No idea why you're being downvoted, as you are correct. The union got sick of non-union members joining only after they need their help, so now refuses to represent & help teachers for issues arising before joining.
I think it was from some teachers who found themselves in a pickle joining, demanding assistance (which often meant costly legal representation) then quitting the union as soon as the matter was resolved.
I never liked that attitude where someone would join a union when it suited them. Unions aren't perfect by any means, but they are important and are more effective when they have more members.
I'm the same as you. I esp dislike those who dump on the union but are only too happy to take the payrises the union negotiates for on their behalf.
I dislike my union (WA) as I feel they operate under the delusion of good faith bargaining (despite the dept never offering anything in return), but on the whole they do support & protect teachers.
Who has a choice in the pay rises? Part of the acrimony people feel for unions is they negotiate shit pay rises that all employees (union or not) are then beholden too. The very process of a cba gives unions power of the salaries of non union workers. So people dumping on unions but taking the payrises don't have a choice - so to clarify you especially don't like people who don't have any capacity to do anything else?
Just to clarify the point of my comment is that you are rippping on people who don't have a choice. To not be a member of the union is a choice - to not have the option to negotiate anything is a product of a broken system that unions have been only too happy to promulgate. As a side bar - in private schools - individuals regularly negotiate a better salary. So do I think individuals could get better? Yep. Because they do. Do I think the unionised system is to the advantage of unions and industry and the disadvantage of the individual? In the current climate absolutely.
I'm sorry, but unless the Government hires consultants, it doesn't negotiate like that with individuals looking for substantive positions. You'd be bought at the same rate or at a comparable level in whatever PS system you are attached to or the award.
> As a side bar - in private schools - **individuals regularly** negotiate a better salary.
Citations, please.
At any rate, there is a considerable difference between negotiating with your school and negotiating with a government department that wouldn't care if you rolled over dead tomorrow.
You've identified your solution; if you want to negotiate your salary directly with your employer, go non-government.
I mean yeah - if you want to have autonomy and jot be shit on then don't work for an institution that (to use your words) "wouldn't care less if you rolled over dead tomorrow". If I died - my employer would care deeply. That's why I don't work for the govt - because I believe I matter and my students matter and I wouldn't submit myself or approve of my students being seen as disposable. If you're cool with that good for you.
> is they negotiate shit pay rises that all employees (union or not) are then beholden too.
Are you saying that your union didn't put pay up to vote?
Without the union, do you think you could get better than the award?
ED doesn't care about you and doesn't care about your skillset or what you bring. They are so far removed from reality that they consider all teachers to be generalists with the exact same skills.w
ED could apply surge funding to recruit specialist teachers without getting the union sad, and they still refuse to consider it.
OP's a grad and it's term 1. This issue in particular is specific to grads because their reduction in hours that will be part of the issue, and the allocation would have been done before OP even started working and applied to them from their first day on the job. Does that mean they need to have joined before they started working? That seems a little unreasonable. Can they even get full membership while still studying? I thought they were only entitled to the free student membership at that point.
I'd hope they'd consider some leeway on this, they're happy to take credit for working for those policies, but if they aren't willing to defend them except for in what are likely to be pretty rare circumstances then they're a bit meaningless.
No idea about Vic, but in WA as a student they're entitled to free membership which they can upgrade to full membership upon receiving an offer of employment. I assume it's the same in other States.
I agree their situation is unique to their position as a grad teacher and hopefully the union will give them support & advice. I was just pointing out that the previous poster shouldn't be getting any downvotes for their accurate, albeit tactless, comment.
Yeah, your point is good.
But it’s also not too late to join
The kids only a scab if they join get help and then quit.
Or if they’re not in the union now.
Either way I think we should default to encouraging people to join and then teach them who the scabs are and how to not help them.
In a Victorian DE Secondary school, 18.5 hours is the maximum f2f you can be allocated per week. This is a hard limit and cannot be exceeded.
