Your Organizing
- Pre-K and Birth to Five are working on sign-on letters to advocate for better working conditions!
- Department Chairs completed a survey and have worked on a proposal at the bargaining table to manage the number of classes required to teach and clarify their changing role.
Your Representation
One member won a grievance settlement for coverage pay of over $30k!
A reminder that grievances are an important aspect of our union’s power and members should not be intimidated into not enforcing their rights.
Your Upcoming Events
- Contract Action Team working with UD for budget hearing turnout.
- The Early Career Educator Committee is hosting the next “Hot Topic Collaborative” on student behaviors and your rights on January 30.
- Racial and Social Justice Committee planning for MLK events! Stay tuned.
Your UniServ Update
Unlike most other professions, as a public school educator in Maryland, you can suffer negative consequences for resigning your position outside of certain timelines. If you resign during the school year (with limited exceptions, see Article 17 B), the following will occur:
- Any accumulated summer pay is forfeited, and you will not receive it (COMAR 13A.07.02.01).
- The Board of Ed, at its sole discretion, may suspend your Maryland teaching certificate (typically for one year, but can be for longer).
- AACPS and its agents are not required to provide you with a letter or recommendation or positive reference (though they may individually choose to do so).
- Your insurance ends at the end of the month in which you resign.
- If you are not vested in the Maryland state public employee retirement system, your contributions will be returned to you. If you are vested, that money will remain until you retire.
To avoid these consequences, members should provide their notice of intent to resign by April 15 (and continue to work through the end of the school year), and actually resign no later than July 15 before the next school year. By following these timelines, members will avoid these consequences and your insurance will continue through the end of August.
