Fact Finder: Educators should be made to work as many hours as required without pay
01/03/2014

 

While Indiana’s educators were wrapping up grades, evaluations and other classroom work before the long holiday break (in no doubt well past the regular school day) a Fact Finder appointed by Governor Pence's Indiana Education Employment Relations Board issued a decision essentially stating that they can be made to work as many late evening hours as required without pay.

 

We are certain this is the sort of result former Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett and former Governor Mitch Daniels had in mind with their first edition of the Regular Teachers Contract.

 

The Fact Finder held, "If a teacher is a professional being paid a salary, that salary should be the complete compensation expected by a teacher for the fulfillment of the responsibilities set forth in the individual teacher contract regardless of the number of hours necessary for completion or the time of day or night the work is completed." 

 

The Fact Finder further held, "The determination as to whether teachers and school districts may bargain with respect to additional compensation should be focused solely upon the nature of the task to be completed with no consideration whatsoever to the hours necessary for completion or the time of day within which the task is completed."

 

This decision completely ignores a previous court decision obtained by ISTA that limited the number of hours per day a teacher can be required to work to the hours contained in a regular teacher's contract. 

 

ISTA will appeal this unfair decision to the full Indiana Education Employment Relations Board and then to a trial court if necessary.

 

We are urging members and any concerned Hoosiers who believe educators should be paid for time worked to contact Governor Pence at 317-232-4567 or by email here.

 

The entire Fact Finder report can be read here: Factfinder_Findings_and_Recommendations.pdf