Question re fixed-term pro-rata contract, November to May

tangerinepuppet

Hi all,

I started a new job on Tuesday 2 November (the first day pupils were back after mid-term). My contract runs from that date to the 29th of May and is fixed term, pro-rata. Can anybody enlighten me about whether I will be paid or the summer? I assumed so, but would it not be standard for the contract to end on 31 August in that case?

Any help from those more experienced would be appreciated!

Delphi91

To the best of my knowledge, pro-rata contracts have to be in situ prior to November 1st. The closing date on them is usually the last day of August.

So, on the face of it, I don't think you will get paid

tangerinepuppet

Thanks, Delphi. You're probably right but I'm still slightly confused and holding out a wee bit of hope! The contract states pro-rata and I read on the ASTI website that RPT contracts can be given up to and including the first day back after mid-term. But then again, the end date still says May...!

implausible

Oooh, this one sounds a bit dodgy. Sounds like the school is getting out of giving you a pro-rata contract by commencing it on the day after the first day back to school. I presume that Monday was a staff planning day or something. If it was, you should've been in for it and your contract should have commenced on the Monday.

It doesn't sound like you'll be getting paid over the summer. The good news is that as you are probably non-casual, your hourly pay includes holiday pay. Check your payslips, you should know by the rate.

rainbowtrout

deemark wrote: »

Oooh, this one sounds a bit dodgy. Sounds like the school is getting out of giving you a pro-rata contract by commencing it on the day after the first day back to school. I presume that Monday was a staff planning day or something. If it was, you should've been in for it and your contract should have commenced on the Monday.

It doesn't sound like you'll be getting paid over the summer. The good news is that as you are probably non-casual, your hourly pay includes holiday pay. Check your payslips, you should know by the rate.

As dodgy and all as it sounds it might be correct. The contract may be in place of a teacher retiring who did not retire until Nov 1. If that was the case the VEC/School would not be in a position to give a contract until Nov 2.

Is the fixed term contract to cover a sick leave or a maternity leave?

The school year runs until June 4th this year, so it wouldn't make sense to terminate the contract on May 29th.

I doubt there'll be any summer pay for this contract.

tangerinepuppet

Hmmm, thanks everybody.

The hours are my own - they're special needs hours that arose after the start of the school year.

Deemark, you're right - the Monday was a staff planning day - but IIRC the ASTI website says the first day pupils come back is counted as the first day after the mid-term for the purpose of RPT contracts. Another teacher was given similar hours (number and purpose) for the year and, apparently because she was new to the school (whereas I worked there before), she was asked to come in for the staff planning day and that was the first day of her contract. She said that when she asked about pay she was told she'd be on the subbing rate, but that makes little sense to me either.

It's a funny one.

My contract says:

'The salary scale attaching to the position is the teachers' common basic scale together with appropriate allowances. Payment will be on a pro-rata basis...'

I'm contracted for 16 hours, so apparently this means I get a percentage of the common basic scale plus allowances for the weeks I work, no summer pay, and no compensation for the lack of holiday pay?

I can't check my payslips yet as I only got one so far and all that was on it was a refund of pension deductions from last year.

utterlyconfused.com!