Final Deadline; OT shortage; Teachers' Pension Plan; No First Duty;

 

IT'S URGENT - BILL 115 REMEDY DEADLINE

If you were an Occasional Teacher or permanent Teacher in a public elementary school in 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, you may be eligible for up to $1606 in remedy pay-out, tax free. (Work for multiple Boards during that time period counts for OT eligibility.)

For further details check FAQ's about ETFO's Bill 115 Remedy Award .

NOTE - The deadline to file a Claim or Notice of Objection is September 30/22 at11:59 PM. Objections or claims filed after that time will not be eligible for consideration.

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Shortage of Occasional Teachers - 

TVOT members need to be aware that there is still an OT shortage at the elementary level in TVDSB. 

Therefore the Union requests that you:

- make note whenever you are asked to forfeit the prep period of the Teacher you are replacing (date, assignment, number of minutes). The Local will advocate that members be compensated for these lost periods, provided by the Collective Agreement

- block off on TVARRIS whenever you are not available so that the system is most efficient (there is no penalty blocking out of the system)

- consider expanding your horizons and taking jobs at some of the lovely schools just outside of London's boundaries

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Did you know  - 

Your Pension Plan

Regardless of where  you are in your teaching career, your pension is important as it may become your largest source of retirement income and your largest financial asset

- every year in which you teach more than 10 days, counts as a pensionable year 

- retired members can work until the end of the month in which they exceed the 50 day re-employment limit, without affecting their pension Teaching after retirement

- in 1917 the Teachers of Ontario created a pension plan in which Teachers would pay part of their salary into the plan and the government would match their contributions. This plan was administered by the government (not always favourably for Teachers as investments were usually limited to low-interest government bonds)

- in 1990, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP) was created to allow both parties to oversee administration of the benefits and investments of the plan 

- OTPP has more than $200 billion in assets and owns 100% of Masonville Mall and the Toronto Eaton Centre (Cadillac Fairview)

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No First Duty - 

Unless you have been hired for a long-term assignment, an Occasional Teacher shall not be assigned a supervisory duty prior to the commencement of class on the first morning of an assignment or prior to the commenceent of an afternoon class if it is a half-day assignment. (Article L18.03)

Any request or any agreement to forfeit this protection, is a violation of  the terms negotiated in your Collective Agreement for the benefit of all Occasional Teachers. Do not hesitate to contact the TVOT Local with any questions or concerns in this regard.

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It's About More than Orange Shirts

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Rowan's Law Day Toolkit For Schools

This Toolkit For Schools has been developed to help schools and classrooms recognize Rowan's Law Day and to encourage students to speak up about concussions.

The Toolkit includes:

- information about Rowan Stringer 

- a list of concussion awareness activities for schools

- printable posters

- ready to go social media posts for Facebook and Twitter

- links to additional concussion resources

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2022 - 2023 Pocket Calendars and Fall Newsletter

Important deadlines; LTO Forms; Fifth Disease; TVOT PD Committee; Generation Black Symposium, TBA Columbia Store Invitation; National Tree Day; International Day of Peace

 

DEADLINE Sept., 30/22: If you were a permanent Teacher or Occasional Teacher in the 2012 - 2013 and/or 2013 - 2014 school years, you may be eligible to receive a damage payment as part of ETFO's award in our Bill 115 Remedy Settlement .

Those who are eligible should have received notice from Provincial ETFO in August. If you believe you are eligible and did not receive information or if you have an objection as to your eligibility then you only have until September Bill 115 Remedy Notice of Objection .

If you fail to meet the September 30, 2022, objection deadline, your amount will be considered final, and no dispute will be allowed.  

Payments are not expected to take place until sometime after late spring 2023.

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DEADLINE 4 pm Wednesday: TVOT members only have until 4 PM today, Wed., September 21st to submit Reflection Forms to Staff Development if they wish to receive a half day of pay for completing OCT's Sexual Abuse Prevention Program (SAPP). 

This is a firm deadline for payment.

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- LTOs will be paid the daily casual rate until the school sends in their LTO Form and until the LTO provides the Board with a QECO/Qualifications Rating Statement - Program 5 and proof of any previous teaching experience. QECO statements come from www.qeco.on.ca / 1-800-385-1030 (a printout of your TVDSB pay stub to proves employment). LTOs only have until July 31^st to send these documents to Staffing Officer Jessica Grison Roeder.  

- Daily OTs can earn 2 days of additional pay which counts for all purposes as teaching time, by registering for paid PD in the TVDSB Employee Portal >Conference Session Registrations. Online modules can be completed at your convenience (day, night or weekend), however payment is triggered by submission of a TVDSB Reflection Form, to Staff Development within 3 days of completion.