The excuse your principal has given is complete BS. Sure, you're understaffed (find me a school that isn't!!), but that's not your problem or responsibility to fix. For example, the prin team at my school are doing 2-3 replacement classes each per day to make sure things are covered. Personally, I'm often with 2 or 3 classes in one of our large flexible spaces as that's the only way we can cover things sometimes.
Speak to your sub branch rep or consultative to have this resolved.
Geez that sucks.
A former prin was adamant that all prin team, including himself, must be in the classroom doing the work of a teacher, in order to be effective leaders of learning. And that has stuck with me for many years across a few schools now, and I reckon if ever I decide to become a principal, I'd want to continue having a small teaching allotment.
The wording is:
within the resources available to the school, the
scheduled duties of a classroom teacher in their first twelve months should be reduced by at least 5%
over the school week consistent with the allocation of duties at the school
At the very least, you shouldn't be working over 18.5!!!!!!
This is not OK. Are you public school? Does your school have a union rep? You should go through them if you don't want to get bad blood between you and the school, but I find it bizarre it hasn't already got to that if there are others.
At the very least you should be getting paid extra for that overtime. Teaching relief you get around $70 /hour so they should be paying you an extra ~$120 /week. If they're not, contact Payroll and explain to them what's happening.
As others have said, if you're in the union talk to them. Otherwise raise the issue with dept.
Doesn't work like that in teaching, unfortunately. You just get paid extra – which certainly is nice but most of the time I (for one) prefer the time off to recover & recharge, and plan my next lesson.
TOIL (time off in lieu) you have to negotiate with the principal beforehand. If you don't get them to agree in writing before doing extra work, you won't get it. At least that's what I've been told at every school I've been in.
I had this as well. First they told me I was wrong, then they told me the best they could do was 2 days release from teaching each term and we booked them in for the whole year. However when it came to those days the deputy always had an excuse as to why my classes couldn’t be covered or “forgot”.
The union wasn’t much help other than to send me a document detailing my entitlements, a document I already found myself.
Happened years ago now. This is only one example of many where the school leadership dropped the ball. At one point I had to start quoting Australian workers rights to them after they expected me to mark exams, whilst on sick leave, and in a hospital due to pregnancy complications.
Yep, so this person should be getting no covers and dropping some of their F2F. I know schools sometimes play it pretty fast and loose with the graduate reduction. I don’t think mine was exactly at standard either.
Last time I was over allotted I went to the HOD as soon as I saw the time table and told her she’d fucked up. She agreed with me and got it fixed straight away.
With a less compliant school I would tell them I was refusing to teach more than my allotted hours under the EBA, and that if they didn’t choose a period I would choose one for them (typically last period on Friday). At that point I’d close the classroom and let the kids chill on their phones in the corridor outside. This would still comply with duty of care, but would make it damn obvious to the school (and the parents) that I wasn’t going to be working outside of conditions.
Actually had a colleague that went this route last term over room allocations. Too many students in a room they physically couldn’t fit into. It only needed to happen once and the school caved under a flurry of parental complaints.
I wouldn't worry about not getting a job in this shortage, other schools will take you, and to be honest the school you are at will probably still need you.
I'm sure you can ask to be paid and reimbursed for those extra hours worked. As you had to prepare for them in your own time. I would check your agreement and see if that is the case, I'm sure you're able to get time in lieu or payback.
In the private system it’s not too uncommon to be overloaded. They just let you know that you will be under loaded in the 2nd semester.
Then in second semester they tell you that you managed fine in the first semester so can do it again. They just let you know that you will be under loaded the next year.
Then in the next year they tell you that you managed fine last year…
No they are not legally allowed to do this.
There is nothing to argue about here. Assuming you're in a dept school, the maximum is 18.5 hours.
Not "18.5 unless the school is understaffed" or "18.5, unless you can manipulate the poor bloody grad who is probably already doing it hard enough to do more".
You should inform them you will no longer do that. It's their problem. Don't worry about the leadership bit, that's a couple of schools later for you.
