Equality of Earnings-Increases for Substitute Teacher Salaries

Long Island School Districts at large who hire Substitute Teachers offer salary ranges from $16.00-$17.00 per hour. With NYS's implementation of the increases to minimum wage taking full impact as of January 2021; it's clear that the arctic salary ranges provided to Substitute Teachers on Long Island needs to be increased to at least $25.00 per hour.

Many Long Island Public School Districts; ie Brentwood UFSD, North Babylon UFSD,Elwood UFSD and others; require that Substitute Teachers have former professional backgrounds, educational standards-such as undergraduate courses or working towards their teaching credentials, certified with educational credentials and be FBI-Finger Printed in order to teach in the classroom in the Public Sector. Substitute Teachers are not members of the Long Island Teacher Union-once again Employment Contracts, they are considered either Temporary Employment or At-Will Basis-and present day hourly wages are not within Teacher standard salary standards. Even; Teachers who Tutor outside of employment charges between $50-$75.00 per hour-so why are Substitute Teachers not earning livable wages?

Those who sign as Substitute Teachers understand employment benefits may not be part of the employment offerings-but increases to the hourly wages/earnings to reflect what School Districts require Substitutes to adhere too-warrants higher salaries per hour. Accepting Employment Contracts as a Substitute or Para-Teaching Professional at the $16-$17.00 per hour as the job title stands is out dated; unethical and perhaps violate equal protections under the law. Stream-lining Para-Teaching Professionals and Certified Substitute Teacher Salaries finally ensures that these Employees receive employment compensation for education they offer every day. If one of these Professionals presently within every school district on Long Island doesn't report to work or is impacted by COVID 19, contract COVID 19 while in Employment-they do not get paid and as "employees at-will" they can not rely on sick days, or vacation days to cover lost earnings. The Township of Huntington-also implemented new At-Will Employee Rules-eliminating Employee Packages (Health Care and the right to Sick or Vacation Days) for State Legislative Hires effective August 2020 (Resolution Number 222-2020-Sponsor Councilman Edmund Smyth)

During my campaign; I suggested introducing Legislation requiring NYS to require Long Island School Districts to institute universal hourly increases for Substitute Teachers to at least $25.00 per hour for reasons set above and because NYS implemented new $15.00 minimum wage requirements which take full effective impact by January 2021. NYS and Long Island School Districts want to encourage people to enter the education profession or to provide viable employment opportunities for retired qualified professionals. NYS shouldn't be in the business of disenfranchising those credible and certified to be in the classroom while offering salaries that are not reflective of medium salary ranges of teachers. Right now; Substitute Teachers are earning just slightly above NYS minimum wages when School Districts require stringent requirements to enter the classroom as a Professional. With Covid 19 New educational parameters in place requiring Teachers to have new certifications which also trickles down to the Substitutes meeting some of the same Covid 19 requirements-Long Island School Districts need to increase hourly earnings of Substitute or ParaProfessionals. I was supportive of this prior to COVID 19 State of Emergency and I still believe that Educational Professional Salaries require COLA's, increases prorated-including increasing the hourly wages for Substitute Teachers to $25,00 per hour.

Long Island School Bus Drivers-separate from the Public School Systems as it's private sector employment mostly-earn on average between $23.00-$25.00 an hour-they are not required to be in classroom for 7 hours each day working directly with your child or perhaps 20-30 kids in a classroom. Substitute Teachers fill in the gap-when Permanent Teachers take maternity leave, and now if a Teaching Professional contracts COVID 19-14 day quarantines mandated by NYS are required; but again- the Substitute is not offered Health Insurance, No Sick Day Pay (similar to Huntington Townships Resolution which passed 222). The Substitute Teacher steps in and educates that Classroom until their Teacher or other arrangements are made by each School District. This is another reason why; increased hourly wages for Substitute Teachers of is necessary as they fill in for your favorite Teacher or Teaching Professional and these employment positions also encourage New Educators to consider teaching careers even with Anti-Pandemic Parameters required for all of them. Now-that's Love of Profession-I agree-how about you? Leave me a posting-where do you stand on Earnings Increases for Para or Substitute Teaching Professionals for Long Island.