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Are You Immune to Fifth Disease?

- Check before you are pregnant to see if you are immune.

- LTO absences because of an outbreak of Fifth Disease are deducted from their sick leave

- Schools in TVDSB will post outbreaks of Fifth Disease both in TVARRIS and at the site

- For more information about TVDSB's policy on Fifth Disease go to page 9 of TVDSB Policies and Procedures 

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Your TVOT Local is pleased to announce a return to in-person, after school professional development sessions.

If you would like to share your ideas about relevant PD geared to OTs, then we invite you to be part of our PD Committee. The team meets just a few times after school - dinner is provided and travel costs are compensated. 

Email us at PD Committee 2022 - 2023

Is water damage covered by car insurance?

With floods claiming the top spot for Canada’s most frequent natural hazard, and average annual precipitation increasing nationwide, many Canadian car owners are wondering how far their coverage extends when it comes to protecting their vehicles from water damage.

Whether or not your vehicle is covered for water-related damage depends on your insurance policy and how the damage occurred.

Read more at www.otip.com/article150.

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Dates for TVOT's upcoming Columbia Store Outlet invitation will soon be confirmed so please check back for more information regarding this in the next few weeks. We know these opportunities are always popular!

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It's National Tree Day - 

Click here for Tree Canada information

Daily OT info; ETFO E-newsletter; Benefits for LTOs; In case of an allegation

 

As a Daily OT, did you know:

- You can accept daily assignments beyond your qualifications.

- Morning half-day assignments shall end no later than 20 minutes after the end of instructional time and afternoon assignments shall begin no earlier than 20 minutes before class instructional time.

- Occasional Teachers shall not be assignment supervisory duties prior to the commencement of class on the first morning of an assignment or prior to class on the afternoon on the first day if it is a half-day afternoon assignment.

- The timetable for an Occasional Teacher shall be the same as the timetable for the Teacher they are replacing. This includes prep periods and supervisory duties.

- Prep periods are regarded as paid time so OTs are expected to remain on site. 

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Keep informed - subscribe to ETFO Provincial's e-Newsletter 

 Sign up here

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Benefit Plan for LTOS 

The ETFO ELHT benefits plan provides coverage for LTOs in teaching assignment must be 90-consecutive calendar days or longer 

• Enrolment in the benefits plan is mandatory for 1.0 teacher in an LTO assignment for 90 consecutive days or longer;
• Benefits coverage will begin on the first day of a known 90+ calendar assignment and coverage will cease upon termination of the assignment; and
• Must be one continuous assignment of at least 90 consecutive calendar days (e.g. a 45-day assignment followed by another 45-day assignment will not constitute eligibility).
• Enrollment information will come from OTIP through your TVDSB email.

Part-time Pro-rated Premiums
Occasional Teachers in eligible LTO assignments where the FTE is less than 1.0 and who voluntarily opt into health and/or dental benefits will be required to pay health and dental premiums on a pro-rated basis (e.g. 0.6 FTE would be required to pay 40% of the monthly premium for health and dental; 0.2 FTE would be required to pay 80%, etc.), retroactive to the first day of the eligible LTO assignment.

Combining Permanent and LTO Contracts
LTO eligibility rules may be combined with contract eligibility rules – for example, where a 0.5 permanent teacher also has a 0.5 LTO teaching assignment of 90 consecutive days or longer, the member may combine eligibility and premium share to receive full benefits coverage with no member contribution for the duration of the LTO assignment. Following the completion of the LTO assignment, should the member voluntarily opt to maintain health and/or dental benefits, the member will be responsible for paying 50% of the premiums for health and dental as required by the eligibility rules for part-time permanent employees.

For further details click on ELHT FAQ Page.

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Keeping your contact information up to date with the Board is a condition of employment so be sure you advise TVDSB of any changes via the Employee Portal!

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Did you know that Provincial ETFO has a website dedicated to your occupational health and safety? 

For information on Worker's Rights and your Right to Refuse Work, check out the ETFO Health and Safety site.

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If you are ever contacted regarding an allegation or if you feel unsure about a situation, please contact:

• Your Local ETFO Thames Valley Occasional Teachers' Local at 519-641-3936, or 
• The Provincial ETFO Office at 1-888-838-3836.

ALL OTs/LTOs have a right to Union representation from their OT Office at any meeting which might result in discipline - Never hesitate to call us - it's confidential!