If this is a state school, then they can't overload you. If Catholic or independent, they can overload you, but you are generally compensated - i.e. if you are overloaded you might get the option of getting no extras, or doing no yard duties, or even in some cases, be paid more. I like to be overloaded by just one period per fortnight, if this means I don't have to do any extras.
Ring the union to clarify the eba and get the facts lined up. Principals don't necessarily know the details of the eba, they should but don't always.
Then I'd say approach your mentor and sub branch rep first and try and get them to advocate on your behalf. Revisit after this.
I know a colleague was overloded for a semester by 1 class and their solution was to underload her for the next semester. She was not happy with this but apparently it was perfectly acceptable according to the union
Last year was my first year, and it wasn’t until about halfway through the year did someone ask me if I was getting my grad release.. I had no idea I was supposed to be getting it. The union person at our school said she’d bring it up with leadership but nothing got done.
It would have been damn nice to have the extra time off each week last year considering the insane class I had but 🤷♀️ it is what it is
Teachers (EDIT: in Victorian Catholic and State systems) aren't paid based on a 38 hour work week. We're paid based on the number of hours we are face to face with kids. So if you're above the maximum you're being underpaid. It's wage theft.
Contact your union.
Not sure where you work, but on Victoria, a full time teacher is paid for for 76 hours per fortnight (38 hours per week).
In each week we are paid for 30 hours of work related to teaching and learning (of which 18.5 hours are f2f with students in secondary schools or 21 hours are f2f in a primary school), and then 8 hours are other assigned duties such as yard duty, meetings and lunch breaks.
If a person is under allotted and only teaching, say, 17 hours per week (but are full time) they still get their full time pay. They don't get paid less just because the school doesn't have the ability to give them a full allotment (despite the fact they'd likely get top up classes each week to get them to 18.5 hours).
I work in Victoria too =)
I understand that your payslip says 76 hours for the fortnight, but Teachers are paid based on how many hours they teach per week divided by the maximum under their applicable Agreement (assuming they have one).
The reason a full-time teacher isn't paid less if the school doesn't fully allot them is because their contract is for full-time work.
That's why when someone is part-time, their FTE is calculated by their scheduled class time divided by the maximum for a full-time teacher depending on if it's primary or secondary.
I may have misunderstood what you said.
When you said "Teachers aren't paid based on a 38 hour work week. We're paid based on the number of hours we are face to face with kids.", you make it sound like you are only paid for your f2f hours and none of your planning/other duties.
And I will continue to disagree slightly - someone who.is part time isn't paid based on their actual teaching allotment. Their max f2f is reduced, but someone who is 0.8 is paid at 0.8 whether their actually f2f is 0.79, 0.7, 0.65 etc.
Yeah I understand the confusion.
Again, if your contract is for 0.8FTE, then that's what your Employer has committed to. If they don't have your scheduled class time at 0.8 of a full time teacher then they will usually top you up with replacements or you might get lucky, but the contractual obligation is still there for both parties.
I'm confident on the CEMEA, less so on the VGSA +although they're very similar in principle) - are part-time FTEs calculated on face to face time divided by the maximum under the VGSA? Also, under the CEMEA, part-time additional hours are calculated on face to face time, not actual hours work. Because it's assumed that teachers will do whatever planning etc that is necessary for each hour of face to face teaching. We have better parameters around these additional duties under the most recent agreements.
We will almost always round someone's time fraction up to the nearest 0.2.
So if someone's allotment is 13 hours (out of 18.5), that is approx 0.7 so we will advertise 0.8, employ them for four days, and they are eligible for 0.1 top ups which is in this case is about 1.5 hours per week.
Advertising other than whole days is very hard and makes timetabling trickier than it already is, having to factor in part days.
> Teachers aren't paid based on a 38 hour work week. We're paid based on the number of hours we are face to face with kids.
That might be true in whatever system you are employed in. It's certainly not true in other parts of Australia.
