AR Handbook – 63 have actually reported for work. Members have the right to have representative (s) of their own choosing present at interviews which have been called by the board or a board committee at which their status of employment may be in jeopardy. Members should be advised to obtain a release from an existing contract before signing another. For certified employees, failure to fulfill the terms of an existing contract can bring serious professional and personal penalties, including revocation of your license in the state for a year following the violation. Tenure and employee rights such as pension, and accumulated sick leave are protected when a district regionalizes, consolidates, or discontinues any grade and sends its students to another school district. The seniority rights of teachers are also protected. New Jersey law sets May 15 as the deadline for notifying nontenured teachers of nonrenewal of contracts. Nontenure 6:3-4.2 Procedure for appearance of nontenured teaching staff members before a local board of education upon receipt of notice on nonreemployment. A nontenured teaching staff member who has requested in writing and has received a written statement of reasons for non-reemployment (pursuant to NJSA 18A:27-3.3) may request in writing an informal appearance before the local board of education. This written request must be submitted to the board within ten calendar days of receipt of the board’s statement of reasons. Such an informal appearance (provided under NJSA 10:4-12b(8)) shall be scheduled within 30 calendar days from receipt of the board’s statement of reasons. A nontenured teaching staff member’s appearance before the board regarding non-reemployment shall not be an adversary proceeding. The purpose of such an appearance shall be to permit the staff member to convince the members of the board to offer reemployment. Each local board shall determine a reasonable length of time for the proceeding and provide adequate written notice to the employee regarding the date and time of the informal appearance. The nontenured teaching staff member may choose a representative to be present at the hearing. Witnesses may appear on behalf of the staff member. Such witnesses need not present testimony under oath and shall not be cross-examined by the board. Witnesses shall be called into the meeting to address the board one at a time and shall be excused from the meeting after making their statements. Within three days following the informal appearance, the board shall notify the affected teaching staff member, in writing, of its final determination. These rules and requirements should be considered as minimal standards and do not preclude your right to negotiate improved evaluation procedures for the protection of nontenured teachers. Protection Unified members are assured protection of their professional rights in state and federal courts through financial aid from NJEA’s Professional Rights and Responsibilities (PR&R) Committee and the NEA DuShane Fund. Help in extraordinary crises also comes from the Paul Dimitriadis Rights Fund and the School Employees Loan Fund. In addition, individual members are assured of financial assistance during crises through interest-free loans made possible under the National School Employees Assistance Fund. (The massive strength of NEA, NJEA, and other state associations stand behind this ”Credit Bank.”) In many cases, early contact with your nearest NJEA/NEA UniServ office may resolve the problem without litigation.
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