Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation
26 Upper Canada

Surplus Declaration

As a Principal is staffing a school, a teacher may be declared fully surplus or partially surplus.  If you are declared fully surplus, it is because there was no position available at their school.   Your name will be placed on the Surplus Leave of Absence (SLOA) List for your entire entitlement.

If you are partially assigned for the following school year, then there is an obligation for the Principal to approach you and offer you the following 3 options:

1.   you may choose to accept the assignment available should the assignment span over two semesters and be placed on a SLOA List for the balance of your entitlement; or 
2.   you may choose to accept an assignment in one semester only and be placed on a SLOA List for the balance of your entitlement; or
3.   you may choose to be fully surplus to the extent of your entitlement and be placed on a SLOA List for your entitlement


Teachers shall be given two working days to declare to their Principal which of the above options they have chosen. On the first Tuesday in May teachers shall be informed, in writing, that they are surplus to school.  Such correspondence shall include the amount and semester the teacher is SLOA.

Please note that if you are SLOA, this leave ends at the end of the school year.  You will be staffed up to the extent of your entitlement in your home school during the Spring Staffing Process for the subsequent school year.  ALL teachers on SLOA List (for any amount) will have the right to partake in the Displacement ("bumping") process

FAQ
1.  What is entitlement?  
It is the maximum contractual amount (0.17, 0.33, 0.50, 0.67, 0.83, 1.0) that the employer is obligated to try and staff you.  It is the amount stated on the seniority list next to your name.  A teacher can only forfeit their entitlement if they resign or if their rights to recall have expired.

2.  What are the possible advantages/disadvantages to each of the three options described above?
Below is a general/brief description of possible advantages and possible disadvantages to each option.  Please note, teachers should call the district office for more information specific to their own circumstance.

Options Possible Advantages Possible Disadvantages
1.  accept the assignment available should the assignment span over two semesters and be placed on SLOA List for the balance of the teacher’s entitlement
  • maximizing your salary for following year, given the current staffing situation

  • staffed as much as possible in your current school

  • cannot lose entitlement for portions on a SLOA.

  • ability to partake in 2 placement meetings and displacement process

  • Home school generally remains current school

  • because you are staffed both semesters in the same school, you personally are most likely to consider vacant contract sections in your current school

  • can be displaced for amount that you are staffed

2.  accept an assignment in one semester only and be placed on SLOA List for the balance of the teacher’s entitlement
  • guaranteeing some salary for following year, given current staffing situation

  • staffed in your current school for one semester

  • ability to partake in 2 placement meetings

  • cannot lose entitlement for portions on a SLOA.

  • ability to partake in 2 placement meetings and displacement process

  • Home school generally remains current school if accepted assignment is in second semester

  • may have forfeited some salary by giving up a partial assignment in the alternate semester, given current staffing situation

  • gambling on the fact that you will be placed either through Placement Meeting, bumping, and/or vacancies outside of staffing process.

  • not staffed in your current school in the alternate semester

  • can be displaced for amount that you are staffed

  • If staffed in semester 2 at a different school, your home school changes and becomes the different school

3.  accept to be fully surplus to the extent of the teacher’s entitlement and placed on SLOA List for the teacher’s entitlement
  • cannot lose entitlement for portions on a SLOA.

  • ability to partake in 2 placement meetings and displacement process

  • forfeited your salary for following year, given current staffing situation

  • gambling on the fact that you will be placed either through Placement Meeting, bumping, and/or vacancies outside of staffing process.

  • home school becomes the last school you are assigned to

                                               

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