K-12 Teachers and Support Services Personnel RIF FAQs

1.      Does the layoff notice I received in March mean that I will be released?

• Permanent and Probationary Employees:  The certified letter you received in March is a preliminary layoff notice, required by the Education Code and the District/UTLA Bargaining Agreement whenever the District implements a Reduction in Force (RIF). Unless the preliminary notice is rescinded for any reason, you may be released effective June 30, 2015.
• Permanent Employees Only: Final layoff notices are usually sent by May 15, but that date may extend into June, depending on the length of the upcoming RIF hearing. The number of employees ultimately laid off will depend on a number of factors – primarily the state’s and district’s budget. 

2.      If I hold more than one credential, can I be reassigned to another position?

• Holding more than one credential may allow you to be reassigned to another position if
• you have the proper credential for the position;
• you have one year’s experience in the subject matter as a roster-carrying teacher within the District and within the past five years; and
• you have greater seniority than the holder of that position and can “bump” him or her.  

3.      If I am laid off, when will I receive my final salary warrant? 

• The final salary warrant for laid off employees will be July 2, 2015. 

4.      What happens to my accrued illness account balance? 

• If you are employed by another district within 1 year from the date of layoff, you may transfer your accrued illness hours to that district.
• If you are reemployed by the District within 39 months from the date of layoff, your accrued illness hours will be restored (unless already used in another district).
• If you do not become reemployed by the District within 39 months from the date of layoff, your accrued illness hours will be forfeited. 

5.      Will I continue to receive health benefits? 

• In general, laid off teachers are eligible to elect COBRA benefits. Please direct any questions to Benefits Administration at (213) 241-4262 or via email at benefits@lausd.net.
• Benefits Administration will automatically send out COBRA information after July 1 to employees who receive final layoff notices.
• Employees who are laid off and who process for day-to-day substitute employment may qualify for ongoing health benefits if they provide service for at least one day each month during the 2015-2016 school year. 

6.      Will I be eligible for unemployment benefits? 

• Laid off employees may call the Employment Development Department (EDD) at (800) 300-5616 for information, or they may visit the EDD website at www.edd.ca.gov.
• When filing the claim, employees should provide the following employer address:  

               Los Angeles Unified School District
               c/o Equifax Work Force Solutions (TALX)
               P.O. Box 23020
               Oakland, CA 94623-2302 

• Employees should be aware that giving the Beaudry address or a school site address will delay the claim. 

7.      If I am laid off, how can I be reemployed by the District? 

• Permanent and probationary employees are automatically placed on a reemployment list and, as positions become available, are offered the opportunity to re-contract in order of seniority. 

8.      How long can I remain on the reemployment list? 

• As a permanent and probationary employee, you will be kept on the reemployment list for 39 months from the date of layoff, unless otherwise provided by law.

9.      If I retire during the 39 months that I am on a reemployment list, do I remain on the list and am I able to “unretire” when I am reached on the reemployment list? 

• Retiring from a certificated position also requires an employee to resign from the District.  This resignation is an official separation from active District service.  Individuals who resign from the District during their 39 months on a reemployment list will be removed from the reemployment list as of the effective date of their resignation. 

10.   Will I be able to substitute? 

• Teachers who are laid off have priority in being offered substitute employment opportunities.  Please direct questions for the Substitute Unit to  jorge.amador@lausd.net
• We will announce the dates for substitute processing no later than June 1, 2015. (Notification will be made through your LAUSD email account). 

11.   If I become a substitute teacher, will my name be removed from the reemployment list? 

• Permanent and probationary employees who have rights to re-employment will remain on the reemployment list for up to 39 months from the date of layoff while serving as substitute teachers. 

12.   How can I become a Special Education teacher? 

• The Los Angeles Unified School District is hiring Special Education teachers who are committed to providing a quality education to all students. The Credentialed Educators Now Teaching Special Education (CENTSE) Program offers general education credential holders an opportunity to earn an Education Specialist Credential to teach students with mild-to-moderate and moderate-to-severe disabilities. For additional information, please click here or email recruit@lausd.net.  

