Applying to Correct State Exams

Millem

spurious wrote: »

I was at a 2017 conference and the start time was set after 11am to do away with any chance of the night before. No tea/coffee/water either.
Not everyone showed up - I wonder why.

I think both mine were 9.30. For the first one I forgot cash I had to go to the bar and pay with my card. That one was in a hotel. You were literally given a (small) cup of tea. Can't remember how much I had up pay maybe €3.

The second one was in the SEC building where you have to go to canteen. (They also don't accept cards). The canteen is subsidised so can't remember how much a tea was maybe €1.

Crazyteacher

man_no_plan wrote: »

Wasn't there's list of rates for all subjects in the examiner handbook years ago?

Maybe it was once. I can't remember. Once we send back those instructions, it's gone out of my head.

Crazyteacher

Millem wrote: »

I think both mine were 9.30. For the first one I forgot cash I had to go to the bar and pay with my card. That one was in a hotel. You were literally given a (small) cup of tea. Can't remember how much I had up pay maybe €3.

The second one was in the SEC building where you have to go to canteen. (They also don't accept cards). The canteen is subsidised so can't remember how much a tea was maybe €1.

Had the same issue in the IT the first year and ATM not working. Was parched all morning. It was a long time until lunch.

mtoutlemonde

Crazyteacher wrote: »

Had the same issue in the IT the first year and ATM not working. Was parched all morning. It was a long time until lunch.

I'm more annoyed with the mileage from either your school or home address than the tea.

deiseindublin

What's the cut off start time for no overnight the night before?

Millem

deiseindublin wrote: »

What's the cut off start time for no overnight the night before?

I think if you can leave your house anytime after 7.30am they won't pay overnight allowance.

deiseindublin

Not sure how true it is but read on VFT page that new teachers contracted to examine JC and then got call to ask would they examine LC.

There must be a lot turning the work down this year.

mtoutlemonde

deiseindublin wrote: »

Not sure how true it is but read on VFT page that new teachers contracted to examine JC and then got call to ask would they examine LC.

There must be a lot turning the work down this year.

Would you blame people turning this work down? The SEC are going to get increasingly difficult to find people to examine until however it will be written into our contracts.

I wouldn't believe everything on that page - I think the mods go on the sauce for the summer and let any kind of rubbish on their page. Look at this weekend, they had two controversial posts and had to issue a notice not to be abusing to the poster - I ask myself and have asked VFT why they post such idiotic posts when all they do is divide us. I think it's Richard Bruton in secret

Crazyteacher

deiseindublin wrote: »

Not sure how true it is but read on VFT page that new teachers contracted to examine JC and then got call to ask would they examine LC.

There must be a lot turning the work down this year.

Saw that all right. I take what I read on that with a pinch of salt though. Just from observing , it can very nasty on there, especially when the nqts ask questions.

deiseindublin

mtoutlemonde wrote: »

Would you blame people turning this work down?

Not surprised at all.

Wouldn't really be happy to have non-experienced LC teachers correcting the exam though.

I'd love if there was a bit of number crunching published on years experience with each syllabi that is being marked.

mtoutlemonde

deiseindublin wrote: »

Not surprised at all.

Wouldn't really be happy to have non-experienced LC teachers correcting the exam though.

I'd love if there was a bit of number crunching published on years experience with each syllabi that is being marked.

+1 I can't understand how a teacher with no experience or graduates who have no teaching experience at all can mark/correct papers without errors etc. I didn't start correcting/marking until I had a few years experience.

evolving_doors

deiseindublin wrote: »

Not sure how true it is but read on VFT page that new teachers contracted to examine JC and then got call to ask would they examine LC.

There must be a lot turning the work down this year.

I Wonder will there be an increase in appeals in September.

Bean Scoile

For me, the two big issues with the pay are the pension levy and the way expenses are calculated.

The work is not pensionable, and as such, I shouldn't be losing 10% of my pay because of a pension I have elsewhere. It's ridiculous.

I see no reason whatsoever to calculate an examiners expenses from their school during July, that should have been resisted more strongly by the unions. It defies all logic that 2 neighbours would get different travel expenses based on their place of work which they are not attending.

