Members are eligible for an additional Parental Leave if they have been an eligible employee in active status for 10 calendar months following the initial covered event, exclusive of time on an unpaid leave other than Parental Leave. 

For non-birth parents, your Parental Leave will start the next day, but still will end no later than 6 calendar weeks starting on the day of the event. For birth mothers, Parental Leave will start after the use of any CAR/sick days towards a recovery period. 

Active status is defined as being on any one of the following: 

• on payroll, using CAR days or sick time, on an annual leave, on a paid leave, on Parental Leave
• on an unpaid leave for a pregnancy-related condition
• on an unpaid leave due to a medically-disputed Line of Duty Injury (LODI) for up to three months
• on a leave pursuant to the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), FLMA, or other statutory leave

There are two different types of delegates: 

1. Delegate to the delegate assembly – These delegates are elected at their school or work site or can be elected by the members of a functional chapter. Each chapter is entitled to one delegate for each sixty (60) members, or major fraction thereof. This means that they are entitled to a second delegate with 91 members and so on.
2. Delegates to national conventions such as the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), and the National Association of Education (NEA) – these delegates are elected once every three (3) years and serve as representatives of members of the UFT to each convention listed.

Additionally, the delegate assembly meets once a month to discuss union policy at the UFT. It is comprised of chapter leaders and delegates from around the city.

Mentors are experienced classroom teachers, instructional coaches or lead teachers who have been trained extensively in ways to best support new teachers (including doing demonstration lessons, co-teaching, offering suggestions about classroom management and helping plan lessons). Mentors provide a minimum of two periods a week of non-evaluative and nonjudgmental support for new teachers. Discussions are confidential and the mentor does not report back to your principal. 

If there is additional compensation offered (ie, for mentoring outside of regular school hours), the principal must post the position just as they would any other per session posting. Regular rules apply for any missed preps.

Members shouldn’t refuse a principal’s directive because they may be charged with insubordination. Members may file a grievance if discussion of concerns with administration (and with the chapter leader’s support) can’t solve the situation otherwise.

Cumulative Absence Reserve (CAR) is the formal name for UFT-represented pedagogical DOE employees’ “sick bank" of days. All titles earn one CAR day per month after serving 16 days on payroll. The day is added to the members CAR bank on the 30th of each month. Members who are on a sabbatical do not earn CAR days.

During a per-session summer activity, pedagogues and paraprofessionals accrue one sick day for each month of service. 

Apply online through SOLAS (https://dhrnycaps.nycenet.edu/SOLAS) up to 15 days prior to giving birth or within 10 days following birth. If you don’t apply within that window, the DOE will require you to explain the extenuating circumstances and may not approve your leave.

You should apply at least 15 days prior to the anticipated due or covered event date, but no later than 10 days after delivery to ensure timely payment of the benefit from the UFT.

If your baby arrives much later than the due date, you can revise your application in SOLAS. Just log back in within 10 days of giving birth. You have to confirm the birth date regardless. 

In general you should apply as soon as possible when you know your plans for using your CAR days and any additional child care leave, however keep in mind that you will not be able to apply earlier than two months in advance of the anticipated event. You should also notify your school or work location so they can begin to plan for your absence.

New parents—including by birth, adoption and foster care—who are DOE employees in titles represented by the UFT are eligible to apply for Parental Leave, and meet the following criteria:

• You are a full-time employee OR an H-bank/non-pedagogical employee who works a regular schedule of 20 hours or more per week
• You have been an employee and on payroll for a minimum of 12 calendar months from your most recent date of hire.
• You have been in active status for the 12 calendar months immediately prior to the covered event.
• F-status and per diem employees are not eligible for paid parental leave.
• Employees who have taken one paid parental leave are eligible to take another paid parental leave after 10 calendar months of active status.

• Employees who take paid parental leave must return to work or active status for at least 12 calendar months or they will be required to pay back the benefit.

  Check your eligibility for parental benefits by using the UFT Parental Leave Guide. Log in to the UFT Member Hub to check it out!

Learn more about parental leaves »