Fixed term contract ETB

cmegzc

I took a year long fixed term position in a school after an 'informal interview' I was told I would have to sit a formal interview with the ETB board. I have not yet been given a date for this interview. If this interview was delayed until after October 31st would I not receive summer pay even though I've been working in the school since September?! I'm starting to worry about it as I turned down other interviews due to accepting this one? Thanks

evolving_doors

I'd be talking to the union about that just for advice.
See if you could get a copy of the original add just to show it said 'fixed term Sept 2017-August 2018'.
If your pay is currently calculated as a fixed term rate then that's a de facto contract there (I would argue!).
Also it might be important when exactly you found out that the last interview you did was only an 'informal' one. Before or after you started the job.
Play it cool with loads of smiles though. Don't go on the warpath just yet.
For anyone to suggest to you that the actual interview is 'just a formality' suggests a bit of shenanigans. Unless they are 100% certain that any other applicants are unsuitable, so that's understandable.
Has it been re-advertised? Either way, check the job description . Does it sound 100% like your qualifications, or are there weird subject combinations and demands to teach specific things : like 'experience to teach brain surgery to TY's through Irish desirable'.

I'd say you'll be grand, just keep on being a brilliant teacher.

cmegzc

evolving_doors wrote: »

I'd be talking to the union about that just for advice.
See if you could get a copy of the original add just to show it said 'fixed term Sept 2017-August 2018'.
If your pay is currently calculated as a fixed term rate then that's a de facto contract there (I would argue!).
Also it might be important when exactly you found out that the last interview you did was only an 'informal' one. Before or after you started the job.
Play it cool with loads of smiles though. Don't go on the warpath just yet.
For anyone to suggest to you that the actual interview is 'just a formality' suggests a bit of shenanigans. Unless they are 100% certain that any other applicants are unsuitable, so that's understandable.
Has it been re-advertised? Either way, check the job description . Does it sound 100% like your qualifications, or are there weird subject combinations and demands to teach specific things : like 'experience to teach brain surgery to TY's through Irish desirable'.

I'd say you'll be grand, just keep on being a brilliant teacher.

That's the thing, I never actually signed a contract, I was just told it would be a year long fixed term contract. I was told at the informal interview that I would have to sit a formal interview. I never applied for the job directly as they called me based on my profile on the etb website. I had applied for another job within the etb and I got shortlisted for that position but turned down the interview as I had been offered this job. It has not been advertised to my knowledge. Unfortunately I have not joined a union as I have been teaching in both TUI and ASTI schools in the last few years and with the dispute didn't feel like I could Join one or it would have impacted on my possibility of getting a job in certain schools. I am getting paid on a "own hours" timesheet. I was told I would be paid this way until the formal interview has been completed. Now I'm starting to think that I may lose this position! ðŸ™

r93kaey5p2izun

This is usually how they employ friends/family/other known people - not that common for "outsiders". The formal interviews are always held just before midterm. The chosen candidate will have then been in situ for 2 months, with lots of specific knowledge of the school (and tips on what they want to hear), and the interview marking will be adjusted to ensure they are successful. The contract won't backdate to September though and you won't be eligible for CID until November 2019.

Beware nasty surprises in the contract though - most commonly, discovering that hours are not eligible for CID because they're actually job share/NBSS/concessionary.

TheDriver

Its a very odd situation. It is common to take on a teacher as a casual substitute to fill a role that must be advertised and interviewed openly prior to the Nov cutoff point. You can't ignore the fixed term contract timeframe except in exceptional circumstances e.g. home ec teacher but no one qualified is out there so it could be filled temporarily for the year.
In your case, you should never have been promised anything. The interview process should be open, especially in ETB schools. Keep an eye on things and ask politely about the interview.

r93kaey5p2izun

I don't think it's odd at all - this is a widespread practice in my experience. And if the ETB advertises generally for all subjects in all schools then that covers it. It may not be by the book but this is how the majority of the recruitment works in some areas. I'm sure the interviews can be documented as open and above board. But if one candidate has a two month head start on the specific role in question and if the interview panel adjust the competency weighting to suit the person they want to keep then the result is more or less inevitable. I've never once seen the person in situ not get the job. Year 2 re-interviews are another story, however.

mirrorwall14

This is how it works in our school (ETB). I was having heart attacks the first year but like it has been the person in situ since I got here. And the contracts when they arrived in November were back dated to August. That’s the question you need to ask, will the contract be backdated