Frequently Asked Questions
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FAQs by Members   | I heard something at school about free hockey tickets/a social event/PD funds/a union meeting/a committee. How do I find out more information? |
The first thing you would need to know is whether the event or opportunity in question is a local event or a provincial event. ETFO has a provincial office and also locals for contract teachers and occasional teachers in each district, and in some boards, locals for Educational Support Personnel/Professional Support Personnel as well. Speak to the ETFO steward at your work location first to determine who exactly is providing the opportunity, and then contact either your local office or provincial office, or visit the appropriate website for more information. | How do I find out what my ETFO ID number is? |
Your ETFO ID number is listed on the front of your membership card beneath your name. If you have misplaced your membership card, contact provincial office at 1-888-838-3836 during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) and ask for Member Records/Fees.
| How can I access funding for professional development activities? |
Many ETFO locals provide funds to members for PD activities. Contact your local ETFO office to find out the procedure for applying for these funds. Also, speak with your principal as there may be a school budget for staff PD. | How do I find out about upcoming ETFO workshops and/or conferences? How do I register for them? |
Provincial workshops and conferences are listed on the ETFO website under ‘Professional Development’ and on the calendar. Registration forms are generally available on the website a few weeks in advance of the event. | Where can I obtain copies of ETFO publications like "We're Erasing Prejudice for Good?" |
Most ETFO publications are available for purchase in our online store shopETFO, located at www.etfo.ca/shopetfo. Electronic copies of some publications are available on this site in the ‘ Publications’ and ‘ Resources’ sections. | I’ve just completed my teacher training/a graduate degree/an AQ or ABQ course/a university course. How do I find out what my salary category is or get it changed? How do I get the program/course listed on my Certificate of Qualification? |
The Qualifications Evaluation Council of Ontario evaluates teacher qualifications for elementary public school teachers in Ontario. To obtain a new or upgraded Statement of Evaluation, you will need to submit an application for evaluation. These statements are used by school boards to determine a teacher's salary category. It can take eight to twelve weeks for evaluations to be processed, so be sure to get all your paperwork into QECO as soon as possible.
Certificates of Qualification are issued by the Ontario College of Teachers - the governing body for the profession in the province. To have your course or program reflected on your Certificate, you will need to submit a Request to Update Registry Information along with an official transcript from the institution where you took your course or program. | I'm planning on retiring. Do I need to let ETFO know? |
There is no need to notify ETFO when you retire as you will cease to pay fees and your membership will become inactive automatically. If you wish to remain a member of the federation you can apply to become an Associate Member by filling out the Associate Membership Application Form and mailing it to the ETFO office. | What do my union dues pay for? Can I opt out of paying union dues? What benefits does my membership/ID card provide? |
For the answers to questions on union dues, please go to the page on this site entitled Your Union Dues. To read an overview of the services provided to members, please visit the Member Services section on this site. One other benefit of membership is the Edvantage rewards and discounts program which can be accessed using your ETFO ID card. | Should I contact ETFO if my home or school address changes? |
Yes! It is critical that the ETFO Membership Database be kept current as it is used to mail out ETFO’s Voice magazine as well as any other information ETFO may need to send to its members. To update your information, please visit the page on this site entitled Update Member Information. | Where can I find ETFO policies? |
The Governance section of this website contains the ETFO Constitution, Bylaws, Policies and Positions. This information is also available in the yearly Reference Book.
| I need to know about maternity/parental leave. Where do I go? |
Contact your board’s Human Resources department to obtain information about maternity leave. Most boards have an information package that can be sent to your work location or downloaded from your board's employee website. Your ETFO local would be another good source of information on how to prepare for a maternity/parental leave. | I’m experiencing conflict with a colleague, principal or parent/workplace harassment/an accusation of wrongdoing/etc. Someone suggested I should contact PRS. What is PRS? |
Professional Relations Services is a confidential counseling and support service provided by the Protective Services department at ETFO provincial office. This service is available to assist members in dealing with work-related concerns. Staff in PRS deal with a wide variety of issues including the performance appraisal process, work related conflict, College of Teachers investigations, Human Rights issues (including harassment and discrimination), professional boundaries, and allegations of physical or sexual assault. Call 1-888-838-3836 or 416-962-3836 Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and ask to speak to the PRS duty officer on call. | Will ETFO provide me with a lawyer if an allegation is made about me? |
If you are informed that an allegation has been made about you and that CAS or the police have been contacted:
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DO NOT participate in or consent to an interview.