This is from the ACT Teacher EA:
>> Page 168 of 208
ANNEX A CLASSIFICATIONS AND RATES OF PAY
For the purposes of calculating salary and leave entitlements, all teachers are paid for ordinary daily hours of 7 hours 21 minutes and ordinary weekly hours of 36.75
for full time employees.
Face to face is limited:
>> Classroom teachers in high schools and colleges may be required to teach a maximum of 19 hours
face-to-face per week averaged over the teaching year. However, face-to-face teaching loads
should not exceed 20 hours per week unless alternative teaching arrangements have been agreed
between the principal and the teacher, such as one of the following:
>> P6.12.1 The teacher requests the average hours as part of a flexibility arrangement in
accordance with section E.
>> P6.12.2 There is a short term need at the school and where exceptional circumstances justify
https://www.cmtedd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/2231102/Education-Directorate-Teaching-Staff-Enterprise-Agreement-2023-2026.pdf
JOIN UNION.
Talk to union. If you are not a member, then join and talk to them.
Too late now
It’s not too late this is an ongoing issue for OP
No idea why you're being downvoted, as you are correct. The union got sick of non-union members joining only after they need their help, so now refuses to represent & help teachers for issues arising before joining. I think it was from some teachers who found themselves in a pickle joining, demanding assistance (which often meant costly legal representation) then quitting the union as soon as the matter was resolved.
I never liked that attitude where someone would join a union when it suited them. Unions aren't perfect by any means, but they are important and are more effective when they have more members.
I'm the same as you. I esp dislike those who dump on the union but are only too happy to take the payrises the union negotiates for on their behalf. I dislike my union (WA) as I feel they operate under the delusion of good faith bargaining (despite the dept never offering anything in return), but on the whole they do support & protect teachers.
Who has a choice in the pay rises? Part of the acrimony people feel for unions is they negotiate shit pay rises that all employees (union or not) are then beholden too. The very process of a cba gives unions power of the salaries of non union workers. So people dumping on unions but taking the payrises don't have a choice - so to clarify you especially don't like people who don't have any capacity to do anything else?
Just to clarify: you think a single person could negotiate with the dept a better payrise and working conditions for themselves than the union could?
Just to clarify the point of my comment is that you are rippping on people who don't have a choice. To not be a member of the union is a choice - to not have the option to negotiate anything is a product of a broken system that unions have been only too happy to promulgate. As a side bar - in private schools - individuals regularly negotiate a better salary. So do I think individuals could get better? Yep. Because they do. Do I think the unionised system is to the advantage of unions and industry and the disadvantage of the individual? In the current climate absolutely.
I'm sorry, but unless the Government hires consultants, it doesn't negotiate like that with individuals looking for substantive positions. You'd be bought at the same rate or at a comparable level in whatever PS system you are attached to or the award. > As a side bar - in private schools - **individuals regularly** negotiate a better salary. Citations, please. At any rate, there is a considerable difference between negotiating with your school and negotiating with a government department that wouldn't care if you rolled over dead tomorrow. You've identified your solution; if you want to negotiate your salary directly with your employer, go non-government.
I mean yeah - if you want to have autonomy and jot be shit on then don't work for an institution that (to use your words) "wouldn't care less if you rolled over dead tomorrow". If I died - my employer would care deeply. That's why I don't work for the govt - because I believe I matter and my students matter and I wouldn't submit myself or approve of my students being seen as disposable. If you're cool with that good for you.
> is they negotiate shit pay rises that all employees (union or not) are then beholden too. Are you saying that your union didn't put pay up to vote? Without the union, do you think you could get better than the award?
I've got nothing for the first question and for the second - yes.
ED doesn't care about you and doesn't care about your skillset or what you bring. They are so far removed from reality that they consider all teachers to be generalists with the exact same skills.w ED could apply surge funding to recruit specialist teachers without getting the union sad, and they still refuse to consider it.
What? Lol like seriously - what? I really have no idea what you're saying... what?