Another Women's Issue that needs Implementation Procedures in New York State-is Equality of Earnings Law; the Process for Women to receive Retroactive Earnings for prior work performances and that Implementation-will close the GAP of Inequality of the past-and Foster new State mandate of Equality of Employment Contracts for Women. I have been vocal on this every day of this years 2020 Legislative Priorities and the Statewide Election for the 12th Assembly District and other races. (Did anyone receive any Mailers from Candidates Emphasizing the Importance of Implementation on Equality of Earnings-not just I support Women's Agenda?).

I didn't-how about you and your household? I have sent a number of press releases to various Daily and Local Press outlets-deaf I guess-as emails are date stamped.

The 19th Amendment gave Women Civil Rights-100 years ago; by allowing us to be Voters-it was that Moment when Women in theory became recognized Citizens of the United States-by this I mean-we have Rights-before then it was a figment of our imaginations. This passage permitted Women to Own Property as themselves without a Trustee; Permitted Women to enter the workforce and to run for Elective offices. We-have corrected many ills along the way to enhance Women's Rights-what is Missing is Equality of Earnings and the Retroactive Legislation in NYS that New York State "acknowledged" in 2014 (Governor Cuomo) to implement. Permitting Leaders to sit back on wage inequality when it's been acknowledged-that this is our Time-without Follow through no matter what Pandemics or State of Emergencies Transpire (which several have since 2014 beyond Covid 19) Must be NOW.

Join me in encouraging NYS to do 2 things for Women Now:

1) The Finalization of the Process for Equality of Earnings for Women Law-to have NYS be in the top 5 States to Implement what the Federal Government already has done-but left to the States for each State to Implement a Process-NYS is lagging behind-it's not even in Language yet. Do you want to wait 100 More years for it-I do not!

Here's the Legislative Bill Language- It's the Maltese Equality of Earnings Law 2020 which retroactively provides the earnings which NYS negated from providing to one of its own-a New York State Public Officer-Staff Member (Maryann Maltese). My Law-your law requires New York State to be in compliance finally with the Federal Government requirements. (there I said it-do you hear me?!) It's not a tennis match-any longer; Lives are at stake-earnings earned not paid; and other women signing employment contracts that are unsound-unequal and no guidance received often by employers-including NYS. Pandemic Covid 19-emphasizes the need for Implementation of Earnings-there is no excuse.

2) Education Professionals-need COLA and increases to their present salaries emphasizing (Teachers, Paraprofessionals and Substitute Teachers) this is the frontline of education-they are earning the least-but the demands are high on them-or there is No work assignments and Para's or Substitute Teachers do not get paid if they are not at work.-no Benefits. (Did the CSEA and Huntington Township hear me yet?) These Professionals also; many do not have Employee Benefit Packages-so if they Contract COVID 19-they must seek other alternatives to help them-hence the new Welfare class.

The solution-NYS Legislature must introduce Legislation to unify Public School District Salary credentials for teaching professionals (Para, Substitute Teachers) to $25.00 per hour on Long Island.

For questions or concerns; you can reach Maryann at maryann@cowharborrealty.com or

631-644-5765. To support the Legislative measures-reach out to Senator Mike Gianaris at gianaris@nysenate.gov and/or your State Legislators.

Maryann Maltese, an Inactive (out of public service presently), NYS Communications Manager and Chief of Staff for Members of the NYS Legislature; 18 years of State Legislative Service; is also Licensed as a Real Estate Agent with Cow Harbor Realty and is a Certified Substitute Teacher for Brentwood UFSD. Maryann is UFT Scholar-holding a BA in Political Sciences-Queens College-also known as "Harvard-Crown Jewel" of Public City University of NYS.