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Make no statement to anyone regarding the allegation or charges.
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Say, “I am willing to co-operate but I am unable to comment until I contact my Federation and legal counsel.”
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Call Professional Relations Staff (PRS) in Protective Services at 1-888-838-3836 or 416-962-3836 and state that your call is urgent.
In general, ETFO will provide legal counsel to represent you if the allegation is related to your duties as a teacher. Each situation is reviewed by PRS staff, and legal counsel, if required, is consulted on your behalf by the PRS staff.
Emergency legal assistance is available during evenings and weekends if you are at immediate risk of being incarcerated or arrested. Call 1-888-838-3836 or 416-962-3836. A voice message will provide the necessary instructions to put your call through to an operator. You will be asked a few important questions. Where appropriate, a criminal lawyer will be contacted and you will be connected immediately. | Will ETFO provide me with a lawyer to pursue my WSIB claim or my LTD claim? |
The ETFO has established guidelines for assisting members with LTD and WSIB claims. Any recommendation to proceed to arbitration with an insurance company or an appeal with the WSIB must be approved by the ETFO Legal Support Committee as this committee provides authorization for legal representation.
For more information, please contact the LTD/WSIB counsellor-on-duty or call your local ETFO office.
| How will I know if a complaint has been made to the College of Teachers about me? |
You will receive a phone call from an investigator at the College and a letter by registered mail. If you are the subject of an investigation by the College for alleged professional misconduct:
- make no statements regarding the allegation; and
- contact staff in PRS at 1-888-838-3836 or 416-962-3836
| I have just accepted a year-long long-term-occasional position and I have just been offered a full-time job in a different board. Can I accept the full-time job or do I have to stay in the occasional position? |
Teachers wishing to resign from their position should first consult their collective agreement to see if there is a clause related to notification dates for resignations. Whether or not this exists, a teacher can seek to be released from his/her position with the board by mutual consent. If a board refuses to grant such a request, the member should contact ETFO provincial office and ask to speak with the Professional Relations Services (PRS) duty officer on call. | Does ETFO provincial office have an emergency fund I can access for personal reasons? Will ETFO provide me with a lawyer to help with personal matters (e.g., divorce)? |
While ETFO has the Defense Fund to pay for the cost of a strike, there is no emergency fund which can be accessed for personal reasons. In general, ETFO provides legal counsel to teachers who are facing allegations related to their professional practice; however, there is no provision of lawyers for personal matters.
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FAQs by Non-Members | I’m thinking of becoming a teacher. How do I find out how much money I’ll be making? |
Teacher salaries follow a grid system based on years of experience and qualifications. The Qualifications Evaluation Council of Ontario (QECO) evaluates teacher qualifications and places each individual into one of seven categories. Categories D, C, B, and A are pre-degree categories and A1, A2, A3, and A4 are degreed categories. The salary grid for each district school board is negotiated between the ETFO local and the board. Your placement on the grid will be determined by the QECO category you fall into and your years of experience as a teacher.
Typically QECO would place a teacher with an acceptable undergraduate degree and a valid teaching certificate from the Ontario College of Teachers into category A2. At category A2 with zero years experience, the range of salaries in collective agreements is currently between $43,057 and $51,079.
| I am a teacher wishing to relocate to Ontario. How do I become qualified to teach in Ontario? |
The teaching profession in Ontario is regulated by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT). To teach in the Province of Ontario, you will need to apply for a Certificate of Qualification from the OCT. | If I am not a member of ETFO, can I still purchase your publications or attend an ETFO professional development event? Can I get a subscription to VOICE? |
Non-members are welcome to purchase any of the ETFO publications that are for sale in shopETFO. Some ETFO PD events are designated for members only and others are open to non-members with differentiated pricing. To find out if a workshop or conference is open to non-members, check the registration form for the event. At this time Voice magazine is only available to members (Associate Members included). However, the full PDF of each issue is posted on the Voice website.
