Area School Teachers' Collective Agreement (ASTCA)

2.1 Travel Expenses

2.1.1 The following travel expenses are refundable:

(a) Transport costs of teacher and family/dependants by the cheapest suitable public transport available;

(b) Taxi fares to and from transport;

(c) Cost of meals on route;

(d) Cost of overnight board if stopover unavoidable;

(e) When travelling by own transport, payment of motor vehicle allowance rates as follows:

(f) Equivalent surface fare for a member of the teacher’s family or a dependant driving a second car or motorcycle which is part of the household effects to the new location provided that the fare would otherwise have been paid under this agreement.

2.2 Accommodation Expenses

2.2.1

(a) Accommodation expenses shall be paid from the time of moving from the former location until permanent accommodation is obtained in the new location.

(b) When moving, personal expenses are allowable to cover meals, accommodation, and such other expenses as the employer may approve, for the teacher and any family/dependants as follows:

(i) From the commencement of the journey, up to two days if necessary;

(ii) On arrival at destination, up to seven days if necessary.

(c) When approval has been given for a teacher and any family/dependants to board either together or in different localities, and a home is no longer being maintained at the former location, assistance may be granted in accordance with the following provisions:

(i) In the first instance, a refund of personal expenses as set out in clause 2.2.1(b) above; amount by which actual and reasonable board and lodging expenses exceed 45% of gross remuneration. “Gross remuneration” means classified salary plus any allowance in the nature of salary. This is calculated on the consecutive day basis;

(ii) If the teacher and any family/dependants stay at a motel and they purchase and prepare food, a rent subsidy may be paid. When meals must be taken in a restaurant, payment of the amount by which the total of rent and meals exceeds 45% of gross salary may be paid. The total cost is not to exceed $55.29 per day.

(d) When maintaining home at former location

A teacher on transfer who is required to maintain the home at the former location for any family/dependants until suitable housing is obtained in the new location, shall be granted an accommodation allowance as follows:

(i) for the first month, up to a maximum of the rate of the travelling allowance as set down in Appendix 1;

(ii) for the second month, up to a maximum of two thirds of the rate of the travelling allowance as set down in Appendix 1;

(iii) for the third month, up to a maximum of one-third of the rate of the travelling allowance as set down in Appendix 1;

(iv) teachers staying at a motel and preparing their own meals may be paid an assessed amount for food not exceeding $13.82 per day, plus motel charges. The total cost is not to exceed $55.29 per day;

(v) the incidentals allowance shall also be paid to cover incidental expenses not otherwise recoverable. The allowances commence on and from the day the teacher arrives at the new location;

(vi) when the teacher finally obtains suitable accommodation in the new location and any family/dependants move, the assistance set out in clause 2.2.1(b) is granted.

(e) Rent subsidy

(i) Assistance with rental accommodation may be considered on the merits of each case if a teacher on transfer is experiencing difficulty in finding permanent housing.

(ii) The subsidy will be granted only in respect of a short-term tenancy at a rental which is higher than the teacher could normally be expected to afford. The amount of the subsidy will be the excess of the rental over one-sixth of the teacher’s gross salary. The period of subsidy is limited to three months. In exceptional cases the Secretary for Education may approve an extension to six months.

(iii) Furniture storage charges may be met while the teacher is on a rent subsidy.

(iv) Outgoings on former home

If the teacher is occupying temporary accommodation at the new location (and the teacher receives a rent subsidy), pending the sale of the former home and the purchase of another, then interest, rates, and insurance on the former home shall be taken into account while it remains unsold and unoccupied. In these circumstances, the outgoings on the teacher’s house may be added to the rent of the temporary house, and the subsidy calculated on the combined total. Only mortgage interest may be included, not principal repayments, and this will usually require inquiry, as outgoings quoted by claimants almost always include instalments of principal.

(v) If a teacher is required to rent a house at the new location before liability for rent at the previous location has ceased, resulting in the payment of double rent, a rent subsidy equal to the lower of the two rents may be paid.

2.3 Furniture Removal

2.3.1 Packing, transporting and unpacking and insurance of the teacher’s household effects will be undertaken by a provider contracted to the Ministry for the transfer of teachers’ effects and transit insurance.

