Union Contract Broken w/Layoff

racerchick72 · #1 08-01-2006, 10:28 AM

What is the name of your state? Ohio

I was employed by a vocational high school in the Adult Education Division with a 185 day contract and I was a member of the Teacher's Union. Due to declining enrollment and other financial stresses within the Adult Ed Division, my contract for 06/07 was suspended under the RIF Policy (Reduction in Force). My 05/06 contract was not RIF'd, I completed the full 185 days of the contract. The 05/06 contract stated that I was to receive my pay in 26 installments. My employer gave me one final payment on July 7th, thereby breaking the 05/06 contract in which they said they would pay me in 26 installments. I am upset about this because this ended my health insurance earlier than I had anticipated, and also because my last check was such a large amount, the government took nearly half of it in taxes, which took away nearly a month's worth of pay. Do I have a case? Or did my employer have the right to break my 05/06 contract terms even though it was my 06/07 contract that was RIF'd?

xylene · #2 08-01-2006, 10:48 AM

Taxes: It sucks, but worst case scenario, you will get the over-withheld tax money back when you file. File as early as possible.

Union: You are in a union. What does your union representative and higer say about this?

Healthcare: What does the contract say about healthcare?

racerchick72 · #3 08-01-2006, 10:56 AM

Union rep hasn't responded yet. He is brand new to the position and not sure what to do.

Healthcare issue is a gray area....if they had continued to pay me in 26 installments, the premiums would have continued being covered. Since my contract officially ended June 30, 2006, then I guess they were within their legal rights to terminate my coverage.

Yup, I'm going to have to file my income tax ASAP! It's just a shame that I need that money to live on now, not 6 months from now.

But the bright side to all of this is that due to my status of being a "displaced worker" I am now a full-time college student and my tuition is covered 100%, a great benefit of the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services.