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Securing what matters – 

5 security tips to make your car theft proof

You may be thinking that your new vehicle is already equipped with the latest security features – and that might be the case – but in reality a lot of basic features aren’t deterring criminals from accessing your car. With rising incidents of theft, especially to newer vehicles, have you wondered if your security was compromised? Here are 5 security tips to make your car more secure against theft.

Read more at www.otip.com/article151.

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Bill 115 Remedy Payments; Employee Assistance Provider; Generation Black

 TIME SENSITIVE -

By now, members who are eligible for the Bill 115 Remedy payment (those who taught in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years), will have received notification from Provincial ETFO about their entitlements to compensation. For an explanation as to how the payment amount was determined, click on Bill 115 Remedy: ETFO's Frequently Asked Questions .

If you would like to dispute this information, please complete the Notice of Objection  form immediately as government requires all forms be submitte prior to September 30,2022. Forms received after that date will not be reviewed. 

N.B. Given the timelines set out in the settlement, payments to eligible members will not occur any sooner than late spring 2023.

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New Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) Provider

As of September 1, 2022 Lifeworks will takeover to confidentially support TVDSB Employees and their families. This includes all Occasional Teachers regardless of their assignments. 

A Lifeworks information session is scheduled on Tues., September 20th at 4 PM. For more information, log into the Employee Portal and click on "View My Employee Assistance Program" and follow the steps as provided.  

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TVDSB Hiring Process

Be assured that your Local in no way endorses the Board's current hiring practices including the lottery process for hiring LTOs. 

As your bargaining team prepares for the upcoming round, know that hiring practices will be among our top issues. 

We have heard your comments. We agree with you and we will count on your support!

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Reflections on a New School Year

Summer days are getting shorter, and the evenings are getting cooler. Before you know it, you are at the mall for "back to school shopping” for you and your family, and maybe even for the classroom.

As you prepare for the new school year, you may be thinking and finding ways to re-engage, refresh, and re-imagine what the new school year will bring, and how you can best enhance or support the learning experience for students in your community. Fall is also a good time to take stock of your own personal goals including those that support your health, wellness and financial security.

As members of the Ontario education community, you also have access to exclusive contests, promotions and special offers, including Edvantage--your exclusive savings program. 

Read on to learn more about what OTIP has to offer you at: www.otip.com/article149.

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Leaves of Absence; Ten days to remain on the OT List; Message to Members re Lottery; OTF Campground; Prep Payback

 

Unavailable to Teach Next Year?  Apply for a Leave of Absence!

If you are not available to teach for TVDSB next year, you can keep your place on the OT elementary list by applying for a leave of absence. Full-year leaves under Article L10.16  must be received no later than December 30th of the school year in which the leave is to begin. E.g. Dec. 30/22 for a leave for the 2022 - 2023 school year.

To apply, log into the Employee Portal and in the blue border along the left hand side, click on Laserfiche - Electronic Forms. There you will find forms for various negotiated leaves, ranging from part-year to full-year in length.  The form will ask for your supervisor. Currently this is Clare MacMillan whose email is clare.macmillan@tvdsb.ca. 

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Removal From the List

The Collective Agreement requires that everyone on the TVOT List must teach a minimum of 10 days per school year in order to remain on the Occasional Teacher List with the TVDSB. Those on Board approved full-year leaves are exempt from this requirement. For those who took a part-year leave of absence, the Board looks for at least one day of teaching per month which means if an OT returned from a leave at the start of February, they would need at total of 5 teaching days by June 30th.  

N.B. mandatory online training counts as .5 of a day and OTs have access to 3 additional paid PD sessions for a total of 2 full days which count for all purposes, as time teaching.

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- All OTs/LTOs: complete Annual WHMIS review, Offence Declaration, IT Declaration, Privacy Declaration in the Employee Portal (this is a condition of your employment)

- All OTs/LTOs: complete 9 mandatory online training modules listed in Employee Portal in "Employee Training" under "2021-2022 OTE Required Training"

- Daily OTs: last day to submit paid PD modules found in the Employee Portal in "Conference Session Registrations". Daily OTs have access to 3 half-days plus a half-day for mandatory training

- LTOs in assignments less than .5 and those LTOs whose assignments end June 29th: last day to submit 2 sessions (one day) of paid PD modules found in the Employee Portal in "Conference Session Registrations".  

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Lost Prep Time Payback Claims 

As agreed to by the Board and the Union in a Letter of Understanding, TVOT daily Occasional Teachers and LTOs who lost their prep periods can still submit their claims for a cash payback for that time via the link TVDSB emailed to members in Outlook in the "Occasional Teacher Elementary" section (bottom left hand side), dated June 13, 2022.

