USEP Update – Wednesday, September 8th, 2021

Voluntary Sub Coverage

As a reminder, the current Instructional Master Contract includes an MOU called Voluntary Coverage Process. As stated in this MOU, instructional staff may VOLUNTEER to provide coverage when a school does not have enough subs. Instructional Staff that volunteer shall be awarded compensatory time in recognition of the additional responsibilities being assumed. This compensatory time shall be awarded both to those that VOLUNTEER to provide coverage during their planning period and to those that VOLUNTEER to take on additional students throughout the day due to a lack of substitute teachers.

It is NOT MANDATORY for you to sub, but voluntary. You may say, “No!”, when asked.

This MOU and the rest of the Instructional Master Contract can be found here: http://www.useponline.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2021-Instructional-Master-Contract.pdf

The Instructional Negotiating Team has passed this MOU to the District asking for a monetary compensation this year due to the District getting Federal ESSER funding. We are currently awaiting the District’s response.

Important Update Regarding Covid

On August 6th, USEP and the District agreed to a Health and Safety MOU. Along with other things, this MOU allows for employees to temporarily work remotely when the employee is subject to quarantine/isolation as directed by the District’s COVID Response Team and/or the Pasco County Department of Health.

***UPDATE*** After conversation with USEP, the District has agreed to expand remote work availability to include employees that are unable to report to work due to caring for a minor child that is quarantined/isolated by the Department of Health. This policy change will take effect on September 13. The following provisions must be met:

• Employee available for work and nature of employee’s position supports working remotely.
• Employee provides proof of a Positive test result or DOH requirement to quarantine. (Generic letter from employee deciding to quarantine child will not qualify).
• Generally, remote assignments will not exceed quarantine/isolation or 8 working days, whichever is less. Exceptions must be agreed upon by employee and supervisor and approved by Sup’t.
• Employee must meet job expectations during remote work.
• If employee is unable to work during portions of remote assignment, personal accrued leave must be used.
• THIS DOES NOT EXTEND TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE PORTION OF THE MOU.

Transportation Bidding Concerns Resolved

After conversation with District staff regarding a matter involving 7 drivers out of the new driver class receiving routes before current drivers had the opportunity to see/bid on those routes, the District agreed that those routes will be put back on the bid list and the new drivers will be placed at the bottom of the seniority list. If the routes are not selected, the temporary drivers (from class) will be able to pick them or pick another route in seniority order.

Signatures on E-mails

The Superintendent has decided that signatures and extra information attached to school emails has gotten out of control. To deal with that, all employees were sent an email on August 17, 2021, stating that changes were to be made and what could be included in signatures on emails.

USEP is still working with the District to determine if including “USEP Building Rep, ext. 1234” to the signature will be allowed. In the meantime, USEP has determined that there is NO PROBLEM with Rep’s putting that information IN THE BODY OF THE EMAIL. Please include this information in every email you send to members or potentials so they will readily have on hand the correct information to get in touch with you should they have questions about joining (potentials) or concerns (members). We will continue to advocate for the signature line inclusion.

Negotiations

Our SRP and Instructional Negotiations teams are meeting weekly to discuss remaining MOU’s and any pertinent language update as well as looking at District expenditure of ESSER funds as we begin the conversation on salary improvements.