Help and advice for teachers

Need help or advice?

Need someone who understands teaching in Alberta? Teacher Employment Services (TES) staff are here to help. Contact the ATA before you act on any job-related issue.

Your privacy is important. TES staff will not provide advice over e-mail. Please contact TES by phone. All calls to TES are confidential.

Teacher Employment Services

Teacher Employment Services (TES) staff are here to help with employment-related issues and challenges. TES staff are all certificated teachers and have classroom experience.

TES staff help teachers facing

reprimands,
suspensions,
termination,
surplus notices,
transfers,
school division investigations,
pay issues,
leaves of absence,
grievances,
employment action,
collective agreements and
much more.

How can TES support you?

Teacher contracts

Contracts define teachers’ work relationships with their employer. The Education Act sets how school divisions manage teachers’ work.

TES staff help teachers with questions about their employment contracts, including

assignments,
assignable time,
instructional time,
teacher certification,
resignation and
retirement.

When it comes to contracts, teachers have rights. Contact the ATA if you have questions.

If you are facing any of the situations below, you need good advice. Call Teacher Employment Services (TES) before you talk to your employer.

Transfer to another school
Suspension from work
An end to a principalship

Work relationships

Teaching is challenging work. It involves many stakeholders and various points of view. Teachers experiencing conflict may need support. TES staff help teachers manage difficult situations.

Medical

TES staff advise and assist teachers recovering from illness and returning to work. TES staff also offer advice about medical notes, maternity leaves and accommodations and assistance with denied disability claims and other insurance matters.

Legal questions and advice

TES staff help teachers with legal and liability matters. Call TES if you have questions about

teachers’ legal rights and liabilities,
duty of care,
assault or allegations of assault,
student medication or
safety at school.

Leaves of absence

Teachers’ collective agreements provide for various types of leave. Review your collective agreement for details on available leaves, such as

sick leave,
maternity/parental/adoption,
bereavement,
family medical,
personal business days and
family medical/critical illness.

TES staff offer advice on all types of leave. Get personal advice before accessing sick or maternity leave. Your situation is unique, and you will need individual advice. TES staff are here to help.

Call TES to report any problems accessing leaves.

Sick leave and extended disability

Understanding sick leave and extended disability benefits (EDB) can be challenging.

The Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan (ASEBP) covers most Alberta teachers. The Teachers’ Sick Leave and EDB Guide is a guide to ASEBP application processes.

Other benefits companies (for example, Manulife or Canada Life) cover teachers in some school divisions. If ASEBP is not your provider, ask your school division for the latest benefits guide.

Association dues while on leave

Teachers on leave have access to all Association services. The Association invoices teachers on leave twice per year.

Mediation (Staff Relations Services)

Staff Relations Services is an ATA program that brings a mediator into a school to work with up to 6 staff members in conflict. Participation is voluntary.

To initiate an SRS, the impacted members or, in some cases, the principal, contacts the ATA to discuss the program. Teacher Employment Services staff will review the program with potential participants. Once the mediation is over, the mediator will provide an update to the ATA that indicates whether it was successful.

For more information, please contact tes@ata.ab.ca.