VEC job offer - a few q's :)

happywithlife

hi all, hope you can answer a few q's for me please.
got offered 11hrs/week today in a town that means approx 90km drive a day. i also have to factor in childcare costs for two kids so am trying to do a few sums before putting pen to paper.
Principal couldn't confirm timetable but did say the hours will be spread out over the entire week
so....
i am point 7 of the scale ( i assume as i was point 6 last year) and tried to look up online there what kind of pay i could expect but the page (on dept of ed) keeps coming up as 'not available'
so can anyone here give a rough estimate as to what pay i can expect?
also, and this has me worried a little tonight - principal said she'd send out a letter that needed to be signed and returned stating that i accepted the position - is this a contract and would it be legally binding? i know there are posters here who reckon 11 hours is the going rate these days and 'new' teachers should be grateful for any offer of work - i am not that new, and need the finances to be right before accepting this job. my intention is to keep looking in case anything better comes up closer to home - this position is also only until xmas. But if i sign a contract now, am i bound to that? i don't like leaving somebody in the lurch and hate the idea of going back on my word but i'd be a fool if something is advertised say in the next town over next week for 22 hours ..
any words of advice welcome (and any words of criticism will be taken on board ) would also appreciate any words of wisdom from anyone who has ever been on an interview panel
thanks !

bdoo

Payscales are here

To save you the hassle

Point 6 €36,853
Point 7 €37,929

Add this to your allowances and halve it to get 11hour figure PA / 365 * the number of days contracted.

Your contract would require one months notice generally speaking. I wouldn't be afraid to sign up and still apply away. Finances I suppose will dictate in the end

Hope this helps - well done and best of luck

Millem

happywithlife wrote: »

hi all, hope you can answer a few q's for me please.
got offered 11hrs/week today in a town that means approx 90km drive a day. i also have to factor in childcare costs for two kids so am trying to do a few sums before putting pen to paper.
Principal couldn't confirm timetable but did say the hours will be spread out over the entire week
so....
i am point 7 of the scale ( i assume as i was point 6 last year) and tried to look up online there what kind of pay i could expect but the page (on dept of ed) keeps coming up as 'not available'
so can anyone here give a rough estimate as to what pay i can expect?
also, and this has me worried a little tonight - principal said she'd send out a letter that needed to be signed and returned stating that i accepted the position - is this a contract and would it be legally binding? i know there are posters here who reckon 11 hours is the going rate these days and 'new' teachers should be grateful for any offer of work - i am not that new, and need the finances to be right before accepting this job. my intention is to keep looking in case anything better comes up closer to home - this position is also only until xmas. But if i sign a contract now, am i bound to that? i don't like leaving somebody in the lurch and hate the idea of going back on my word but i'd be a fool if something is advertised say in the next town over next week for 22 hours ..
any words of advice welcome (and any words of criticism will be taken on board ) would also appreciate any words of wisdom from anyone who has ever been on an interview panel
thanks !

How many hours did you teach last year? The points on the scale are awarded on hours worked? Is there any chance of getting more hours e.g sphe, cspe or form teacher? Driving 90km daily will cost a lot in petrol per week! The only good thing to factor in is if you get paid for the summer you won't have petrol or childcare bills!

happywithlife

thanks for the replies
slapped my head in a 'd'oh' moment with the tui link - never thought ot it ! :rolleyes:
thanks for that -
i think i'll be ok for the hours from last year to move up the scale - had about 18 hrs mat leave but picked up a lot of extra classes as i made myself very available at short notice if somebody was out sick say.
should have clarified this particular position - the 11 hours is also a mat leave so no pay during the holidays etc but its only until xmas anyway.
don't want to come across as if i'm somehow entitled to more or something and i am glad of the work but as i said i have to factor in the childcare, travel costs and somehow clear something that makes it being worthwhile to work outside the home - thinking of weekends being taken up with housework etc again - like all working parents i know. guess i'm just liking being home with the kids at the moment and i was spoiled last year as the school was very close to home so had practically zero travel time/ costs etc. i was just spoiled

Millem

happywithlife wrote: »

thanks for the replies
slapped my head in a 'd'oh' moment with the tui link - never thought ot it ! :rolleyes:
thanks for that -
i think i'll be ok for the hours from last year to move up the scale - had about 18 hrs mat leave but picked up a lot of extra classes as i made myself very available at short notice if somebody was out sick say.
should have clarified this particular position - the 11 hours is also a mat leave so no pay during the holidays etc but its only until xmas anyway.
don't want to come across as if i'm somehow entitled to more or something and i am glad of the work but as i said i have to factor in the childcare, travel costs and somehow clear something that makes it being worthwhile to work outside the home - thinking of weekends being taken up with housework etc again - like all working parents i know. guess i'm just liking being home with the kids at the moment and i was spoiled last year as the school was very close to home so had practically zero travel time/ costs etc. i was just spoiled

Happywithlife is it paid per hour then? Or salary? Maybe person might extend their maternity leave? 90km is a long way to travel daily.

happywithlife

yeah it'll be an hourly rate based on my point on the scale, plus allowances, divided by 700 (and something can't remember exactly now off the top of my head) ... and that's just gross pay.
financially obviously it is still better than Jobseeker's, even with the travel costs etc taken out.
to be honest it's this 'letter' i'm more worried about as i'm a bit iffy tying myself down when i don't even have the timetable confirmed - shure the hours could be over 3 days which would totally change the ball game or completely spread out mon-fri 9-4 .... does anyone know would timetables be pretty sorted by now? can i push for a confirmation of the timetable? or is that too pushy?

