Some questions and answers

Q. I was stranded and got home after the beginning of term. What should I do?
A. Make every attempt to contact your school/service to explain your situation.  Where you are able to give information about your likely date of return, please do so.

 

Q. Will my salary be deducted?
A. No, any absence due to travel delay should be dealt with as an authorised absence and teachers should not have salary docked as a result.  Any deduction of wages in these circumstances will be challenged by the Union as unlawful.  Members faced with the threat of, or actual, deductions should contact the NUT office.

 

Q. Several of my teaching colleagues have not returned to school today because of the flight situation.  Can teachers be asked to cover their classes?
A. The Union believes that the school management should attempt to cover teacher absences in line with their school cover policies by the employment of supply teachers where possible, and where cover supervisors or HLTAs are deployed, the statutory limitations on the deployment of such staff must be complied with.

 

Q. Will my school close if there are not enough staff?
A. In some areas, supply teachers may themselves be affected by the travel situation leading to a shortage of teacher qualified supply staff.  If this is the case and schools deploy non-teacher qualified staff to cover teacher absences, the statutory provisions relating to the deployment of such staff must be strictly adhered to.  This may result in partial closure of schools, for example in the secondary sector, some year groups being sent home to ease pressure on staff numbers, or total closure of schools in some cases.