Tuesday, March 21, 2017

UFT Members And The Cumulative Absence Reserve.




























There seems to be some confusion about our Cumulative Absence Reserve (CAR) and how school administrators try to dictate how they are used.  This post will try to clear up the many misconceptions about our CAR.

First, all UFT members get ten sick days a school year, or one per month credited on the 16th of the school month.  Up to three of the days can be used for personal business but must be approved by the Principal. Teachers, Guidance Counselors, and Social Workers can have a negative CAR of up to 20 days but must reimburse the DOE if they are still negative at the time they retire, resign, or get terminated.

Second, a common misconception is that if you take three consecutive sick days, you must have medical documentation (a doctor's note) proving you were ill.  The truth is that you do not need any medical documentation for the absences and in fact, the UFT won an arbitration that allows the UFT member to take ten consecutive days without providing medical documentation. Yet, school after school, the administration insists on doctor's note for an absence.  My take is that if you have one then humor them and give it to them, if you don't, that's too bad,  they cannot insist on one.

Third, if you exhaust your CAR and go over negative twenty, it is leave without pay.  Moreover, you must notify your school of any long-term absence over 20 days.  Otherwise, the DOE will assume you have voluntarily resigned and getting your position back is extremely difficult.

Fourth, if you use your CAR days as terminal leave and decide not to retire before you exhaust them, you will be sent to the ATR pool, unless your Principal wants you back.

Fifth, ATRs who take ten or more sick days will automatically be given an "unsatisfactory" rating by the field supervisor.

Finally, CAR days cannot be cashed in except at retirement and at a two for one basis.


You can read my previous post on the Cumulative Absence Reserve Here.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Stark gave unsatisfactory to a lot of ATRs based on attendace.

Anonymous said...

If you are an ATR and don't have a doctors note for over 3 days, even if they aren't consecutive, you will be targeted. You will also be targeted if you have a pattern of Mondays or Fridays. If you took a FMLA you will be targeted. If you went over 10 days absent you will be targeted, even with doctors notes, and given a U for the year. The UFT is aware and does nothing. Pure harassment.

Anonymous said...

I wish there was a way to take a leave without pay for say a month and NOT use your CAR days during the time you are away. I have a ton of days in my car but don't want to loose them. I could afford to take a month off and not get paid.

Anonymous said...

What is the UFT doing? Nothing?

Anonymous said...

Cashed in at retirement or resignation.

Anonymous said...

ATR Supervisor Justin Stark is a stuttering imbecile who was born of first cousins.


Anonymous said...

Chaz, thanks for writing about the fact that you DO NOT need an MD not under any circumstance...even if you take 3 consecutive days. It seems that no one is aware about the UFT win on that.

You forgot to mention one thing - for guidance counselor's, social workers, and psychologists (who still work under the old S/U rating system) - if you go over 10 days in one year ***even with MD notes*** you can still get a U rating for time/attendance. No, it is not an automatic thing. It is completely the principal's choice!! Therefore, if you are on your principal's bad side, he can absolutely give a U rating, EVEN WITH MD NOTES! Again, it is completely the principal's DISCRETION. I hate to say this, but this is a reason why you should show respect and be kind to your principal.

Anonymous said...

ATRS have a raw deal. Glad I'm not one.

Highly Effective King Clovis said...

I took one day off this year as an ATR, that was a couple weeks ago. Lucky for me I don't usually get sick. I guess they want sick ATR's coming in and infecting everyone.

Duke de Guise said...

I have a question you or the readership might be able to answer: I was planning on bailing out after this year, but will work the 2017-2018 school year to take advantage of a step raise and the salary increase in May of 2018.

My question is this: my 62nd birthday is at the end of October, 2018, and my plan is to come to the first days of PD before the students arrive for the 2017-18 school year, take my ten sick days, then go on terminal leave until the end of October, filing for retirement on 11/1/18. The idea is to stop teaching in June, but not take the penalty of retiring before 62.

Does this sound like a viable plan?

Anonymous said...

Vile rabid slug gave u ratings to people with perfect attendance too the slug stark - nasty illiterate piece of garbage

Anonymous said...

I got Stark so unhinged a few years ago he turned red and started stuttering, dribbling all over his notes. Got a U, but it was worth it as it occurred within earshot of multiple teachers I respect.

Hey Justin Stark, former APO and Social Studies teacher at a defunct Queens, NY HS.....

Hope you're reading this you inbred tool! What was it like, going through childhood knowing your parents were first cousins?



Chaz said...

Anon 1:57

Your plan has a flaw. You get one sick day per month. Therefore, you do not have even one sick day at the start of the school year.

You would be better off to work the month of September and take terminal leave after that.

retired teacher said...

One thing to keep in mind is that, by retiring July First, you receive the two months summer pay plus the pension. This means you receive double payments for two months. If you retied February 1st you would receive only one months summer pay.

Anonymous said...

Question: Is there a cap on 10 days total (not consecutive) without needing a note before you get docked pay? I had a baby this year and took 7 days off, plus another 4 for other reasons, and on the 11th day off they docked me pay for an unauthorized absence.

Chaz said...

RT:

Good point to consider when to retire..

Anon 10:54

Unfortunately, some bad administrators can do this.

Anonymous said...

My school requires doctor's notes, and if you take off Mon or Fri there is hell to pay!

Chaz said...

Your school cannot require doctor's notes for your absences. Moreover, unless there is a pattern, they cannot stop you from taking off on Monday or Friday.

Unitymustgo! said...

I've been told something about how if you provide a medical note then the day off does not count as a self treated day. I've been told this is important. Something about how if you go over 10 days absent, but they are medically treated they can't hold them against you the same way? To be honest I've never quite grasped the nuance. Can anyone explain. Thxs.

Anonymous said...

my situation:I am 46 and I have 10 years to go. I am in the 25/55 program. I will be 56 years old when I am finishing my 24th teaching year. I would have 25 years of service in September 2027, thus fulfilling the 25/55 requirement. Currently, I have 117 days saved in my CAR. I want to take terminal leave. Say I save the maximum, and that I accumulate the 200 days.
My question:
If I take terminal leave in February 2027, and I don't teach that entire term, will I meet the 25 year requirement? Will I get paid over the summer?
In June of 2027, I will be 56 with 24 year and 10 months. I am asking if I take terminal leave for the spring term. Will I be two month shy of fulfilling requirement?
Otherwise, If I take terminal leave from Feb 2, 2027 - May 25,2017, and I come back for one month, get paid over the summer and put my retirement papers in August. Will that work?
Also is there any way you know of that I can earn pension credit concurrently? like if I work at a CUNY or Parks dept...

Chaz said...

The answer is no. By being short 2 months and the limitation of a semester of terminal leave, you can not use the summer months. Therefore, you would have to end your terminal leave on May 25th and come back and teach until November 1st.

Anonymous said...

Stark is an expert in writing negative observations. He would do anything to break you.

nyamyj said...

Can’t they take the ten sick days if they reduce the terminal leave amount by 10 days in their CAR. That way they get 1 for 1 days and don’t come to school for two work weeks instead of losing 5 of the 10?

Anonymous said...

Stark recently didn't last more than a year as an AP at Edison. Back to assassin's pool.