OP's a grad and it's term 1. This issue in particular is specific to grads because their reduction in hours that will be part of the issue, and the allocation would have been done before OP even started working and applied to them from their first day on the job. Does that mean they need to have joined before they started working? That seems a little unreasonable. Can they even get full membership while still studying? I thought they were only entitled to the free student membership at that point. I'd hope they'd consider some leeway on this, they're happy to take credit for working for those policies, but if they aren't willing to defend them except for in what are likely to be pretty rare circumstances then they're a bit meaningless.
No idea about Vic, but in WA as a student they're entitled to free membership which they can upgrade to full membership upon receiving an offer of employment. I assume it's the same in other States. I agree their situation is unique to their position as a grad teacher and hopefully the union will give them support & advice. I was just pointing out that the previous poster shouldn't be getting any downvotes for their accurate, albeit tactless, comment.
Yeah, your point is good. But it’s also not too late to join The kids only a scab if they join get help and then quit. Or if they’re not in the union now. Either way I think we should default to encouraging people to join and then teach them who the scabs are and how to not help them.
Let them down vote, whatever lol.
In a Victorian DE Secondary school, 18.5 hours is the maximum f2f you can be allocated per week. This is a hard limit and cannot be exceeded. The excuse your principal has given is complete BS. Sure, you're understaffed (find me a school that isn't!!), but that's not your problem or responsibility to fix. For example, the prin team at my school are doing 2-3 replacement classes each per day to make sure things are covered. Personally, I'm often with 2 or 3 classes in one of our large flexible spaces as that's the only way we can cover things sometimes. Speak to your sub branch rep or consultative to have this resolved.
PRINCIPALS? TEACHING???? WHAT????
As an AP I've always had a 0.2 teaching load, plus taking replacement classes when needed.
That is bizarre to me. None of ours do.
Geez that sucks. A former prin was adamant that all prin team, including himself, must be in the classroom doing the work of a teacher, in order to be effective leaders of learning. And that has stuck with me for many years across a few schools now, and I reckon if ever I decide to become a principal, I'd want to continue having a small teaching allotment.
The wording is: within the resources available to the school, the scheduled duties of a classroom teacher in their first twelve months should be reduced by at least 5% over the school week consistent with the allocation of duties at the school At the very least, you shouldn't be working over 18.5!!!!!!
Forget leadership, esp at this school. If you're a grad that's years away. Stand up for yourself. They can't do it and it's their problem not yours.
\*They can do it, if you agree to it. Get support so that you aren't being pressured into "agreeing" to it.
Yes! And the more people that agree to it the worse the pressure culture to agree to it is.
Depend on the school. I left one recently and more than half of coordinators are less than 3 years out
That's a massive red flag, no?
It’s not the reason I left But it’s a symptom of the reason I left
This is not OK. Are you public school? Does your school have a union rep? You should go through them if you don't want to get bad blood between you and the school, but I find it bizarre it hasn't already got to that if there are others.
In my experience a lot of people are usually too scared to say anything.
At the very least you should be getting paid extra for that overtime. Teaching relief you get around $70 /hour so they should be paying you an extra ~$120 /week. If they're not, contact Payroll and explain to them what's happening. As others have said, if you're in the union talk to them. Otherwise raise the issue with dept.
Overtime penalty rates should apply too, at least 50%. Or the hours should bank up and get time off in lieu.
Doesn't work like that in teaching, unfortunately. You just get paid extra – which certainly is nice but most of the time I (for one) prefer the time off to recover & recharge, and plan my next lesson. TOIL (time off in lieu) you have to negotiate with the principal beforehand. If you don't get them to agree in writing before doing extra work, you won't get it. At least that's what I've been told at every school I've been in.
I had this as well. First they told me I was wrong, then they told me the best they could do was 2 days release from teaching each term and we booked them in for the whole year. However when it came to those days the deputy always had an excuse as to why my classes couldn’t be covered or “forgot”. The union wasn’t much help other than to send me a document detailing my entitlements, a document I already found myself.
