Moving day-no pay

[rivershine]

I work as a class teacher in a state primary and am completing on my house move this week so have had to ask for a moving day. This has been granted by my HT but I have been told it will be unpaid. There's nothing about a moving day in my contract and I just wondered if this has happened to anyone else. I realise that ideally teachers would move in the holidays but this is not always possible.

Yep I had to take an unpaid day for a family wedding.

Generally if you need to take a day off for personal reasons in term time it is at the HT discretion as to whether to pay you or not, I think. I have taken time off for a funeral which was given but unpaid. I think you'll just have to shrug and accept it. Doesn't seem to be any reason why you should be paid for teaching that day if you're actually shifting moving boxes about. Presumably they'll need to get supply in to cover you?

Depends on your school, and how nice your head is! I worked for a school who happily granted it and paid you. I also worked for a school where the head granted it at a whim; a colleague asked for a moving day and it was granted, paid. I asked about a fortnight later and was completely refused with no reason. That head was foul though.

Moving day at my school is in the staff absence policy, we get up to 2 days unpaid.

Thanks. I haven't queried it as I presumed it was at the HT's discretion. It's funny how all the extra 'voluntary' activities in your own time aren't recognised though- extra evenings in school for various events(not including Parents' evenings), weekend fairs or festivals.

I don't know where it's written, or even if it was 'official' but certainly traditionally teachers always had a paid 'moving day'. I've been paid twice for moves (over a 25 year period... so I haven't moved that often). Unfortunately in the current austerity I think that it may have become a thing if the past. At least you are getting the day unpaid. I suppose, officially, heads could say no.

Hope the move goes well. It's very stressful!

I knew it was written somewhere...
It's part of the NUT's guidance on Work Life Balance Policies for schools.

• Leave of Absence

54. Work-life balance policies should recognise the difficulties that teachers face because they do not have the same flexibility to take annual leave as other employees.

55. It is important, therefore, that local authorities and trade unions negotiate local agreements which specify minimum levels of paid leave for different circumstances. As described in the introduction to this guidance document, such agreements will apply automatically in community and voluntary-controlled schools but will only apply in voluntary aided and foundation schools if the governing body has agreed to adopt them. Head teachers can then use their discretion to grant additional unpaid or paid leave. Examples of reasonable arrangements are listed below. Note that this is not an exhaustive list.

56. Examinations – paid leave to attend the examination and award or degree ceremony. Discretionary study leave.

57. Interviews – up to 3 days’ paid leave per year for teachers seeking an alternative post within any local authority.

58. Funerals of close relatives/friends – paid leave as necessary.

59. Wedding or civil partnership of a near relative – one day’s paid leave.

60. Medical appointments/medical screening – where possible teachers should arrange these in their own time but where this cannot be arranged, paid time off will be granted. Paid time off must, however, be granted for ante-natal appointments.

61. Moving house – one day’s paid leave if on a school day.

But it is only 'guidance', I'm afraid.

That stuff about guidance reminded me of this bit from "Pirates of the Caribbean":

In my school it would be unpaid LOA.

We used to get it, when we changed to an academy all the conditions were meant to be TUPE'd across. However a few years ago our head changed them without consultation, she removed the moving day and also parental leave (we used to get 5 days) ☹️

We get a paid day, assuming our attendance has generally been high - but our head is a very reasonable sort, and always deals with staff fairly.