ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS FOR CLASS COVERAGE
PAYMENT
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- What is the basis for payment for covering another teacher's class?
In accordance with your WTU contract, a substitute shall be hired to cover every absence of a classroom teacher. When a supervisor is unable to provide substitute service, a teacher may be required to cover the class during his/her planning period. In addition, if substitute service is not available, an elementary teacher may be required to receive additional students in his/her class.
- How are teachers to be compensated for loss of a planning period?
- The teacher may request to have the lost planning period restored (another planning period scheduled/provided during the same pay period), or
B. Be compensated on a pro rata basis of $30 per hour or fifty cents ($0.50) per minute for the planning time lost due to class coverage.
- How are teachers to be compensated for class coverage by receiving additional students within their class?
At the Elementary Level, when elementary classroom teachers who, due to another teacher's absence, receive additional students that results in the number of students present in the class to exceed the daily roster AND the contractual limit, the following compensation guidelines shall be followed:
A. The teacher is to be compensated at the per diem rate of $30 per day for each day of coverage that results in the daily roster and the contractual limit being exceeded.
B. For Special Subject Teachers: If a special Subject teacher receive students due to coverage on any given day, that results in the daily roster and the contractual limit being exceeded in three or more classes, he/she shall be paid $30 per day.
- A teacher has been assigned to cover a 5th grade class below the contractual size during his/her planning period. Does he/she receive $30 per hour pro rata?
Yes. Both Secondary and Elementary teachers are to be paid $30 per hour, pro rata for class coverage during their planning time regardless of the contractual class size.
- Does a teacher receive $30 for the day if he/she has more students present in the classroom than the contractual limit because of additional students for the day?
Yes. The teacher must receive at least one student that causes their class size to exceed the contractual limit that day.
- Under what conditions can a teacher receive both the $30 for the day and $30 per hour pro rata?
A teacher must receive at least one student that causes their class size to exceed the contractual limit and lose their planning time that day.
- Is there a specific form or document needed to track and report instances of class coverage?
Yes, the Class Coverage Payment Record has been developed for and is to be utilized to report all instances of teachers providing class coverage or receiving additional students that exceed both their daily roster and the contractual limit.
- Does the principal use the form to assign coverage to a teacher?
No, the principal does not utilize the Class Coverage Payment Record form to assign coverage to a teacher. The principal or his/her designee is to utilize the form to report the time to the Payroll department in order to have the teacher compensated for providing the coverage. However, as a good practice and to provide the teacher with a record of the coverage the teacher provided, the principal or timekeeper should provide the teacher a copy of the Payment Record form for the teacher's records. Principals should utilize their current methodology for assigning class coverage in conjunction with their master schedule.
- Does the timekeeper use this form to report pay for coverage for each affected teacher for each pay period?
Yes, reporting class coverage is a component of the time and attendance process. Thus, the timekeeper is to use the Class Coverage Timesheet for each teacher's coverage provided during the specific pay period. The form should be utilized to report any coverage provided by the teacher during the pay period. Only one form is needed per teacher per pay period.
- Who adds up the total amount of coverage for each affected teacher for each pay period?
The timekeeper is to calculate the total amount of class coverage time provided by the teacher during the pay period and also calculate, based on the total class coverage time, the total amount to be compensated. To assist the timekeeper with this process, the form indicates the rate of compensation for each type of class coverage provided.
- Does the teacher complete a separate form for each day of coverage?
The teacher is not required to complete a form. He/she should be provided a copy of the bi-weekly payment record by the timekeeper. However, it is advisable that the teacher keep track of the coverage he/she provides each day and use this information to reconcile the record that the timekeeper provides them. If the teacher does not receive a copy of the payment record, he/she should request a copy from the timekeeper.
- Does the teacher submit his/her form(s) to the timekeeper for each pay period or is this done by the principal or his/her designee?
The timekeeper is responsible for completing the Class Coverage Timesheet for each teacher who has provided class coverage during each pay period. Teachers should keep their own record of coverage; however, they are not required to complete or submit a Class Coverage Timesheet.
- What is the process for checks and balances between principals & timekeepers as well as teachers and timekeepers to ensure that the correct amount of time is being submitted to payroll during each pay period?
The principal and/or his/her designee will record each instance of a teacher providing class coverage for an absent teacher - coverage provided by either the teacher losing a planning period or receiving additional students that exceed both the daily roster and the contractual limit. The timekeeper will compute/calculate the total amount of time of class coverage provided by each teacher and total amount of compensation due to each teacher as a result of the coverage provided. The teacher may utilize their own records to reconcile/ensure that the time reported is consistent with their record. Through this process, principals, timekeepers and teachers will have the same information.
- When must time keepers submit the pay for coverage time?
Time records for pay for coverage shall be submitted by the principal or his/her designee in accordance with the same timeline submission requirements for regular teacher pay.
- How will teachers be paid?
- Will teachers be paid in a separate check or will it be included on their regular check?
Teachers will receive their pay for coverage compensation on a biweekly basis. The payment (subject to applicable taxes) will be provided on the regular check.
- How will pay for coverage be identified on the check advisory/pay stub; as administrative premium or some other classification?
The pay for coverage compensation will be treated as additional pay and indicated as administrative premium - administrative pay.
- How long will teachers have to wait for their retroactive pay for coverage once their time has been submitted by the timekeeper?
Timekeepers should report all class coverage time, provided from the beginning of the '06 school year up to the end of the current pay period, to Payroll by December 8, 2006. If this is done, teachers should receive their payments for class coverage by December 22, 2006. Any corrections or adjustments to the payments will be made subsequent to that date. Timesheets may still be submitted for retroactive pay for coverage.
- How will class coverage and the resulting lost planning time which are built into the master schedule (less than the required 225 minutes weekly) be indicated on the class coverage payment form? Should there be a separate form for this category?
Lost planning time and class coverage that are built into the master schedule will be administered through another, separate process. Principals and/or his/her designees should speak with their Regional Superintendents to determine what process has been developed to manage such situations. See # 20 below.
- What compensation if any, do ET-15 and EG-09 members receive if the master schedule does not provide the required
225 minutes of planning time and 225 minutes of duty free
lunch time each week?
Effective January 22, 2007, all ET-15 and EG-09 members of the WTU bargaining unit who do not receive 225 minutes per week for both planning and duty free lunch will be paid fifty cents (.50) per minute for the amount of time lost.
Example: Ms. Smith received 200 minutes of planning time and 180 minutes for lunch last week. Under the WTU Contract, she is entitled to be paid fifty cents (.50) per minute for the 25 minutes of lost planning time and the 45 minutes of lost duty free lunch time ( 25 x .50 + 45 x.50 = 12.50 + 22.50 = $35.00).
