Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for May 4, 2006 RIF RIGHTS & SUMMER MONEY

Two separate but related topics...

RIF Rights:

The CAT bargaining team met with Superintendent Whitledge on April 25th to discuss the impact of the dismissal of all first-year and second-year teachers and to negotiate/clarify related issues. Two items that came out of that meeting...

• If you were RIFed last month (and are a member of the District's group health insurance plan), you will continue to receive Board-paid employee coverage through the month of August. If you have any of the other insurance tiers, you would still be responsible for paying the additional premiums through July for August coverage.

• If you were RIFed last month, you are entitled by law to receive your full remaining pay by the 3rd business day following the last day of school...no later than June 2nd this year. If that is your desire, you need do nothing.

  However, in past years, many RIFed teachers (anticipating that they would be hired back) did NOT want to receive these "lump sum payments". Instead, they wanted to continue to receive their "regular bi-monthly paychecks". We brought this concern to the Superintendent and asked that the District consider offering RIFed teachers an OPTION. Yesterday, Mr. Whitledge indicated that he had received the go-ahead.

  So...if you were RIFed and you would like to continue receiving checks twice a month through August, notify the Superintendent IN WRITING of that desire...no later than May 15, 2006.

Summer Money:

And speaking of May 15th...

Section 4.3 of the Contractual Agreement states:

• Employees requesting balance of yearly pay on the first pay day following the last day of school must do so by notifying the superintendent in writing no later than May 15. The total number allowed shall not exceed fifteen (15) in number and shall first honor those teachers resigning or dismissed by the District. Requests for payment for those not leaving the District will be honored by lottery. Federal and State tax deducted from the lump-sum payment shall be at the approximate rate/amount as if payments had been made as normally scheduled.

So...if you would like to receive a lump-sum payment of your "summer money", notify the Superintendent IN WRITING by May 15th. (NOTE: The first pay day following the last day of school this year is June 15th.)

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