ETFO | FEEO
Teachers are encouraged to consider the safety of students, but do you know your rights as a worker? The Ontario Ministry of Labour website provides links to resources on many topics that are already on teachers’ radar as well as other issues we should be concerned about.
Health and Safety – Ontario Ministry of Labour
This comprehensive guide to extracurricular sports in Ontario Elementary schools will be invaluable to teachers who volunteer to supervise extracurricular activities in public schools. The guide addresses aspects includes appropriate equipment, facilities, and other safety considerations. Links to specific guidelines are included.
Ontario Physical Education Safety Guidelines
This column outlines a decision made by the Ontario Labour Relations Board regarding a teacher’s work refusal in relation to a violent student, offering important context for the issue of the responsibility of administrators in responding to incidents with safety plans for educators.
**Note**
Ontario Regulation 857 that teachers “must ensure the safety of students in your care first. At no time is a teacher permitted to leave any students unsupervised or unattended when exercising a work refusal. Students must not be left unsupervised at any time” (Ministry of Labour, 2014). Guidelines for work refusal are found on the Ontario Ministry of Labour website https://www.ett.ca/work-refusal/
This resource outlines the need to create safe, inclusive, and respectful workplaces for LGBTQ members. It also provides information for LGBTQ members about the supports available from ETFO Professional Relations Services.
LGBTQ Rights in Your Workplace – Ensuring LGBTQ Member Rights in All School Workplaces
This must-read ETFO resource provides an overview for teachers about legal rights, responsibilities, and guidelines for educators and administrators regarding workplace violence, workplace harassment, and serious student incidents.
Workplace Violence, Workplace Harassment, and Serious Student Incidents
The best thing a member can do to ensure that her or his negotiated rights are being upheld is to read, and ponder the implications of, the collective agreement. In practical terms, this is where the answers to many employment-related questions can typically be found, such as: What is the schedule for pay cheques? Do I have to do before school duty? What happens if the buses are cancelled? What is the process for requesting a leave? How much preparation time do I receive? If the grievance process is to be applied, what are time lines to observe? What should happen during my LTO list interview process?
Which local(s) are you a member of? Algoma Occasional Teacher Local, Avon Maitland Occasional Teacher Local, Bluewater Occasional Teacher Local, Durham Occasional Teacher Local, Grand Erie Occasional Teacher Local, Greater Essex County Occasional Teacher Local, Halton Occasional Teacher Local, Hamilton-Wentworth Occasional Teacher Local, Hastings & Prince Edward Occasional Teacher Local, Kawartha Pine Ridge Occasional Teacher Local, Keewatin-Patricia Occasional Teacher Local, Lakehead Occasional Teacher Local, Lambton Kent Occasional Teacher Local, Limestone Occasional Teacher Local, Near North Occasional Teacher Local, Niagara Occasional Teacher Local, Ontario North East Occasional Teacher Local, Ottawa Carleton Occasional Teacher Local, Peel Occasional Teacher Local, Rainbow Occasional Teacher Local, Rainy River District Occasional Teacher Local, Renfrew County Occasional Teacher Local, Simcoe County Occasional Teacher Local, Superior-Greenstone Occasional Teacher Local, Thames Valley Occasional Teacher Local, Toronto Occasional Teacher Local, Trillium Lakelands Occasional Teacher Local, Upper Canada Occasional Teacher Local, Upper Grand Occasional Teacher Local, Waterloo Occasional Teacher Local, York Region Occasional Teacher Local
The answers to many of your questions will depend on your local.
Know Your Local Collective Agreement
A professional advisory to inform professional judgement and practice. It is intended for all members of the Ontario College of Teachers.
Professional Advisory- Safety in Learning Environments: A Shared Responsibility
The Ontario Physical Education Safety Guidelines has concussion information and procedures for the components of prevention, identification and management. These areas are always evolving with new research. Make sure to check your Board’s policies and procedures on this matter.
The goal of this website is to provide recommendations and resources for organizations to develop asthma friendly and supportive environments for children and youth.
Creating Asthma Friendly Environments
Safe workplaces for educators mean safe learning environments for students. To assist members in this area ETFO launched a new website that features information you need to have a more safe work environment. A safer, healthier workplace means you can be at your professional best without the stress of illness or injury.