I think if those two issues were dealt with, it would be easier to get examiners.

rainbowtrout

Bean Scoile wrote: »

For me, the two big issues with the pay are the pension levy and the way expenses are calculated.

The work is not pensionable, and as such, I shouldn't be losing 10% of my pay because of a pension I have elsewhere. It's ridiculous.

I see no reason whatsoever to calculate an examiners expenses from their school during July, that should have been resisted more strongly by the unions. It defies all logic that 2 neighbours would get different travel expenses based on their place of work which they are not attending.

I think if those two issues were dealt with, it would be easier to get examiners.

I agree wholeheartedly with this. While I'm working for the SEC they are my employer, which is completely different to my ETB. Where I work for my ETB should have no bearing on how I get paid expenses for correcting.

mirrorwall14

rainbowtrout wrote: »

I agree wholeheartedly with this. While I'm working for the SEC they are my employer, which is completely different to my ETB. Where I work for my ETB should have no bearing on how I get paid expenses for correcting.

I think this was the single worst idea the SEC implemented and has backfired spectacularly. They pissed off the backbone of their employees who seem to have pulled out in droves since it came in

rainbowtrout

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

I think this was the single worst idea the SEC implemented and has backfired spectacularly. They pissed off the backbone of their employees who seem to have pulled out in droves since it came in

Yep, to be honest it doesn't affect me as I live and work in the same town, I only live a mile from my school, but I know plenty of others it has affected. It's the same craic with special centres. We are finding it hard to cover special centres because teachers who would live 30 miles from the school would have done them in the past but with no mileage it's not worth their while.

Millem

Absolutely agree about the nonsense on home/school distance
Since they changed the rules I request to be sent 8km+ for marking and for superintending. I would end up losing money as I would pay more childcare.

What annoys me is the fact they are (over) charging everyone 10.5% pension levy automatically. You have to wait until the end of the year and claim back the .5%. (Only learned this in the last few weeks). I never claimed any back.

All sec work should also be charged at prsi rate j 0% not just superintending. When I mark I get charged a1 prsi.

Bean Scoile

How do you claim that back millem? I'd never heard that!

And the prsi, can that be claimed back?

mtoutlemonde

Bean Scoile wrote: »

How do you claim that back millem? I'd never heard that!

And the prsi, can that be claimed back?

Contact revenue and ask them to look at assess your tax - they will go back four years. I did it a few years ago and got a nice bit back. You can also go onto revenue.ie and calculate it yourself - I have looked at the website - it seems difficult to me - always easier to speak to a person. Better wait until you get paid.

Millem

Bean Scoile wrote: »

How do you claim that back millem? I'd never heard that!

And the prsi, can that be claimed back?

No you don't contact revenue at all!!!

You contact sec and ask for statement of earnings for as many years as you need. They will literally send you a4 typed sheets for each year with breakdown of deductions. You then forward them to your payroll in my case dept of ed post primary and you ask them to review your pension contributions. It is nothing to do with revenue. You may end up owing a few cent to revenue in paye as your paye is calculated after your pension contribution.

Prsi is what it is. Superintending is charged at 0% rate j but my marking is charged at a1 as is my preparatory work. They are the correct rates but IMHO I feel it should all be rate j!!!!!

Millem

mtoutlemonde wrote: »

Contact revenue and ask them to look at assess your tax - they will go back four years. I did it a few years ago and got a nice bit back. You can also go onto revenue.ie and calculate it yourself - I have looked at the website - it seems difficult to me - always easier to speak to a person. Better wait until you get paid.

No only paye and usc are revenue. Pension is your payroll.
Prsi is dept of social protection but sec told me a1 is correct.

For your usc everyone this year will automatically be charged 8% as they assume everyone earns over €70k!!!!
You need to move some of your usc over sec only get charged 5%.

austeacher

Hi all,

So I am new to the tax system in Ireland (its awfully confusing!).
I haven't been working full time this whole year, and I have just finished up as Super for LCA.. Should I be moving tax credits/usc to the SEC? If so, do I just ring revenue?


