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This is to advise that there will be a delay for some members in receiving all or some of the $2,000 recognition bonus negotiated in the recent collective agreement. This is the result of some initial disputes with the Employer regarding eligibility, timing of payment, and calculation of the bonus. These matters have now been resolved, but unfortunately this did not happen in time to avoid some delays. The Association has been advised that any member who does not receive the bonus amount to which they are entitled in the pay period ending on March 8, 2024 should expect to receive this on April 4.
The following is information for payment of the bonus:
Teachers currently on leave
Teachers who are entitled to receive the recognition bonus, prorated based on days worked during the 2022-23 school year, and who are currently on unpaid leave, will be paid the amounts owing to them upon their return from leave, or earlier upon request (with two exceptions noted below). If a teacher on unpaid leave wishes to receive the bonus prior to their return to work, they should contact Employer Payroll via the ticket process.
If a teacher on unpaid leave requests their bonus be paid out prior to their return to work, Payroll will advise them that their record of employment (ROE) for Employment Insurance purposes will have to be amended and reissued. Teachers who do not return to work following leave and who do not request the bonus payment prior to severance of employment will be paid the bonus upon severance of employment.
Teachers on injury on duty (workers’ compensation) leave, in receipt of benefits from WorkplaceNL, will receive the payment based on the days they would have worked during the 2022-23 school year (pro-rated based on total days in the school year) had they not been on leave. Teachers in this situation will not have to wait until they return to work to be paid their bonus, it will be paid when it is processed; we are advised that it will not impact their workers’ compensation claim.
Teachers on deferred salary leave will receive the bonus payment based on the days they would have worked during the 2022-23 school year (pro-rated based on total days in the school year) had they not been on leave. These teachers will not have to wait until they return to work to be paid their bonus, it will be paid when it is processed.
Resigned or retired teachers and teachers on recall
Active teachers and teachers on leave who were employed during the 2022-23 school year will be eligible for the recognition bonus, pro-rated based on the number of days worked during the 2022-23 school year. Further, teachers who had resigned, retired, or who were on recall status as of the date of signing of the 2022-26 Provincial Collective Agreement (February 1, 2024) are also eligible for the recognition bonus based on the number of days worked/on relevant leaves in 2022-23.
For deceased teachers who passed away either before or after the date of signing the collective agreement and who otherwise would have been eligible for the bonus based on eligibility criteria, the bonus will be paid to their estate.
Teachers on leave during the 2022-23 school year
The recognition bonus is prorated based on days worked during the 2022-23 school year. This includes all time worked that year on a permanent, term/replacement, and/or substitute basis. Proration also includes the following periods of leave: maternity/adoption/parental leave; sick leave (paid and/or unpaid); deferred salary leave; educational leave (paid and/or unpaid); injury on duty leave while in receipt of WorkplaceNL temporary earnings loss benefits; and, teachers on leave pursuant to clauses 19.05 and/or 19.06 of the collective agreement (critical and compassionate care leaves). Periods of general unpaid leave during the 2022-23 school year do not count towards bonus eligibility or calculation.
A teacher who was seconded to a position outside the bargaining unit during the 2022-23 school year will not be disadvantaged with respect to their bonus. Their days worked in and out of the bargaining unit during the 2022-23 school year will count towards the bonus unless the teacher has already been paid a bonus for their time outside the bargaining unit as this time will not be double counted. (The bonus for management and non-union/non-management was paid in the Fall of 2022). The maximum bonus a teacher can receive is $2,000. Specific to individuals in Program Development Specialist positions, their time with the Department of Education counts towards the bonus.
To summarize, time worked as well as periods of paid leave, deferred salary leave, injury on duty leave, maternity/adoption/parental leave, unpaid education leave, unpaid compassionate and critical care leave, seconded time, and unpaid sick leave will be included in determining eligibility for and calculation of the recognition bonus.
Deductions
Teacher Payroll has advised that the “bonus tax method” was used to determine income tax deductions from the recognition bonus. This method of calculating income tax is used when a payment to an employee is a bonus, retroactive pay, or an “out of the ordinary” payment which, if just treated as an addition to regular pay in a pay period, would result in excess tax deductions at source. The bonus is also subject to CPP and EI deductions. While the Association cannot do individual calculations, most teachers who are entitled to receive the full $2,000 bonus based on service during the 2022-23 school year (as discussed above) should expect to clear or net approximately $1,150 from the bonus payment, with variations depending on individual circumstances based on income level and associated provincial and federal taxation rates.
Individuals who have questions should contact an NLTA Administrative Officer via mail@nlta.ca, or by calling 709-726-3223 or 1-800-563-3599.
Thank you in advance for your time and attention to this matter.
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