Columbia Employee Store Invitation; Cancelled Daily Assignments; Benefits for LTOs with no end date; Responsibilities at end of a LTO; Pay over the Holidays;

Your Columbia Employee Store Invitation has arrived!

All ETFO Thames Valley Occasional Teachers and up to 4 of your guests, are invited to shop for brands such as Sorel, Columbia, Mountain Hardwear and prAna, at the Employee Store from December 20th to January 12th. (Offer is not valid for online purchases)

Bring your digital invitation and proof of employment to access the store. 

Donations of non-perishable food items for the Food Bank will be accepted. Items must have labels and must not be expired.

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• Any daily assignment can be cancelled in Thames Valley so long as there is 2 hours advance notice. This includes school closure due to inclement weather.
• If you are in a LTO assignment with an undetermined end, then you need to wait 90 calendar days in order to become eligible for benefits. For more information go to https://etfo-elhtbenefits.ca/faqs/
• Article L35.00(iii) states: When a long-term occasional teaching assignment is completed, it is the Occasional Teacher’s responsibility to leave assessment data at the end of their assignment (e.g., grades, anecdotal observations, notes, etc.). The Occasional Teacher may be assigned to assist with the completion of these report cards. In such an event, the Occasional Teacher shall be paid for the time to complete the report cards up to a maximum of one (1) day. The rate of pay shall be the rate the Occasional Teacher received during the long-term occasional teaching assignment.
• Neither permanent Teachers or Occasional Teachers/LTOs receive pay for statutory holidays (we are exempted under the Employment Standards Act) and so members are urged to take this into account when planning their budgets over the Winter Break.

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Edvantage Discounts for ETFO Members - 

To access the Edvantage program (www.edvantage.ca) for discounts with Goodlife Fitness, Bell, Marks, Soft Moc and many other retailers, members need their Provincial ETFO ID number. Request yours by emailing memberrecords@etfo.org or calling thee Provincial ETFO office at 1-888-838-3836.

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Provincial ETFO reminds us that the cost for the provincial government's decision to send out $200 pre-election cheques is around $3.2 billion - the same amount the government would need to invest in public education just to restore us to 2018 funding levels. We understand many individuals are struggling financially and can use the direct support, but we criticize the government's attempt to buy votes, rather than support public services.

If you share this opinion, consider emailing your MPP and a template for this is available at https://www.buildingbetterschools.ca/support-not-rebates

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To see how funding cuts have hurt your school, visit - https://www.buildingbetterschools.ca/

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Wondering where is your annual TVOT Pocket Calendar and Newsletter?

Our printer tells us that with a Canada Post strike looming, the mailhouse they use was swamped and so our order was delayed and is now part of the backload that Canada Post will deal with when contract talks are settled.

All we can do at this point is to apoligize for the delay - we really did try our best to avoid this situation.

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Important year-end financial planning deadlines and tips

As the year draws to a close, it’s a great time to review your financial situation and take advantage of year-end tax planning opportunities. With a little planning, you can maximize your savings, minimize your tax burden, and stay on track with your financial goals.

Here are a few key financial to-dos to consider:

• Saving for your first home or your child’s education? Contribute to your First Home Savings Account and/or your child’s Registered Education Savings Plan before December 31 to maximize tax benefits and government grants.
• Maximize any charitable donations. ‘Tis the season to give—so if you want to get a donation receipt (for this year) that you can claim on your tax return in the spring, be sure to give those charitable donations by December 31.
• If inflation has you worried about hitting your retirement goals, you’re not alone. See if you’re on track to enjoy the retirement you want using this Pension Income Gap Calculator, and you could receive a $25 Amazon gift card*: Learn more: https://bit.ly/49aow9U.

For a comprehensive checklist of to-dos, check out this helpful resource: https://bit.ly/3Ors3Hf.

Don’t let your finances drift

Schedule a year-end financial review with an Educators financial advisor to track your progress towards your goals, optimize your taxes, and plan for your future. Their professional accreditation and experience working with educators like yourself will help you keep on track to meet your goals.

Visit https://bit.ly/41oEZ8L or call 1.800.263.9541 to get started today.

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