The DOE's HR Connect portal permits users to upload forms and files. Once you have logged into your account, you can submit supporting documents to HR Connect and it is no longer necessary to send them via fax. See step-by-step instructions for how to upload documents to HR Connect. 

Pedagogical employees may donate CAR days to another employee only if the recipient has a catastrophic sickness. The recipient does not have to be a pedagogical employee and may belong to a different payroll bank. However, DOE employees cannot donate or receive accrued time to or from an employee at another NYC agency.

• For every 2 sick days/CAR days donated, the recipient receives 1 day of leave.
• The donor cannot have a balance of more than 180 days or less than 50 days. 
• The recipient must have exhausted all earned sick leave and optional borrowed time.

To donate CAR days: 

1. Use the DOE's CAR transfer form.
2. Complete the form, following the instructions and submit it to your payroll secretary or timekeeper. 
3. Forms can be faxed to DOE payroll at 718-935-5561 - fax is the preferred method. You can send the forms via email to payrollinquiry@schools.nyc.gov only if you do not have access to a fax. Please note that processing of the forms submitted via email may experience a considerable delay. 

If you still receive a paper paycheck, you should not cash or deposit it prior to the date printed on the check. New York City has an "early encashment" fee of $55 that they place on each checks that is deposited or cashed before the date printed on the check. Do not cash or deposit your paycheck until the date that is printed on the check to avoid this fee. 

If you incur an early encashment fee, it will be deducted from a future paycheck by the NYC Office of Payroll Administration (OPA). The deduction code on your paystub will be "7056 EARLY CHARGE." 

You will be charged a fee of $55 for each check cashed or deposited before its check date. However, if more than two paychecks have been deposited or cashed early, no more than $110 will be deducted at a time from a single paycheck, and fees may be incurred on future paychecks. 

Your bank may also impose a separate fee, or they may also void the check completely. If they do void the check, you will need to have your paycheck replaced. You must work with your payroll secretary or your payroll specialist at a borough citywide office (BCO) to place a stop payment on the previous check so that a new one can be issued for you. A stop payment cannot be processed until the check date. 

No. Two teachers--one general education and one special education--must be present for all periods of ICT instruction required by students' IEPs. Co-teachers may not cover for each other during preparation periods. 

The Dignity for All Students Act mandates that anyone applying for a New York State teaching license or certificate after December 31, 2013 complete six hours of training on harassment, bullying and discrimination in schools.

Speak with your chapter leader or district representative. While a handbook may reiterate an existing provision of a collective bargaining agreement or Chancellor’s Regulation, a handbook cannot be contrary to or modify a provision of a collective bargaining agreement or Chancellor’s Regulation and a handbook cannot create a new term or condition of employment that is not in a collective bargaining agreement, Chancellor’s Regulation or existing official DOE policy. The DOE has written that school staff may not be held accountable for provisions of any school handbook or other communication that is inconsistent with collective bargaining agreements or Chancellor's Regulations. See the DOE guidance on school handbooks »

There are two avenues for resolving special education issues: your school’s Special Education Committee or the special education complaint.

Issues that can be brought to the Special Education Committee include the failure to properly staff special education classes, using integrated co-teaching teachers to provide coverage for absent teachers, violations of class size limits for special classes, failure to staff paraprofessional positions, combining special classes for clusters and physical education, and late arrival or early departure of school buses. The committee meets with the principal in the fall and spring and as needed during the rest of the school year.

A special education complaint should be filed for any issues specific to individual students, such as IEP program and service recommendations based on administrative considerations rather than student need. Other topics best handled through the special education complaint process include school budgeting for special education programs and services, violations of the rules governing ICT class size and composition, failure to process in a timely fashion parent referrals and staff member requests for special education referral, and the failure to provide behavior management training for paraprofessionals who work with students with behavior intervention plans.

Also see the DOE's Special Education Standard Operation Procedures Manual (SOPM) for reference. 

IEP meetings should happen during instructional time or the teacher’s professional activity period. Under the 2023 DOE-UFT contract (Article 6B1d), IEP conferences can now also be scheduled during the 40-minute block of Other Professional Work on Tuesdays. If the meeting takes place during instructional time, the teacher’s class must be covered. IEP meetings should not be held during preparation periods. If a teacher loses their preparation period due to attendance at an IEP meeting, the teacher must be compensated (see Payroll Administration Memo No. 20 2000-1).

The management needs section of the student’s IEP must make clear the circumstances during the school day, including related services and nonacademic settings such as lunch and transitions, for which the student requires the support of a paraprofessional. IEP-assigned paraprofessionals must attend related service sessions if the management needs section of the IEP indicates the student requires services in that setting. Either way, related service providers should let paraprofessionals know how they can support related service goals in the classroom (see the DOE's Special Education Standard Operation Procedures Manual (SOPM), Special Considerations: IEP-Assigned Paraprofessionals section).

Yes, the IEP team should discuss whether students with disabilities require support in any instructional, grade-bearing class. Teachers of such classes who are concerned about the ability of a student with a disability to access or participate in the class should bring their concerns to the attention of the student’s special education teacher. In addition, special education teachers should consult with general education teachers who also work with their students — including bilingual, English as a new language, cluster and specialty teachers — when preparing for annual review meetings (see the DOE's Special Education Standard Operating Procedures Manual (SOPM), Special Education Teacher Preparation for IEP Meetings section).