Imposed changes to conditions of service and the payment of supply staff take effect from 1 September 2011. The changes are likely to cause confusion and uncertainty for supply staff and simply confuse payroll departments.
The SNCT document relating to these conditions of service is available from http://www.snct.org.uk/ and the most important changes are listed below in bullet points:
• There are now 3 categories of teacher employment. These are permanent, short term contract and supply.
• The changes have no effect on permanent contracts.
• Teachers on temporary contracts will continue to be paid for 7 hour days at the appropriate scale point from day 1 of the contract. Regular 0.2fte cover in a school, long term cover for illness or maternity leave, or repeated weekly cover for some other reason are all covered by temporary contract.
• Short term supply (sometimes referred to as the ‘odd day here and there’) is paid at 5/7 of scale point 1 for the first 5 days of any contract. In other words if you are asked to cover 2 days because teacher X is out of school, you will be paid 5/7 of scale point 1, or £15.63 per hour for 5 hours ( £78.15 per day).
• Probationers on the alternative route are paid 5/7 of scale point 0 ( £65.15 per day) for the first 5 days of a supply contract.
• After 5 days you are entitled to payment at your normal scale point and will be expected to work for 7 hours, in the normal fashion.
• A break in the contract means starting again at day 1 of the 5 days.
• A move to another school within the same authority means starting again at day 1 of the 5 days.
• Local authorities have agreed not to create artificial breaks in contract. If you believe this is happening please contact the Association immediately.