NB: Daily OTs who accepted full day prep payback assignments but did not receive 40 minutes of prep time at the beginning as provided by Article L18.03, are eligible to claim this lost prep time. 

L 18.03 (c)     If the assignment is for the Occasional Teacher to provide preparation time payback in full day assignment, then that Occasional Teacher shall be provided with a minimum of forty (40) minutes preparation time at the beginning of the assignment. 

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Message from your Local President - Terry Card

I can recall no issue that has  prompted more complaints to our TVOT Local office, than TVDSB's decision to use a lottery system again this year, to fill centrally staffed long-term positions. We hear your anger and your anguish and to be clear, your TVOT Local in no way endorses this practice. We agree with the comments so many of you have provided in our membership survey and in your phone calls and emails. However, the Board has not listened to the arguments we have presented all year, and with the revocation of Regulation 274 (which set a provincial framework for hiring), each Board can develop its own process.

For all those members who have requested that the Local go out on strike or at least, embark on work to rule over the issue, please note that we cannot legally utilize either of these yet - both are considered to be strike actions and are not lawful until certain conditions are met once our Collective Agreement has expired.  Be assured, however that hiring practices will be this Local's top issue when negotations open next school year and at that time, we will count on the support of the membership.

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Bill 115 Remedy Update

On February 3, 2022, Provincial ETFO shared with members that Justice Lederer had reached a Bill 115 remedy decision. The award requires ETFO to endeavour to notify eligible members of the damages payment and the basis for its calculation. More information about these payment calculations and eligibility can be found at Bill 115 Remedy FAQ

ETFO members and former members who are eligible to receive a Bill 115 remedy payment should receive correspondence from Provincial ETFO by mail/email before August 31, 2022. This includes Occasional Teachers/LTOs who taught either or both the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years. 

If you believe you are eligible but do not receive correspondence from Provincial ETFO by August 31, 2022, please fill out ETFO's Bill 115 Notice of Objection Form no later than 11:59 PM on September 30, 2022. 

Based on the approximate timelines provided by the Ministry of Education, school boards are expected to pay out funds to eligible members by June 2023. 

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OTF Campground

One of the hidden gems is the Ontario Teachers’ Federation (OTF) Campground on picturesque Quinn Lake. The camp site is available to all OTF members and education workers in publicly-funded schools.

Booking for the 2022 Campground Season is open. Learn more here or email campground@otffeo.on.ca.

 

A receipt for the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit will be issued after the camp closes in October and before the 2022 tax season ends.

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Please note: your Local TVOT Office will be closed after June 30th and will re-open when school resumes in September. We do however check our ETFOTVOT emails on a weekly basis.

Should an emergency occur where members require assistance from ETFO Provincial, you can contact them at 1-888-838-3836.

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$500 is Yours! Do You Know? 8 Days Left

 

Can You Afford To Leave This Behind?

Daily Occasional Teachers with TVDSB are entitled to 4 half-days of paid PD which for all purposes, count as days worked. (LTOs in .5 FTE or less are entitled to 2 half-days.)

The 9 mandatory training modules required to remain employed, count as 1 half day. 

In addition, there are plenty of online options (including OCT's Sexual Awareness programme), that can be completed on your own time so long as the reflection forms are submitted by the end of school day on June 30th.

We encourage TVOT members to "Earn while you Learn", and not leave almost $500 on the table at the end of this school year.

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- If you missed the Board's June 20th deadline to submit your lost prep time Payback Claim, there will be another opportunity, date TBA.

- Payment to members who are eligible for the Board's Retention Stipend, will occur automatically - no application is necessary.

- If you have completed your OCT Sexual Abuse program but have used your paid PD allotment, you can submit it in early September as one of your Paid PD options. 

- TVOT members can apply for up to 2 full years leave of absence from the OTE List under Article L10.16 with no reasons given.  Apply in the Employee Portal under Laserfiche (left-hand side). N.B. for this purpose, the  Supervisor to list is Clare MacMillan / clare.macmillan@tvdsb.ca.

- If submitting an Employment Insurance claim, your Local does not have a number but is entered as: ETFO Thames Valley Occasional Teachers' Local.

- For purposes of Employment Insurance, a day of work is recorded as 8 hours.

- Those in LTOs only have until July 31st to submit to the Board, their QECO rating and proof of any previous teaching experience outside of TVDSB. If you are awaiting your QECO rating, then send the receipt by the deadline - otherwise you will miss earning the correct salary for work done in 2021 - 2022.

