Related Experience and OSSTF Group Rating Statements - Salary

Employed LTO teachers will be paid in accordance with the OT Collective Agreement.  A salary grid is a matrix identifying annual salaries based on Years of experience (vertical movement on grid) and Group1, 2, 3, or 4 (horizontal movement on grid)

It is the LTO teacher's responsibility to ensure that the Employer has the necessary information and documents to be placed at the appropriate position on the salary grid.  Please read the information below for more information and links.

Understanding "Years of Experience" for Salary Purposes

The vertical placement (Year 0 - 11) on the grid is determined by years of experience that have been credited to you.  All new LTO teachers, have the opportunity to submit to the Employer, past experience for salary purposes.  This experience includes:

a. Credit shall be given for all full-time or part-time teaching experience in elementary or secondary schools in Canada;  Experience as a long term occasional teacher with this Employer in a continuous assignment replacing the same teacher and extending for one-half of a school year or more shall be credited for initial placement on grid where such experience was acquired after September 1, 1998.

b. Teaching experience for a full-time assignment for a full school year shall be recognized as one full year credit.

c. Teaching experience for less than a full-time assignment and/or less than a full school year including long-term teaching experience as identified in  a. above with the Employer or its predecessors, shall be accumulated and recognized as follows: of the aggregate accumulation, each one hundred and ninety-four (194) days shall be considered as one (1) year of credit, and the remainder, if it exceeds ninety-seven (97) days, shall be considered as one (1) year of credit.

d. Other teaching experience deemed relevant by the Employer to the teacher’s assignment shall be recognized to the maximum for the applicable category, such as continuing education credit courses, teaching experience in a College of Applied Arts and Technology, University or Faculty/College of Education or teaching in an elementary or secondary school outside Canada shall be recognized on the basis of one grid step for every year of such experience to maximum of category.

e. Other related experience in a profession, industry or trade deemed relevant by the Employer to the teacher’s assignment on the basis of one grid step for every two years of such experience to maximum of category and provided that such experience has not been used to satisfy entrance requirements to a Faculty of Education in pursuit of a degree or diploma in education.

The Employer, given the above information, will determine the amount of "years" that is applicable and will credit you with such years on the salary grid, retroactive to your date of hire into the Bargaining Unit.  In order for the Board to assess related experience, the following documents must be gathered, compiled, and copies sent to the Board, as soon as possible:

• Prior Teaching Experience - a letter from the institution stating length of service (dates), status (full-time etc.), and what you taught.

• Professional or Trade Experience - a letter from your employer stating length of service (dates), status (full-time etc.) including hours worked per year, and a detailed account of your duties during your employment.

NB - If you were self-employed, or if your previous employer no longer exists, you will be required to create a notarized affidavit stating length of service, status (including hours worked per year, and detailed account of your duties during employment.  Supporting documents, such as T4 slips, Record of Employment etc. may be helpful.

OSSTF strongly urges members to view, amend, print, and submit the following letters to the Board Office:

<Click here> to view the letter to send to the Board to inform them you are currently in the process of compiling your related experience

<Click here> to view the letter to send to the Board to inform them you are requesting the attached related experience be regarded for pay purposes

Understanding "Group 1, 2, 3, 4" for Salary Purposes

The horizontal placement on the salary grid (Group 1, 2, 3, or 4) entirely depends on the group that you have been formally recognized by the OSSTF Certification Division (Provincial).  The Certification Division, given approved guidelines, will assess your "grouping" based on the education you have received (includes education courses, Basic Qualification courses, Additional Basic Qualifications courses, Specialist courses, Honour Specialist courses etc.) and, in the case of the trades, professional or otherwise, seals and other pertinent information.  Note that the term "group" is synonymous with the term "category" (in this website).

The OSSTF Certification Division will only issue you a statement identifying your grouping if you possess an Interim Certificate of Qualifications or Certificate of Qualifications from the College of Teachers.  Teachers on a Letter of Permission will only be paid at Group 1.

Please note, 

• teachers who have a QECO rating must get an OSSTF group rating in order to be paid beyond Group 1.

• teachers on a Letter of Permission, who, during the currency of the Letter of Permission, receive an Certificate of Qualifications from the College of Teachers, have the right to  apply to OSSTF Certification Division for a "group" rating statement.

What to Do?

• If you are in possession of an updated/recent Group Rating Statement (or Letter of Evaluation) from OSSTF, fax a copy to the Board with this as a cover letter.

• If you never had a Group Rating statement (or Letter of Evaluation) from OSSTF or require an updated Group Rating statement, <click here> to see how to apply for this statement.  You are urged to <click here> to view the letter to send to the Board.

NB:  If you are an LTO teacher who qualifies for a change in category by reason of improved qualifications, you shall receive the appropriate differential amount retroactive to the 1st teaching day of the long term occasional assignment.  Retroactive adjustments within a semester will only be made on receipt of appropriate certification on or before the last day of that semester.  It is understood that you must have completed the academic requirements for the upgrading prior to the commencement of the long term occasional assignment.