First pay of the year
The short version:
The new pay year for teachers starts from January 28, but you must be paid for any days you work prior to that date.
That is, if you are:
1) a new or beginning teacher, a teacher who is returning after an absence, or you didn’t work a full year last year; and
2) you have been required at school prior to January 28
…then you must be paid for any days that you were required at school before the January 28, and the school must notify payroll of this.
New and beginning teachers, click here for salary assessment tools.
For end-of-year and start-of-year school dates, click here.
The long version:
The official school year for pay purposes is 28 January to 27 January.
You earn your holiday pay for the school year during the four terms. You generally won’t get paid more than 100 percent of salary.
If you are a first year teacher starting a job before January 28, you must be paid for the days you are required in the school before that date, as you are effectively being employed for part of the previous school year.
If you started early and have not been paid, then let your school know they need to tell payroll to pay you for the days before January 28. If the school does not do this, or there is a problem with payroll, then contact your local PPTA field officer.
If you are not a first year teacher and your school wants you to come in before January 28, the situation is different because you already earned your year’s pay in the previous terms. This can also cover a teacher moving from one permanent contract to another.
You can’t earn extra, but the school cannot require your return to school prior to January 28 (when the new school year starts for pay purposes) except in very specific circumstances, because you are on paid holiday leave.
They can only require you to return before January 28 if they officially call you back, citing one of the following STCA clauses:
a) Clause 5.4.1 for professional development: If you have not already done 25 hours of PLD out of school time already in the previous four terms/holidays, you can be called in under this clause.
b) Clause 5.4.2 for administration, preparation, coordination, meetings, and so forth. If you have not already done 25 hours of PLD out of school time already in the previous four terms/holidays, you can be called in under this clause.
Your school must give you adequate notice, consider your personal circumstances, determine if the call back is relevant to you as an individual, and pay all costs associated with you attending (travel, childcare and so forth).
If your school does not cite these clauses when asking you back before January 28, or if you have done your 25 hours of PLD during the last four terms/holidays, they do not have the authority to require you to attend.
Similarly, if your school refuses to pay associated costs, they do not have the authority to require you to attend.
The school will also have a formal close down period for annual leave purposes. You cannot be required to be on site during the close down period.
If you are told you are to return during a school holiday, contact your local PPTA field officer to clarify whether or not your school has the authority under the STCA to issue that instruction or not.