Teachers should be aware that the first pay cheque for the 2011-2012 school year will not be deposited in their account until September 15, 2011.

Teachers like to think that they get paid bi-weekly. However, the reality is that teachers receive a yearly salary. Section 10:01 (a) of the Memorandum of Agreement states, "each teacher shall receive an annual salary in 26 payments; each of which shall be 1/26 of his/her annual salary." Section 10:01 (b) further states, "notwithstanding 10:01 (a), a teacher shall receive his/her deferred salary payments for the months of July and August on the last school day of the school year. Such deferred salary payments shall be deposited no later than June 30." Section 10:03 states "Each teacher employed on or before September 1 shall receive his/her initial payment prior to September 16 in any school year."

You might ask the question, "what is the difference between getting paid bi-weekly and receiving an annual salary in 26 payments, each of which shall be 1/26 of his/her annual salary?" The answer to that question is that most years, there is no difference. However, once every 11 years or so, if you get paid bi-weekly, there would be 27 pay periods in the year which means that you would get an extra pay cheque.

The year 2011-2012 is one of those years. If teachers were paid bi-weekly and the first cheque was received September 1, 2011, there would be 27 pay periods during the year which would result in an over payment.

You must keep in mind that there is no loss of income for anyone. On June 30, 2011 every teacher will receive all the money due to them from the 2010-2011 school year. In the school year 2011-2012, teachers will receive their yearly salary in 26 payments, the same as any other year, however, the first payment will not be received until September 15.