Pay when off for snow?

I was wondering if anyone knew how our pay works at the moment? My authority is keeping all its schools closed again tomorrow (Wed), and we've been closed since Monday. I'm full time, so will I still get my normal pay?
Thanks to anyone who knows!

 

I was wondering if anyone knew how our pay works at the moment? My authority is keeping all its schools closed again tomorrow (Wed), and we've been closed since Monday. I'm full time, so will I still get my normal pay?
Thanks to anyone who knows!

 

If you have a perm. contract you will be paid - it's not like we can go to another job because we are snowed in and it's not our fault.

 

If your employer is the one closing your place of employment,they will have to pay you.

 

That's excellent news, thank you! Feel a bit sorry for the teachers on supply in my school though, doesn't seem very fair on them if they don't get paid.

 

It sucks - Too many other days without pay to be able to afford snow.
I

 

What happens if you have been asked verbally to work until Xmas? Do you still get paid?

 

Difficult one Patsy. If you have no contract, only a verbal agreement, I'm not sure how you are positioned under employment law. If it's no fault of your own, I don't see why they shouldn't pay you, especially if you have no notice. However, in these days of austerity, they will try to save every penny. I'm sure there are some experts out there who may have the facts.

 

It's by no means guaranteed that teachers with permanent contracts will be paid! Look at what happened re the Icelandic volcano.

My advice to teachers who are "snowed off" is to ensure that they can show evidence that they undertook appropriate work at home. e.g. Professional reading, marking, lesson preparation, planning, checking out website for classroom use, youtube videos for curricular use etc.

 

What is the best way to do that Dom? We will all be working flat out when we do get back to school to catch up on the missed work.
In Highland region the server is out of action until Dec 6th due to a flood - I could have done more work from home had I been able to access school email etc, this flood is not my fault. We are off today because the buses are frozen, the roads are too frozen for grit to make any difference anyway.
I am so down about all this and we still have Dec., Jan., Feb and March to get through - anyone else feel down and in need of a cuddle?
Joni

 

I limit my services to advice Joni! Re work at home: I don't think it should be hard for teachers to simply keep a record of what they have done in the form of a diary ...
S3 essays marked
X lessons planned
The following websites accessed and checked out.
Professional reading as follows ...
I doubt if HTs will want to check every jot and tittle but given the political / financial situation and the fact that other Council workers will be working all hours to keep the roads open etc then I think it would be wise and diplomatic to keep a rough record.

 

Thanks Dominie

 

My authority closed all schools at 7am on Monday and expect to open them next Monday at the earliest.
Rumours are spreading that we'll be made to "payback" the time - possibly by working a week in the summer hols. If that is the case I'll be working to rule for the rest of the year. We all work over our 35 hours, but it is never recognised by those who make these decisions.

 

That's absolutely rididulous Carol and you're quite right t work to rule over it.

 

Dominie, I don't understand how teachers being stranded abroad because of the Icelandic volcano is in any way analogous to the authority closing all schools to pupils AND staff for weather. I am not home by my own choice or action. I am home because my workplace has been closed by my employer and my employer has instructed me to stay home for the duration.

 

..and they'll all be getting paid handsomely in overtime. Would I had that option for every minute I work overtime.

 

Fair and logical comment but fairness and logic does not always come into play with local politicians and public opinion. Other Council workers don't have the contractual advantage teachers have of completing some of their work at a time and place of their choosing nor of extensive holidays.

All I'm suggesting is that it might be politic for teachers to get their retaliation in early to the accusation that they have had x days off.

"No. I had X days when I was not able to attend my place of work but here's a list of work which I completed anyway."

 

Thanks V. I think I will keep a note of the work I have completed today as suggested by Dominie.
This is a double whammy this week after hearing about the supply rate being reduced to Point 1 on the Pay Scale!

 

Off again today, this time cos school has no electricity - I wasn't able to go anyway as I live 40 miles from school, we had more snow last night and at minus 13.5, it's a wee bit icy! I've just written up what I've done and it's more time planning than I would normally do, plus I've done more for my higher section as I have extra resources at home to do so.
I do think it's time for a shake up about our hours. In America they are allowed a few days off for bad weather, after that they have to go to school at some point in their holidays (a grumpy old parent told me this after Jan's snow days). That is fair enough if those are the conditions which you know about BEFORE you decide to be a teacher. My brother is forever moaning about how many holidays teachers get (he is beside himself over this week!) and I always tell him he had the choice to become a teacher if he wanted 12 weeks hols. In industry after 30 years service, most employees have worked their way up the scale and increased their holiday entitlement on the way. How many holidays do bankers get?
If supply teachers go back to point 1, then there are bound to be fewer supply teachers working and that will be more work for us - not a problem, but like Carol, I will be working 35 hours and not one second more.
Do the general public really think we would rather be at home for days on end with prelims so soon, Christmas concerts to organise, lessons to plan, photocopying to do?
Right, off my soapbox as it's break time now (and I ate the last chocolate biscuit yesterday, maybe I'll put some brandy in my coffee?!!)
Joni

 

Joni, I think this probably varies from state to state in the US, as it does from province to province in Canada.
I lived and taught all my life in the province with the highest snowfalls and longest winters in Canada. Schools were often closed for up to a week and more for snow days every year and teachers are never required to make up for closure time in any way.
On the other hand, in stormy weather, if your school is open, you have to show up for work. If you happen to be snowbound or stuck in traffic when you're supposed to be in school, tough. You don't get paid, even if you have a perm contract.
Incidentally, I never in my entire teaching career had four consecutive days off for schooll, in conditions that were much much worse than here on the east coast of Scotland. I guess that's because we know how to do snow in Canada. We know it's coming, we get ready for it, and we deal with it as a matter of routine.