Retention rights
Upon completing two consecutive years of satisfactory service in the same activity, you gain “retention rights,” giving you priority for hiring in future years in the same activity. To exercise your retention rights, you must indicate on the per-session application form (most per-session applications are filed online; some still require paper applications) that you have such rights and you must be applying for the same activity in the time frame specified in the posting. You can exercise your retention rights to only one activity each school year, although you can apply for more than one per-session activity during that time.
Number of sessions
As a matter of right, you can work up to 500 per-session hours (except for school social workers and school psychologists, who are capped at 270 hours) in one year (July 1 through June 30.) If you want to work more than 500 hours, you need to obtain a waiver in writing from the executive director of the Division of Human Resources.
There are certain high school extracurricular activities listed in the contract — athletic and non-athletic — that are paid based upon a maximum number of “sessions” allocated for each activity. A “session” is defined as two hours beyond the school day.
You should check the contract for the number of sessions for each activity you are interested in.
Sick time
You accrue sick leave in the same per-session activity on the basis of one session per 20 consecutive sessions worked during the school year. During a per session summer activity, you accrue one sick day for each month of service. If you don’t take a sick day in July, you can take two in August. One sick day for per session summer activity can be self-treated, but the second day must have a doctor’s note.
Your unused per session sick time is transferred to your regular sick bank. At the end of your per session activity, the payroll secretary/timekeeper must fill out the Per Session Unused Sick Time Transfer Form to have the time transferred into your Cumulative Absence Reserve. The form is signed by you, the payroll secretary/timekeeper and the supervisor of the activity and is submitted to your payroll school. Make sure you obtain a copy of the form.
Like regular salary, per-session pay is now pensionable.