Millem

happywithlife wrote: »

yeah it'll be an hourly rate based on my point on the scale, plus allowances, divided by 700 (and something can't remember exactly now off the top of my head) ... and that's just gross pay.
financially obviously it is still better than Jobseeker's, even with the travel costs etc taken out.
to be honest it's this 'letter' i'm more worried about as i'm a bit iffy tying myself down when i don't even have the timetable confirmed - shure the hours could be over 3 days which would totally change the ball game or completely spread out mon-fri 9-4 .... does anyone know would timetables be pretty sorted by now? can i push for a confirmation of the timetable? or is that too pushy?

My principal has all our timetables done we get them around Leaving Cert results time. Is the job split between two people? In my school sometimes the principal just makes a timetable for 22 hours then the two teachers divide it.

happywithlife

thanks millem for the replies
as far as i know the job was split between three positions - my subject, another and guidance. maybe the other subject and guidance were combined? i'm not sure on that. don't think there's much potential for picking up extra classes apart from the odd one when somebody is out sick, but if i'm there all day with a lot of free classes, obviously i'd be making myself as available as i possibly can.
ach i'm just worried that something will be advertised in a couple of weeks - i've never gotten work this early in fact, its usually the week after the LC results come out that i find there is a sudden rash of jobs being advertised. i'm just worried that something will come up closer to home and i'd be 'stuck' in a 'contract' - but then again, maybe nothing will come up -- any chance you have a lovely crystal ball tucked away there somewhere?

Millem

happywithlife wrote: »

thanks millem for the replies
as far as i know the job was split between three positions - my subject, another and guidance. maybe the other subject and guidance were combined? i'm not sure on that. don't think there's much potential for picking up extra classes apart from the odd one when somebody is out sick, but if i'm there all day with a lot of free classes, obviously i'd be making myself as available as i possibly can.
ach i'm just worried that something will be advertised in a couple of weeks - i've never gotten work this early in fact, its usually the week after the LC results come out that i find there is a sudden rash of jobs being advertised. i'm just worried that something will come up closer to home and i'd be 'stuck' in a 'contract' - but then again, maybe nothing will come up -- any chance you have a lovely crystal ball tucked away there somewhere?

The only thing I would worry about breaking that contract is getting a job with them again and lets face it VECs have more than 1 school! Every year in my school people sign contracts and either leave after first day or don't show up at! I am sure most principals understand that if you get a better job then you need to look after yourself but no doubts there will always be 1 who will insist on you working out the notice. Tbh I wouldn't sign contract as only 11 hours, childcare, travel, stress for going through classroom equipment, finishing off journals or possibly just starting them, and bye bye at Christmas, no thank you! IMHO you would be better off Casually subbing and signing off and on if the worst came to the worst. But you never know maybe something even better will come up. I worked with a lady who actually calls into schools with CV and asks to see the principal when there are jobs advertised! She has bagged herself 15 hours next year in a local school for a subject she is not qualified in! Crazy stuff but sometimes if you don't ask you don't get!

implausible

Are there other schools within that VEC that are closer to home? What starts off as a maternity leave in a VEC school could eventually lead to a CID or at the very least to another maternity leave in another school within that VEC.

Your holiday pay will be included in your pay and some hours may come in Sept. I would let the principal know that you will be there for the full day most of the time (because of the travel time) and want to be considered for any subbing that comes up.

Seanchai

Millem wrote: »

Driving 90km daily will cost a lot in petrol per week!

I'm strongly inclined to agree with this. Having 13 hours last year I asked the principal could I do them over four rather than five days. I received a call a couple of days later saying the school could. That saved me money, and the principal fully understood my motivation. The extra day also allowed me to study for the degree which I was doing at night.

If you're driving 90km per day, it really is going to cost you. If you approach the principal now, before the timetable is made up, they should be able to facilitate you when you explain the cost involved. Personally, as it's only 11 hours I'd be inclined to ask for a three-day week - an additional reason to fuel costs being that, if I'm not mistaken, you would be entitled to a social welfare payment for the remaining two days if your hours are spread over 3 days (the same does not apply for 4 days, so definitely check this little gem out with SW).

happywithlife

you're right on that seanchai - got stung with that 'little gem' before - darn 35min class on a 4th day made me illegible to sign on for a whole summer ! :mad: oh god, i'm really not any more sure this morning - will have to await post and see if this 'letter' is a contract or not - might be onto you again after that. thanks so far for the advice

sall123

I am in a very similar position, same hours and samedistance involved. I signed the letter that came it did not include anythingabout giving notice. I was not too worried as I assumed if something bettercame up they would just give the job to the next person on the panel. However Ikind thought that people leaving maternity leaves if a better opportunity cameup would be common enough. I would only break the contract if I got a biggercontract with RPT hours. I have applied for a few jobs recently that if I got themcould have more of a future. Sorry for hijacking the post but does anyone knowthe story with breaking contracts with VECs. How can they make you serve outnotice(I know that would be it for me with them) .So hard to know what to dofor the best in such uncertain times. I need to work as I cant sign on.

happywithlife

well letter came - like the above post, nothing about notice required if i was to leave.
hours have been clarified at 10.34 so not even 11 hrs and i've been onto vec hq and roughly will come out with the sum total of 55euro after all my deductions including travel and childcare are taken out -- and that's assuming i can rope my in laws into providing two full days free childcare each week!
i am not factoring in deprication on car, tyre wear or anything like that. i also have to contend with crossing a mountain on my journey which should be fun given the winter months - oh and its not till xmas just till start of dec ....
the more i think about it, i'm better off taking my chances something might come up closer to home ...
now to ask any principals or dp out there -- is it career sucide to decline a job at this early stage, just days after the interview?