Cairo Association of Teachers - Contract



ARTICLE IV
EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION/FRINGE BENEFITS

4.1 Salary*

4.2 Pay Days - School Not In Session

    If a regular pay date during the school term falls on a day when school is not in session, employees shall receive their checks on the last work day prior thereto unless school is canceled due to an emergency.

    In the event school is canceled prior to its opening on a regular pay date due to an emergency, checks shall be held for pick-up at the central office until noon. In the absence of notification by the employee, checks shall be mailed to the employee's regular address after 12 noon.

    In the event school is canceled during the day on a regular pay date due to an emergency and the employee checks have not yet been delivered to the school(s), the checks will be held at the District's central office for employee pick-up.

    During the summer, checks shall be mailed so that they will normally reach employees on the appropriate pay date.

4.3 Payroll Installments*

    Each employee shall be paid on the basis of twenty-four (24) equal payments. Paychecks will be issued on the 15th and 30th of the month, except as per Section 4.2 of this contract.

    Employees requesting balance of yearly pay on the first pay day following the last day of school must do so by notifying the superintendent in writing no later than May 15. The total number allowed shall not exceed fifteen (15) in number and shall first honor those teachers resigning or dismissed by the District. Requests for payment for those not leaving the District will be honored by lottery. Federal and State tax deducted from the lump-sum payment shall be at the approximate rate/amount as if payments had been made as normally scheduled.

    Upon written request to the Superintendent, each employee shall have the option of having his/her paycheck mailed directly to the employee's bank so that under normal circumstances the employee's bank will credit the employee's account on the regular payday. Said written request shall remain in effect unless rescinded in writing by said employee. Changes shall be limited to two (2) times per year unless there are mitigating circumstances. Each employee shall have the option of having his/her paycheck electronically deposited into his/her bank account upon written request to the Superintendent. Said written request shall remain in effect unless rescinded in writing by said employee. These electronically deposited funds shall be available for the employee's use at the beginning of the business day on the regular pay date, barring computer difficulty.

    An employee may normally change his/her mailing address and/or electronic deposit account number upon written notification to the payroll department at least ten (10) work days prior to a regular pay date.

    *Part time employees will be paid in equal installments through the duration of their contracted period of employment. Paychecks shall be issued on the 15th and 30th of each month, except as per Section 4.2 above.

4.4 Supplemental Jobs - Added to Salary Schedule (See Appendix D)

4.5 Extra Duty Ball Game Work

    A. Volunteers to supervise/work at home athletic contests will be solicited from the entire bargaining unit.

    B. If there are more voluntary workers than workstations available, a rotating schedule shall be formulated by the administration and a copy given to each volunteer worker.

    C. If the number of volunteers is insufficient, then the administration shall have the right to assign bargaining unit members on a rotating basis.

    D. Teachers performing such extra duty shall be paid at the rate of $35 per session.

    E. Teachers riding the bus as chaperones to away games shall be paid $35 per trip plus 10 cents a mile. A flat fee of $150 shall be paid to bus chaperones traveling to the IHSA Tournament series.

4.6 Supplemental Jobs - Payroll Procedures

    Supplemental pay (excluding "Athletics" extra duty items listed in Appendix D) shall be paid in one lump sum on the payroll date following the end of the semester. Extracurricular duties, listed in Appendix D, which are not completed at the end of the first semester will be paid one-half (1/2) of the total amount due on the payroll date following the end of the semester. The coach of an extra duty listed under "Athletics" in Appendix D shall be paid in one lump sum on the payroll date following the completion of his/her season. The coach of an "Athletics" extra duty whose sport spans both semesters shall be paid one-half (1/2) of his/her compensation on the payroll date following the end of the first semester and the remainder of said pay on the payroll date following the completion of his/her season. For the purposes of this section, the payroll date following the end of the first semester shall be January 15th.

4.7 Retirement*

    In accordance with the Illinois Teachers' Retirement System and the Internal Revenue Service Rules and Regulations, the Board agrees to pay each employee's full required contributions to the Illinois Teachers' Retirement System, including the amount designated for the Teachers' Retirement Health Insurance Program.

    *Part-time employees (non-retired) who are required to participate in the TRS system are included in this provision for Board-paid TRS. Retired employees are not included in this provision.

4.8 Insurance*

    1. The Board agrees to pay the amounts listed below toward the employee’s monthly health insurance premium for individual or family coverage under the District’s current health insurance plan. It is the specific intent of the parties that the District’s maximum contribution toward any monthly health insurance premium for individual or family coverage shall not, under the terms of this Agreement, exceed said listed amounts.