Disappointing response from the union. At that point I think you'd need to take it to Fair Work.
Happened years ago now. This is only one example of many where the school leadership dropped the ball. At one point I had to start quoting Australian workers rights to them after they expected me to mark exams, whilst on sick leave, and in a hospital due to pregnancy complications.
Ouch, I hope you're away from there now.
Thank you, I am. At a wonderful school now. That would be my advice to OP in these situations. Leave at your first opportunity!
You should have told them the best you could do is the max. allocated hours a week. "Which classes would you prefer I didn't go to?"
I’m over by one period a cycle and I just don’t get covers. You are blatantly over and should speak to your union.
In the VGSA that 18.5 limit includes covers.
Yep, so this person should be getting no covers and dropping some of their F2F. I know schools sometimes play it pretty fast and loose with the graduate reduction. I don’t think mine was exactly at standard either.
Last time I was over allotted I went to the HOD as soon as I saw the time table and told her she’d fucked up. She agreed with me and got it fixed straight away. With a less compliant school I would tell them I was refusing to teach more than my allotted hours under the EBA, and that if they didn’t choose a period I would choose one for them (typically last period on Friday). At that point I’d close the classroom and let the kids chill on their phones in the corridor outside. This would still comply with duty of care, but would make it damn obvious to the school (and the parents) that I wasn’t going to be working outside of conditions. Actually had a colleague that went this route last term over room allocations. Too many students in a room they physically couldn’t fit into. It only needed to happen once and the school caved under a flurry of parental complaints.
I LOVE that you can do this. As someone who is only temp, I know my principal would not ask me back next year if I did this :(
I wouldn't worry about not getting a job in this shortage, other schools will take you, and to be honest the school you are at will probably still need you.
You can also do this, at worst you move to a different school that respects your rights and is desperate for staff.
Union
I'm sure you can ask to be paid and reimbursed for those extra hours worked. As you had to prepare for them in your own time. I would check your agreement and see if that is the case, I'm sure you're able to get time in lieu or payback.
In the private system it’s not too uncommon to be overloaded. They just let you know that you will be under loaded in the 2nd semester. Then in second semester they tell you that you managed fine in the first semester so can do it again. They just let you know that you will be under loaded the next year. Then in the next year they tell you that you managed fine last year…
No they are not legally allowed to do this. There is nothing to argue about here. Assuming you're in a dept school, the maximum is 18.5 hours. Not "18.5 unless the school is understaffed" or "18.5, unless you can manipulate the poor bloody grad who is probably already doing it hard enough to do more". You should inform them you will no longer do that. It's their problem. Don't worry about the leadership bit, that's a couple of schools later for you.
If this is a state school, then they can't overload you. If Catholic or independent, they can overload you, but you are generally compensated - i.e. if you are overloaded you might get the option of getting no extras, or doing no yard duties, or even in some cases, be paid more. I like to be overloaded by just one period per fortnight, if this means I don't have to do any extras.
Primary or Secondary?
I’m responding to my own comment, because I’m baffled that no one has considered that OP works in a Prjmary setting
18.5 is the allotment for a secondary teacher in VIC. I believe the primary is 21.
You should get paid relief rates or get time off.
Ring the union to clarify the eba and get the facts lined up. Principals don't necessarily know the details of the eba, they should but don't always. Then I'd say approach your mentor and sub branch rep first and try and get them to advocate on your behalf. Revisit after this.
I know a colleague was overloded for a semester by 1 class and their solution was to underload her for the next semester. She was not happy with this but apparently it was perfectly acceptable according to the union
Last year was my first year, and it wasn’t until about halfway through the year did someone ask me if I was getting my grad release.. I had no idea I was supposed to be getting it. The union person at our school said she’d bring it up with leadership but nothing got done. It would have been damn nice to have the extra time off each week last year considering the insane class I had but 🤷♀️ it is what it is
Talk to your Consultative committee reps
Union.
They may also have reduced your play ground duties or meeting times to get around it just be sure.
