Originally posted by a teacher on the BKC Moscow Teacher's Forum
Money money money
November 30, 2009
This maybe only applies to contract teachers.
Did you work extra (catch up/cover) hours in the week Nov 2 to 7 in the expectation of being paid for them? We were led to believe we would be at the teachers meeting in October. (The assurance has been 're-interpreted' - as below.)
Did you find out on pay day that that the extra hours weren't paid? (as I did) The reason given when you enquired being that the extra hours merely replaced the hours 'lost' on the Nov 4 (paid?) holiday.
If that happened, let your Teacher Reps know as soon as possible at reps@bkc.ru
Meanwhile, I suggest that if you are asked to work extra hours in a week where there is a national holiday, you were ill or for any other reason missed a day or more, DON'T!!! Under current payment guidelines there's every chance you won't be paid for them unless the total hours worked that week - holidays etc don't count in salary calculations - exceed your contracted hours. If you are under hours it's a different situation - then you have to work up to your contracted load, but no more in that week.
The way to get paid is to do the extra hours in another pay week where you actually work your normal contracted/scheduled hours. Then it will be counted as overtime.
Tricky, isn't it!
Another way to tackle this in future, of course, is not to do catch-ups or cover classes at all if you have the weekly hours to refuse, no-one (ADoses and Senior Teachers excepted, I believe) is obliged to do overtime. Take note that there are more holidays around New Year and that Timetabling will be looking for cover lessons, as many of our teachers will be on leave. Only do the extra hours if you are guaranteed payment as overtime, in writing/by email, and it suits you.
