Good Morning! Please Read, this is very important and time sensitive!
I have had numerous conversations with STU members and Management, it has come to my attention that members do not have enough time and information to make a life decision like retirement. Management has agreed to push back the date for putting in an intent to retire. The contract currently reads by Oct 1 the employee must notify the district. The district is fine with extending this date to November 2nd.
The main issue has been not having the contract language in hand to make an decisions like this. The contract language members have been asking for is retirement and longevity. This information has not been passed out to the members since the language is still being edited. The negotiating team is working with management on finishing the process. At this point management and the team has agreed on this portion of the language being dissemination to the members.
Again, this is the agreed upon language barring any editing.
It is at the request of the members to meet with management on these issues as well. Peggy and Barb are both willing to meet with people about eligibility and we are here to help where we can!
Thank you to the members who voiced concerns on this matter! This type of action is makes us stronger as a unit.
Retirement Language
Section U: Retirement Incentive
To be eligible to participate in the Retirement Incentive Plan, a teacher shall have completed 15 years of continuous full-time service (unpaid leave time does not break continuity, but does not count as full-time equivalency) to SEDOL at the time he/she submits an irrevocable notice of intent to resign for the purpose of retirement. Additionally, such teacher shall not be age/service eligible to retire under the statutory Early Retirement Without Discount (“ERO”) option of the Pension Code (i.e., between the ages of 55 and 60, with 20 or more years of service but fewer than 35 years of service).
If these requirements are met, a teacher who submits an irrevocable notice of intent to resign for the purpose of retirement to the Human Resources office in accordance with the guidelines below shall receive the following retirement incentive:
On or before October 1, 2015, a teacher may elect to retire either at the end of the 2015-2016 or the 2016-2017 school term and receive up to two years retirement incentive;
Between October 2, 2015, and September 1, 2016, a teacher may elect to retire either at the end of the 2016-2017 or the 2017-2018 school term and receive up to two years of retirement incentive; or,
Between September 2, 2016, and September 1, 2017, a teacher may elect to retire at the end of the 2017-2018 school term and receive one year of retirement incentive.
A one year retirement incentive shall be calculated by increasing the base salary paid to the retiring staff member during the year immediately prior to the start of the retirement incentive by 4%. If the staff member is eligible for and elects to receive a second year of retirement incentive, it shall be calculated by increasing the base salary plus the retirement incentive paid to the retiring staff member during the immediately prior year by 4%. (e.g., Prior to October 1, 2015, a teacher whose base salary in 2014-2015 was $100,000, submits a notice of intent to retire at the end of the 2016-2017 school term. Assuming the teacher works until the expected date of retirement, then for the 2015-2016 school term, the teacher shall receive $100,000 x 1.04 = $104,000 in total creditable earnings, and for the 2016-2017 school term, the teacher shall receive $104,000 x 1.04 = $108,160 in total creditable earnings.)
Base salary is defined as salary plus longevity (if applicable)) as shown on the compensation schedule.
In no event may such Teacher’s total creditable earnings, as defined by ITRS, exceed six percent (6%) of the prior year’s total creditable earnings such that the Board will incur funding liabilities on behalf of the teacher. A teacher shall not receive horizontal and vertical lane advancement in any year during which a retirement incentive is received. Should extra pay or duties result in an amount in excess of six percent (6%) in any retirement incentive year, adjustments will be made to such Teacher’s salary so as not to exceed the six percent (6%) ITRS limit.
Nothing contained herein shall limit the right of the Board to offer additional retirement incentives to individual teachers. The Union shall consider any such additional incentives offered by the Board as non- precedential with respect to individual teacher and future contractual agreements between the Board and the Union.
Legislative Changes: In the event the Illinois General Assembly enacts legislation imposing a penalty on SEDOL for providing this retirement incentive, the benefit shall cease to exist in its present form, for licensed staff members who submitted their notice of intent to retire under the terms of this 2015-2018 Agreement, effective upon the imposition of such penalty. However, prior to the cessation of the retirement incentive, the parties agree to reopen this Article VIII. U and bargain over any modifications that would enable SEDOL to provide an alternative retirement benefit to licensed staff members. It is expressly understood that any such alternative retirement benefit shall not require SEDOL to incur any greater costs than are already contemplated under this Article.
Longevity language
One (1) year after the teacher
Full-time teachers who were already receiving longevity pay during the 2014-2015 school year shall receive an increase of $1,500 over the previous year’s longevity stipend in each of the 2015 – 2016, 2016 – 2017 and 2017 - 2018 school years. Unless due to a lane change as outlined below, said teachers shall continue to also receive the 2014-2015 base salary in effect for their lane and shall not be affected by any future adjustments (+/-) to the base pay on the salary schedule. For example, a teacher who was in the MA lane and was receiving longevity for the 2014-2015 school year, shall be deemed to have a base salary of $78,227. Said teacher was receiving a longevity stipend of $3,650 during the 2014-2015 school year. Such longevity stipend shall increase by $1,500 to $5,150 for 2015-2016, by $1,500 to $6,650 for 2016-2017 and by $1,500 to $8,150 for 2017-2018. His/ her base salary shall not change from $78,227 regardless of changes to the salary schedule. However, if said teacher earns additional educational credits and qualifies for a lane change, then he/she may elect to receive the increase in the longevity stipend, or the differential between his/her current base salary and the base salary that was in effect for his/her “new lane” on the 2014-2015 salary schedule. For example, if said teacher is eligible to advance to the MA+15 lane at the start of the 2016-2017 school year, he/she can elect to receive the $1,500 increase in the longevity stipend, or the $4,184 (i.e., $82,411 - $78,227) pay differential between the MA and the MA+15 lanes, but not both. If the teacher elects to receive the pay differential, his/her new base salary shall become $82,411. Additionally, in no event shall a teacher in longevity be allowed a mid-year lane change.
Full-time teachers who first enter into longevity shall receive a longevity stipend of $2,000 during the first year in longevity. Such longevity stipend shall be increased by $1,650 during the second year in longevity, and by $1,500 during the third year in longevity. Unless due to a lane change as outlined below, said teacher shall also continue to receive the base salary in effect for his/her lane in the year prior to the year in which he/she began to receive a longevity stipend and shall not be affected by any future adjustments (+/-) to the base pay on the salary schedule. For example, a teacher who was in the MA lane on Step 19 during the 2015-2016 school year shall be deemed to have a base salary of $77,867. Said teacher shall receive a longevity stipend of $2,000 for 2016-2017. Such longevity stipend shall increase by $1,650 to $3,650 for the 2017-2018 school year. His/her base salary shall not change from the 2015-2016 base of $77,867 regardless of changes to the salary schedule. However, if said teacher earns additional educational credits, then he/she may elect to receive the increase in the longevity stipend, or the differential between his/her current base salary and the base salary that was in effect for his/her “new lane” during 2015-2016. For example, if a teacher in the MA lane first entered into longevity in the 2016-2017 school year, his/her base salary shall be $77,867. If said teacher is eligible to advance to the MA+15 lane at the start of the 2017-2018 school year, he/she can elect to receive the $1,650 increase in the longevity stipend, or the $4,165 (i.e., $82,032 - $77,867) pay differential between the 2016-2017 Step 19 MA and the 2016-2017 Step 19 MA+15 lanes, but not both. If the teacher elects to receive the pay differential, his/her new base salary shall become $82,032. Additionally, in no event shall a teacher in longevity be allowed a mid-year lane change.
Part-time teachers in longevity shall receive the increase in the longevity stipend every other year, and the amount of the longevity increase shall be pro-rated according to their percentage of full-time employment.
Beginning with the 2013-2014 s
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