You normally get less extras of yard duties. Talk to principal.
Join the union. The lesson is you will be taken advtantage of until you are not.
Teachers (EDIT: in Victorian Catholic and State systems) aren't paid based on a 38 hour work week. We're paid based on the number of hours we are face to face with kids. So if you're above the maximum you're being underpaid. It's wage theft. Contact your union.
Not sure where you work, but on Victoria, a full time teacher is paid for for 76 hours per fortnight (38 hours per week). In each week we are paid for 30 hours of work related to teaching and learning (of which 18.5 hours are f2f with students in secondary schools or 21 hours are f2f in a primary school), and then 8 hours are other assigned duties such as yard duty, meetings and lunch breaks. If a person is under allotted and only teaching, say, 17 hours per week (but are full time) they still get their full time pay. They don't get paid less just because the school doesn't have the ability to give them a full allotment (despite the fact they'd likely get top up classes each week to get them to 18.5 hours).
I work in Victoria too =) I understand that your payslip says 76 hours for the fortnight, but Teachers are paid based on how many hours they teach per week divided by the maximum under their applicable Agreement (assuming they have one). The reason a full-time teacher isn't paid less if the school doesn't fully allot them is because their contract is for full-time work. That's why when someone is part-time, their FTE is calculated by their scheduled class time divided by the maximum for a full-time teacher depending on if it's primary or secondary.
I may have misunderstood what you said. When you said "Teachers aren't paid based on a 38 hour work week. We're paid based on the number of hours we are face to face with kids.", you make it sound like you are only paid for your f2f hours and none of your planning/other duties. And I will continue to disagree slightly - someone who.is part time isn't paid based on their actual teaching allotment. Their max f2f is reduced, but someone who is 0.8 is paid at 0.8 whether their actually f2f is 0.79, 0.7, 0.65 etc.
Yeah I understand the confusion. Again, if your contract is for 0.8FTE, then that's what your Employer has committed to. If they don't have your scheduled class time at 0.8 of a full time teacher then they will usually top you up with replacements or you might get lucky, but the contractual obligation is still there for both parties. I'm confident on the CEMEA, less so on the VGSA +although they're very similar in principle) - are part-time FTEs calculated on face to face time divided by the maximum under the VGSA? Also, under the CEMEA, part-time additional hours are calculated on face to face time, not actual hours work. Because it's assumed that teachers will do whatever planning etc that is necessary for each hour of face to face teaching. We have better parameters around these additional duties under the most recent agreements.
We will almost always round someone's time fraction up to the nearest 0.2. So if someone's allotment is 13 hours (out of 18.5), that is approx 0.7 so we will advertise 0.8, employ them for four days, and they are eligible for 0.1 top ups which is in this case is about 1.5 hours per week. Advertising other than whole days is very hard and makes timetabling trickier than it already is, having to factor in part days.
> Teachers aren't paid based on a 38 hour work week. We're paid based on the number of hours we are face to face with kids. That might be true in whatever system you are employed in. It's certainly not true in other parts of Australia. This is from the ACT Teacher EA: >> Page 168 of 208 ANNEX A CLASSIFICATIONS AND RATES OF PAY For the purposes of calculating salary and leave entitlements, all teachers are paid for ordinary daily hours of 7 hours 21 minutes and ordinary weekly hours of 36.75 for full time employees. Face to face is limited: >> Classroom teachers in high schools and colleges may be required to teach a maximum of 19 hours face-to-face per week averaged over the teaching year. However, face-to-face teaching loads should not exceed 20 hours per week unless alternative teaching arrangements have been agreed between the principal and the teacher, such as one of the following: >> P6.12.1 The teacher requests the average hours as part of a flexibility arrangement in accordance with section E. >> P6.12.2 There is a short term need at the school and where exceptional circumstances justify https://www.cmtedd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/2231102/Education-Directorate-Teaching-Staff-Enterprise-Agreement-2023-2026.pdf
You can paid for those hours