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Know Your Rights

Salary, steps and longevity

In addition to the regular pay increases negotiated in each DOE-UFT contract, UFT-represented teachers and other pedagogues receive differentials, step payments and longevity increases based on their level of education and years of service.

Absences for paraprofessionals

If you are a paraprofessional, the DOE-UFT contract establishes rights and obligations in terms of when you can be absent from work. Learn about how you accumulate and can use sick days and about excused absences.

Transferring schools

All UFT pedagogues, including teachers, clinicians, school counselors and school secretaries, as well as paraprofessionals, have the opportunity to transfer to a different school under the Open Market Transfer Plan.

Cumulative Absence Reserve

Cumulative Absence Reserve (CAR) is the formal name for the bank of “sick days” earned by UFT-represented employees who work for the city Department of Education (DOE). All full-time, school-based UFT members may earn up to 10 CAR days for the full school year.

Programs and professional activities

The provisions in the DOE-UFT contract regarding teaching programs and professional activity assignments give teachers a voice while providing an objective selection process. Here are the details.

Lesson plans

The union has negotiated and advocated strongly for many years to maintain the integrity of lesson plans as a tool created by and for teachers.