Reimbursements for EOTC
Advice on reimbursements for EOTC (education outside the classroom). Both the Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement (STCA) and the Area School Teachers’ Collective Agreement (ASTCA) have provisions for reimbursement for teachers engaging in such extension activities.
One aspect of a teacher’s job that gives great satisfaction is education outside the classroom (EOTC). Here members work with skill and dedication to extend student learning opportunities. This can include school camps, field trips associated with NCEA, sports and cultural exchanges and trips to another centre for resources not available locally.
Both the Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement (STCA) and the Area School Teachers’ Collective Agreement (ASTCA) have provisions for reimbursement for teachers engaging in such extension activities. However field officers note members often don’t claim their entitlements. This reluctance is often associated with a bit of pressure from the school over affordability.
Such reimbursements are set out in Part 7 and Appendix D of the STCA, and Part 6 and Appendix 1 of the ASTCA.
There is a premise the teacher involvement is “required” by the employer, but that does include any teacher helping supervise students because such supervision is needed for the activity to proceed.
For example, a four day sports trip for a secondary school (STCA), departing at 8am on a Monday and returning at 7pm on Thursday. The member stays in a motel each night. The school must cover reasonable costs for the motel. The member is also entitled to claim a total of $221.16 under the travelling allowance provisions of Appendix D, and also $100 under the field allowance provision. These are not huge sums of money, but can defray some of the costs of supporting student learning in these situations.
Over many decades members fought to gain all the provisions of the collective agreements. You are encouraged to make full use of those provisions and claim your full entitlements.