13.   How can I qualify for other subjects? 

• Teachers with Single Subject credentials may qualify for additional secondary subjects by taking additional CSET exams and methodology courses.
• Teachers with a Single Subject credential may qualify for a Multiple Subject credential by taking the Multiple Subject CSET exam, an elementary methods course and the RICA exam.
• Teachers with Multiple Subject credentials may qualify for a Single Subject credential by taking a secondary subject CSET exam and a methodology course.
• For more information, please email credentialservices@lausd.net
• For CSET and RICA exam registration information, go to: www.ctcexams.nesinc.com 

14.   How is RIF seniority determined? 

• An employee’s seniority date is the year, month, and day on which the employee first rendered paid service in probationary status.

• Permanent Employees:  If an individual was initially hired into probationary status, his or her first date of paid service in that capacity serves as the RIF seniority date. If an individual was initially contracted in a provisional status, the case of Bakersfield Elementary Teachers Association v. Bakersfield City School District requires the District to use the contract date as the RIF seniority date.
• Non-permanent/Probationary Employees:  Non-permanent/probationary employees follow the District/UTLA Collective Bargaining Agreement layoff order. Per the CBA, the order of layoff is based on seniority within status, beginning with provisional employees (V1), then temporary contracts (K1), followed by University interns (F1, F2), then District interns (G1, G2), lastly, probationary 1 employees (B1), then probationary 2 employees (B2). 

15.   How is seniority affected when an employee leaves the District, then returns? 

• If an employee resigns his or her employment, or leaves the District for any reason other than a layoff, then his or her seniority date is not restored upon return; rather, it begins anew. (If the employee’s return is within 39 months of the separation, the employee retains permanent status – but not seniority).
• If the employee is laid off because of a RIF, the original seniority date is restored if the employee is recalled within 39 months of the separation date. (Education Code § 44956(a)(4)). 

16.   What is the difference between teachers who are laid off and those who are displaced? 

• Displacements occur when there is an overstaffed situation at a school. A “Notification of Displacement” form is given to the affected employees. The displaced teachers are then reassigned. In the case of elimination or reduction of educational offerings, lack of work; it is understood that the hours may be split in time and/or locations ( Article XI Section 6.0).
• Layoffs occur when the District’s Board of Education determines a need to reduce its workforce in particular subject areas or services. A “Notice of Termination” (due to RIF) is mailed to affected employees by the District.

17.    Is there additional support available to laid off employees?

• The Employee Service Center has been established to help all current and laid off District employees address a range of work-related issues and to access resources.
• The Employee Assistance Program provides benefits through Managed Health Network, the behavioral health subsidiary of Health Net, Inc.  Services include counseling for employees who do not qualify for health insurance.  You can call toll free 800-285-7717 (or TDD: 800-327-0801), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Employees with district health insurance may seek out counseling services through their health care provider.

18.    How will the Reed settlement affect layoffs? 

• The Reed settlement is intended to stabilize the workforce at 37 schools identified by LAUSD as Investment schools. In the event of budget-based teacher layoffs, LAUSD will invoke California Education Code section 44955(d)(1) to skip teachers at the 37 schools subject to the Reed settlement.
• Pursuant to judicial orders issued in the Reed settlement, the District’s Board of Education has authorized retaining the services of classroom teachers at 37 designated schools, regardless of seniority.
• Layoff notices that would have been sent to teachers at the 37 Investment schools have been redirected to teachers at non-Investment schools  (based on their RIF seniority).

19.   How were the Investment schools selected?

• The Reed settlement agreement identified a targeted subset of 37 LAUSD schools, the Investment Schools, through the following criteria:

20.   Which schools are identified as Investment schools?

       1.    Audubon MS

       2.    Banning SH

       3.    Barack Obama Gl Prep

       4.    Bell SH

       5.    Berendo MS

       6.    Canoga Pk SH

       7.    Cochran MS

       8.    Drew MS

       9.    East Valley SH

      10.   Fremont SH

      11.   Fulton College Prep

      12.   Gage MS

      13.   Gompers Int

      14.   Huntington Pk SH

      15.   Jefferson SH

      16.   Jordan SH

      17.   LA Acad MS

      18.   Liechty MS

      19.   Lincoln SH

      20.   Manual Arts  SH

      21.   Markham Int

      22.   Mendez SH

      23.   Monroe SH

      24.   Muir MS

      25.   New Open World Acad

      26.   Nimitz MS

      27.   Panorama SH

      28.   Roosevelt SH

      29.   Roybal LC

      30.   San Fernando MS

      31.   San Fernando SH

      32.   San Pedro SH

      33.   South East SH

      34.   Stevenson MS

      35.   Sun Valley MS

      36.   West Adams Prep SH

      37.   Wilson SH