Cheers

Millem

austeacher wrote: »

Hi all,

So I am new to the tax system in Ireland (its awfully confusing!).
I haven't been working full time this whole year, and I have just finished up as Super for LCA.. Should I be moving tax credits/usc to the SEC? If so, do I just ring revenue?


Cheers

Yes you should

gavwaldo

So the SEC still thinks it's in FEMPI and Haddington Road. No way I'm correcting state exams again while those cuts, and all the others like the mileage, are still in place. Just not worth it for such genuinely tough work.

http://www.tui.ie/_fileupload/Key%20points%20of%20Haddington%20Road%20Agreement.pdf
Exam marking fee
The examination marking fee will be reduced to 75% of
current rates

rainbowtrout

gavwaldo wrote: »

So the SEC still thinks it's in FEMPI and Haddington Road. No way I'm correcting state exams again while those cuts, and all the others like the mileage, are still in place. Just not worth it for such genuinely tough work.

http://www.tui.ie/_fileupload/Key%20points%20of%20Haddington%20Road%20Agreement.pdf
Exam marking fee
The examination marking fee will be reduced to 75% of
current rates

I'm a bit confused. I've been correcting every year for 16 years, and the fee per script for my subject did not change with Haddington Road. Perhaps this cut was in reference to correcting at third level as it came after the third level points?

The cuts that did actually happen were to mileage and overnights, by moving the goalposts so it's harder to qualify for them, and the fact that we are paying the pension levy on the corrections even though we won't get a pension from the SEC, nor do we pay superannuation on exam corrections either.

ccazza

rainbowtrout wrote: »

I'm a bit confused. I've been correcting every year for 16 years, and the fee per script for my subject did not change with Haddington Road. Perhaps this cut was in reference to correcting at third level as it came after the third level points?

The cuts that did actually happen were to mileage and overnights, by moving the goalposts so it's harder to qualify for them, and the fact that we are paying the pension levy on the corrections even though we won't get a pension from the SEC, nor do we pay superannuation on exam corrections either.

The fees for subjects I corrected definitely were reduced. However the link made was to 2013. I presume they are not intending to cut rates again when they can't get correctors. As far as I know the Pension levy will no longer apply to scripts corrected from next January so at least that will be a bit of money back.

rainbowtrout

ccazza wrote: »

The fees for subjects I corrected definitely were reduced. However the link made was to 2013. I presume they are not intending to cut rates again when they can't get correctors. As far as I know the Pension levy will no longer apply to scripts corrected from next January so at least that will be a bit of money back.

My subject is in and around €10 per script and that hasn't been reduced to €7.50, nor was it ever in the €13 range.

I did spot the thing about the pension levy no longer being applied to non pensionable pay. When the deal goes through in whatever form it does go through, that will be a good thing. Pension levy deduction on the exams is substantial.

Dog95

I am going to a conference next week as a Standby examiner, its my first time doing it. It's a 9.15am start and I will be commuting from Dublin. Will I be entitled to a Night Allowance for the night before that?

On their info page it says; 'In general conference start times have been arranged in order to obviate the need for travel the night before conference. Therefore, night allowance is not generally payable for the night before conference,' but there is no way I would be able to get there for that time without a car.

rainbowtrout

Dog95 wrote: »

I am going to a conference next week as a Standby examiner, its my first time doing it. It's a 9.15am start and I will be commuting from Dublin. Will I be entitled to a Night Allowance for the night before that?

On their info page it says; 'In general conference start times have been arranged in order to obviate the need for travel the night before conference. Therefore, night allowance is not generally payable for the night before conference,' but there is no way I would be able to get there for that time without a car.

I don't think they pay the overnight allowance unless you have to travel more than 100km. Your mode of transport is not relevant, it's distance.

Dog95

rainbowtrout wrote: »

I don't think they pay the overnight allowance unless you have to travel more than 100km. Your mode of transport is not relevant, it's distance.

Cheers for the reply, I am living just about over 100km away so think I am entitled, it is just the bit I quoted in last post that has me concerned. I am going to ring them tomorrow anyway to make sure.

When do you normally get your Night Allowance and Travel fees?