- TVOT's large September mail-out to members uses the address you have on file with TVDSB so please keep that information up to date in the Employee Portal - it is also a condition of employment with this Board.

- Benefits for LTOs end with the end of their long-term assignment.

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- Deadline to complete the 9 Mandatory online modules found in the Employee Portal under Employee Training "2021 - 2022 OTE Required Training" .  (Counts as a half-day of teaching.)

Completion of these modules is a condition of employment.

- Deadline to complete online sessions found in Employee Portal under Conference Session Registrations under Elementary Occasional Teacher PD 2021 - 2022, listed for June 30, 2022. (Each session counts as a half-day of teaching.)

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TVDSB Hiring Timelines and Process; Prep Payback Claims; Columbia Invitation; Important Deadlines; June 30 PD Day; OCT Fees

THE HIRING TIMELINES for Permanent and LTO Positions in TVDSB have been released:

• Round 4 postings are expected to come out the last week of June with vitural inteviews to follow once the posting has closed.
• For September LTO positions where the Administrator wishes to interview, postings will come out on July 11th and close on July 13th (3 days only) with virtual interviews to follow once postings close, until July 27th.
• September LTO positions that are to be filled centrally, will be posted August 8th and close on August 12th (5 day posting) with placements to occur the week of August 15th.

THE HIRING PROCESS for Permanent and LTO Positions in TVDSB has not been changed from the process used last year, in spite of the Local's continued advocacy for a more fair and transparent process. The Board has informed the Local that they will use a revised checklist that includes teaching qualifications, education and varied work experience skill sets. They have advised us that they will continue to use a lottery system for centrally placed LTOs however. 

Occasional Teachers are advised to check the Occasional Teacher section of their TVDSB Outlook regularly for additional information.

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Prep Payback Claims 

As agreed to by the Board and the Union in a Letter of Understanding, TVOT daily Occasional Teachers and LTOs who lost their prep periods can now submit their claims for a cash payback for that time via the link TVDSB emailed to members in Outlook in the "Occasional Teacher Elementary" section (bottom left hand side), dated June 13, 2022.

NB: Daily OTs who accepted full day prep payback assignments but did not receive 40 minutes of prep time at the beginning as provided by Article L18.03, are eligible to claim this lost prep time. 

L 18.03 (c)     If the assignment is for the Occasional Teacher to provide preparation time payback in full day assignment, then that Occasional Teacher shall be provided with a minimum of forty (40) minutes preparation time at the beginning of the assignment. 

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 - Deadline is June 30th to complete Mandatory Training Modules as required to remain on the OT List. Go to Employee Training in the Employee Portal and complete all 9 modules listed under OTE:

from "Automated External Defibrillator (AED)" to "TVDSB Guidelines on the non-use of racial and other slurs and epithets". You can check to see that your modules have been received if the check mark is still there next time you log in. 

- Deadline is June 30th to complete Annual WHMIS review / Offence Declaration / IT Declaration / Privacy Declaration found in the Employee Portal - this is a condition of Employment.

- Deadline is June 30th to complete your Paid PD which counts for all puposes as time worked. Each option counts as a half day so check in the Employee Portal under "Conference/Session Registration" and click on "Elementary Occasional Teacher PD 2021-2022" for registration and further details about each session.

- Deadline is June 30th to be pre-approved for the Local's $400 Professional Learning Development Fund/PLDF, as the TVOT office is closed during July and August.

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LTOs and the June 30th PD Day

L20.03    A Long-Term Occasional Teacher who is scheduled to work when there is a Professional Activity Day will be paid for the day and will be required to participate in the scheduled professional activity sessions, pro-rated according to the FTE of the assignment. This includes any Professional Activity Day scheduled the last day of school in June provided the permanent Teacher being replaced does not return to work that day. 

This means if the end date of your LTO is June 30, 2022 then you are expected to attend and you will be paid at grid rate.

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The onus is on Occasional Teachers to ensure that their OCT Fees are paid each year. 

Those who fail to pay their fees will be paid as uncertified instructors, cannot be pre-booked for assignments or LTOs and lose their rights to ETFO representation and legal support. These people are listed by OCT as "inactive/non-practicing" rather than being in "good standing".

To ensure you are in good standing, we encourage members to visit OCT membership .

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Renovations that you should call your insurance broker about -

If you’re like many other Canadian homeowners who have recently come out of the pandemic, chances are you have either completed some type of renovation or have something planned in the future. Here’s a list of situations that are important to review with your broker ahead of time.

Read more at www.otip.com/article148.

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It's Almost Here -

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