    Monthly insurance caps by school year:

      • 2008-09 - $472.50
      • 2009-10 - $480.00
      • 2010-11 - $487.50

    2. In the event the District changes its health insurance carrier, any selected insurance policy shall provide comparable coverage to the policy in place at the implementation of this agreement. Any change of carrier and/or coverage shall be approved by a majority vote of the employees belonging to said group health insurance program.

    3. The Board shall continue to maintain a 125 Cafeteria Plan which allows each employee the option of sheltering his/her share of the District’s group health insurance premiums as well as other insurance premiums determined to be permissible under the plan.

    *Part-time employees are excluded from Section 4.8.

4.9 School Detention

    Any teacher required to hold "school detention" shall be compensated at the rate of $25 per detention period. The length of the detention shall not exceed the length of one period in the regular school day. If the length of said detention period does exceed the length of one period in the regular school day, the stipend shall be increased by $25 for each additional period or part thereof.

4.10 Homebound Tutoring

    Any teacher performing homebound tutoring shall be compensated at their normal hourly rate. Teachers performing such duty shall be compensated mileage according to that paid by ISBE.

4.11 Perfect Attendance Incentive*

    Any teacher who does not use either a sick day or a personal day shall receive a $250 stipend payable on the next scheduled payment date that falls at least five workdays after the last day of school.

    *Part-time employees are excluded from Section 4.11.

4.12 Mileage

    Teachers required to drive their own personal vehicle for school business shall be compensated at the rate paid by ISBE.

4.13 Holidays*

    President’s Day shall be observed in lieu of Lincoln’s Birthday. School will be closed for a full week at Easter in order to provide students and employees with a Spring vacation.

    *Part-time employees are excluded from Section 4.13.

4.14 Tuition Payment and Reimbursement*

    Any teacher requested or required to obtain proper certification in a subject area for which he/she was not initially employed to teach shall have tuition and training costs paid according to District Form A.

    *Part-time employees are excluded from Section 4.14.

4.15 Paycheck Errors

    In the event of errors in a paycheck exceeding $50, correction shall be made immediately after written notification by the employee and subsequent verification by the employer. Any additional payment shall be made within twenty-four (24) hours of said notification excluding holidays and weekends.

4.16 Advancement on Salary Schedule*

    An employee will advance horizontally on the salary schedule if successful completion of the required course is verified to the payroll department by official transcript, with seal affixed, on or before October 1 of each school year. Payment shall be retroactive upon receipt of said transcript.

    An employee who is eligible shall advance vertically on the salary schedule on the first day of the new school year.

    *Part-time employees are excluded from Section 4.16.

4.17 Extra Duty

    All internal candidates will be considered before outside applicants are chosen. The employer or its agents will not allow anyone, existing employee or otherwise, to perform a duty listed in the extra duty salary schedule in part or in whole for free or a reduced amount without the approval of the Association.

4.18 Inoculations

    Each employee at his/her option shall be allowed to take the Hepatitis B inoculation series at District expense as often as advised by prevailing medical research.

4.19 Early Retirement Incentive (E.R.I.)*

    No program available at this time. Should one be introduced, it will be bargained at that time.

    *Part-time employees are excluded from Section 4.19.

4.20 Coaches - Meal Money

    Coaches of extra duty positions--athletic and non-athletic--shall receive meal money for out-of-town games and meetings equal to that paid to employees who attend workshops.

4.21 Term Life Insurance*

    The Board shall provide $20,000 of term life insurance to all employees through The Prudential Insurance Company of America as per proposal rate summary dated December 1, 1997. The Board agrees to pay the full individual premium up to $5.18 per month per employee. Should the premium rate exceed $5.18 per month per employee, this will be immediately bargained. Said employees may also purchase, at their option and at their expense, coverage for their spouse and/or children subject to the terms of the policy.

    *Available to part-time employees at employees’ expense, if contract with carrier allows.

4.22 Workshop Attendance

    Administrative procedures for allowing employees to attend workshops shall be provided to each bargaining unit member. Any employee denied permission to attend a workshop shall be provided with written reason(s).

    During the school term, an employee who attends a workshop on a regularly scheduled work day that is canceled due to inclement weather, act of God, or other reason shall be compensated at his/her daily rate of pay if the employee was requested to attend by a district administrator.

4.23 Severance Pay*

    A. In order to recognize the contribution of those employees who have provided long service to the youth of Cairo School District Number One, any employee who retires, resigns, or is honorably dismissed from employment after completing twenty (20) years of service to the District shall receive $300 per year of service to the District. (The 20 years of service to the District need not be consecutive.)