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FAQs Related to Union Business | As a school steward, how do I let ETFO know there is a change in the number of members at our work site and that a corresponding change in the number of steward mailing materials is required? |
| When can I apply to become a parliamentarian at the Annual Meeting and what is the deadline for applications? |
Application forms and information are posted on the ETFO website on or about December 15 with a deadline for applications of January 15. | When can I apply to become a poll clerk or assistant at the Annual Meeting and what is the deadline for applications? |
Application forms and information are posted on the ETFO website on or about January 15 with a deadline for applications of March 1.
| Who can submit resolutions to the Annual Meeting and what is the deadline for submission of resolutions? |
Resolution forms and information are posted on the ETFO website on or about January 15 with a deadline for submission of March 1. In accordance with Federation Bylaws, resolutions to the Annual Meeting may be submitted by a local which has passed the motion at a general meeting, by the provincial Executive, by the Representative Council which has passed the motion at a Council meeting, and by a provincial standing committee or special committee of the Annual Meeting. | When can I be nominated as a candidate for the ETFO provincial Executive? What is the process, and when is the deadline? |
Elections for members of the provincial Executive take place every other year. During an election year, nomination forms and information are posted on the ETFO website on or about January 15 with a deadline for submission of March 1. In accordance with Federation Bylaws, the term for each elected position is two years. Elections for positions on the provincial Executive are currently scheduled for the 2009, 2011, and 2013 Annual Meetings. | What does ETFO mean by Equity? |
ETFO provides equity and women’s programs in the context of its fundamental constitutional object
to foster a climate of social justice in Ontario and continue a leadership role in such areas as anti-poverty, non-violence and equity
and in the spirit of the definition of equity adopted by the ETFO Executive:
ETFO recognizes that we live in a society characterized by individual and systemic discrimination against particular groups. Within this context ETFO defines equity as fairness achieved through proactive measures which result in equality for all
A comprehensive policy on social justice and equity was adopted by delegates to the 2003 Annual Meeting and ETFO’s Statement on Social Justice and Equity, adopted in 2002, provides more detail on ETFO’s philosophical approach to equity issues. | Why does ETFO have programs for women? |
There are three main reasons for this:
a. ETFO’s Constitution, in Article X, provides for programs for women as follows:
SECTION 4 PROGRAMS FOR WOMEN
10.4.1 There shall be guaranteed programs for women.
10.4.2 The Federation shall allocate 6% of the annual budget to programs for women only.
10.4.3 The budget for the programs for women shall be approved as part of the regular Federation budget process.
10.4.4 The programs for women will provide direct services to women members.
10.4.5 The programs for women will provide funds for partnerships with other organizations.
10.4.6 The programs for women will include funding for organizations which advance the status of women and women’s issues.
10.4.7 The General Secretary, in consultation with the Executive, shall ensure the allocation of staff solely responsible for programs for women.
b. women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions within ETFO, and within our society; and
c. to provide an environment where women members can organize and work together on issues of concern to women within ETFO and in the wider community.
| How do I get to be a delegate to ETFO’s Annual Meeting? |
Each ETFO local has a process to select delegates to ETFO’s Annual Meeting, held every year in August, in Toronto. Please contact your local office. | How do I become a member of one of ETFO’s Standing Committees? |
Members can apply to become members of standing committees by completing the online form and submitting it. Members will be appointed to standing committees by the ETFO Executive for a two-year term. Members may serve up to two consecutive terms on a committee, if reappointed. Upon completion of two consecutive terms on any standing committee, a break in service of at least one year is required prior to appointment to any standing committee.
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