2.4 Amount of Refund

2.4.1 Where a teacher qualifies for an accommodation allowance or rent subsidy, this will include the provision of storage and insurance. Reimbursement will be made for the cost of inter-island transport and marine insurance for up to two vehicles and one towed vehicle.

2.5 Reserved

2.6 Legal Fees and Land Agent’s Commission

2.6.1 Teachers with an entitlement to removal expenses shall be reimbursed for legal fees and land agent’s commission provided that when a teacher sells a house at the former location and buys another at the new location within two years of the date of the new appointment, or sells at the former location and builds and takes occupation of a house at the new location within two years of the date of the new appointment, actual aggregated expenses for legal fees and land agent’s commission combined up to $11,000 maximum shall be paid.

(a) Legal fees

The refund of legal fees shall be either:

(i) when a teacher sells a house at the former location within two years of the date of the new appointment, but does not buy another, actual expenses up to $950; or

(ii) when a teacher buys or builds a house at the new location within two years of the date of the new appointment without having sold a house at the former location, provided it is not the first time the teacher has owned a house, actual expenses up to $4000 maximum.

(b) Land agent’s commission

When a teacher sells a house at the former location within two years of the date of the new appointment but does not purchase or build another house at the new location within the two-year period, actual expenses up to $6,300.

(c) Two-year limitation

Normally all transactions (selling, buying or building) must be completed within two years of the date of transfer to qualify for a refund of expenses.

(d) Sale of home prior to appointment in another position

Where teachers anticipate securing a position where full removal expenses are payable, and sell their home before this actually occurs, the teacher will be eligible for a refund of legal and land agent’s fees. This is subject to a two year limitation period as in clause 2.6.1(c) above commencing from the date of the sale of the house. The refund of land agent’s and legal fees will not be made until and unless the teacher wins and takes up another position.

(e) Purchase and sale of land

A refund of legal fees and land agent’s commission will be made as follows:

(i) When a teacher has previously owned a house or land and purchases land following transfer to another locality with the intention of building a house for the teacher’s own use and transfers again before the house is built, assistance is granted towards the cost of legal expenses and land agent’s commission in the purchase and sale of the land up to $3,800.

(ii) When a house or land has not been owned previously and a teacher subsequently purchases land at one locality and transfers again before building, assistance will be granted towards the cost of legal expenses up to $500 and land agent’s commission up to $2,000 in the sale of the land as follows:

Note 1 Sale of land in a previous locality must be effected within two years of transferring to a new location.

Note 2 Purchase of land must have been effected not more than two years after the previous transfer and not more than two years before the subsequent transfer.

2.6.2 Penalty charges which may arise because of the termination of a mortgage before the completion of the term of the loan will be refunded up to a maximum of $2,400.

2.7 Transfer Grant

2.7.1 A teacher who is entitled to removal expenses and required to shift household shall be paid a transfer grant of:

(a) $1,000 where a teacher:

(i) purchases own accommodation; or

(ii) moves into pool housing; or

(iii) rents or leases private accommodation.

(b) $300 for each dependant who is attending a secondary/intermediate school prior to the date of transfer, who attends another secondary or intermediate school after the transfer and for whom a different uniform is required to be purchased because of a change of school.

2.8 Leave to Remove Family/Dependants and Effects

2.8.1 The following provisions apply when a teacher has left the family/dependants at the former location pending the finding of suitable housing:

(a) Special leave on pay may be granted by the Secretary for Education to permit the teacher to return to the former centre to assist with the transfer of family/dependants and effects;

(b) The teacher will only be entitled to claim motor vehicle allowance or equivalent fares, whichever is less; otherwise normal public transport is to be used.

(c) A refund of actual and reasonable expenses may be approved.

2.9 Payment of Expenses to Visit Prospective Accommodation

2.9.1 A teacher may claim expenses in connection with a visit to inspect prospective accommodation.

2.10 Telephone reconnection charges

2.10.1 Telephone reconnection charges for one installation shall be refunded when a teacher has transferred and is eligible for transfer expenses.

Note: (1) Receipts should be produced when claiming removal expenses.

Note: (2) These provisions shall be applied in accordance with any administrative conditions that were in effect at the commencement of this agreement. Nothing in these provisions shall be read as extending any entitlement beyond that which existed at the commencement of this agreement except as may be expressly agreed to by the Secretary for Education after consultation with the Union.