    B. In the case of the death of any eligible employee while in service to CSD #1, his/her surviving spouse, or his/her sons and daughters, whether natural or adopted, shall be paid an amount equal to the amount of severance pay to which he/she was entitled as of the date of his/her demise.

    *Part-time employees are excluded from Section 4.23.

4.24 Retirement Distribution*

    In exchange for filing an irrevocable written notice to retire, the employer agrees to the following retirement incentive for employees meeting the eligibility requirements of Section 4.23:

    A. Eligibility – To be eligible for the retirement payments contemplated under this Agreement, the employee must be eligible for full retirement without Early Retirement Option (ERO) expense or other penalty to the District, and must provide an irrevocable letter of retirement with a date certain following after the next one, two, three, or four years. This determines the pre-retirement distribution period.

    B. Notification Deadlines. To be eligible for the retirement payments contemplated under this Agreement, the employee must, by February 1st in any given year, submit his or her irrevocable written notice of retirement from the District containing a date certain of the employee’s retirement after the next one, two, three, or four years. No such retirement date shall be more than three years later than the end of the school year in which the notice is given.

    C. Pooling of Benefits – The total benefits due the employee under Section 4.23 and Section 5.1 as a retirement incentive shall be calculated and pooled into one benefit amount upon receipt of the irrevocable letter. Under no circumstances will the total benefit under this approach exceed the total benefit under the prior Collective Bargaining Agreement; but the distribution of that amount may take place over the 1, 2, 3, or 4 year pre-retirement period as set forth in this Provision.

    D. Initial Calculations – The initial calculations may be based upon estimates made at the time the notice of retirement is received and a final calculation shall be made and the amount of the benefit adjusted as necessary as the time of retirement approaches in order to assure that the total and correct benefit amount due an employee is not exceeded. All final calculations shall be made based on the certificated employee’s proper placement on the appropriate salary schedule in the year of retirement.

    E. Distribution – For each school year between the time the notice of retirement is given and the date of retirement beginning the year the notice is given, the employee shall receive his/her regularly scheduled increases in creditable earnings, plus that portion of the benefit needed to result in the creditable earnings being 106% of the previous year’s creditable earnings. The portion paid that is above his/her regularly scheduled increases shall be deducted from the pooled benefit amount, including any additional required contributions (both employee and employer) due to the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System because of the bonus amount.

    F. Rounding – In calculation of the six percent (6%) increases, the amount may be rounded down to the nearest $5.00 yearly to avoid TRS penalties.

    G. At the time of retirement any remaining benefit funds shall be paid as one lump sum following the last day of employment and receipt of the final payroll check. Such post retirement payment shall not be considered TRS creditable earnings. The retiring employee, to the maximum extent possible, shall receive the full dollar amount of the benefit as creditable earnings while avoiding TRS penalties that may arise due to the payment of benefits distributed under this provision.

    H. Successor Agreement – These provisions may be bargained at the discretion of the parties in a successor agreement; however, any employee offering a resignation in compliance with Section 4.24 will receive the benefit as a minimum guarantee as outlined herein regardless of the inclusion of this provision in a successor agreement or the expiration of the agreement.

    I. Reopening This Provision – This provision shall be reopened for reconsideration upon the written demand to bargain by either party provided that the District becomes subject to TRS penalties under this provision, legislative changes or rule changes affecting what has come to be known as SB 27 for the purpose of negotiating appropriate revisions to assure that the retiring employee, to the maximum extent possible, shall receive the full dollar amount of the benefit as creditable earnings while avoiding TRS penalties that may arise due to the payment of benefits distributed under this provision. The express intent of this provision is to avoid TRS penalties to the District.

    J. Surviving Spouse – In the case of the death of any eligible employee who has complied with the provisions of this Section and has submitted a written irrevocable letter of resignation, but who has not yet retired before his/her death, his/her surviving spouse, or his/her sons and daughters, whether natural or adopted, shall be paid an amount equal to the amount of benefit to which the employee was entitled as of the date of his/her demise.

    K. Early Retirement Option (“ERO”) – Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, the parties agree that employee use of the Early Retirement Option (“ERO”) may be limited to no more than a total of 10% of employees who are eligible in any academic year, at the District’s option. If the District exercises its option to so restrict employee use of ERO, the right of specific employees to use the Early Retirement Option shall be allocated among applicants based on seniority with the District.

    *Part-time employees are excluded from Section 4.24.