure so the next newest para would be the one approached. There is language in all contracts on how displacements/layoffs are notified and handled.

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W hat is the Staff Dress Code?

The standard for appropriate dress is a clean, neat, professional appearance for your job. This will vary from position to position within the District and may even change from day to day, depending on what you expect to be doing. The key is to use good judgment. If your administrator tries to tell you what to wear or speaks to you individually about how you dress, talk to your building representative or contact the PEA office for direction. There is no one uniform way to dress.