TRACS information updated November 1, 2011
Article 13.10: Procedure
A procedure for Article 13.10 (removal from OT list) which became effective April 15th, 2011 was agreed to by both parties. Please review the new procedure by clicking here.
It is imperative that you continue to document refusals, declines, cancellations, etc. (date, school, F or H day, teacher, grade, and reason(s) in case the Board requests your reasonable grounds. If you are unable to work, please make yourself “unavailable” so that the system does not take the time to call you needlessly.
Updating your TRACS profile.
Article 13.08 (a) (b) states that Occasional Teachers can update their profile in the months of September and February. A classification/location update form has been created to assist in updating your profile. Log into WebTRACS for the directions and the update form.
Snow Days / Bus Cancellations & Your Responsibilities
See WebTracs, click on General Information - Inclement Weather
Make yourself unavailable on TRACS if unable to work!
From
the collective agreement:
13.09 An Occasional Teacher who is included on the Occasional Teacher List shall make herself/himself available for assignment or otherwise provide reasonable grounds for refusing such assignment.
13.10 An Occasional Teacher who refuses three (3) or more assignments within a period of twenty (20) school days and does not provide reasonable grounds for refusing such assignment or who cannot be contacted for assignments during a period of twenty (20) school days shall be deemed to have resigned from the Occasional Teacher List. See NEW PROCEDURE as of March 9th, 2011!
Web User: PIN Reminder
Users can submit a PIN Reminder request on the Web. The user must have their email address in their profile or an error message will display on the screen.
A “Forgot your PIN?” link has been added to the Sign-In page to support users who want to log into SmartFindExpress, but have forgotten their PIN. The PIN reminder link is located next to the PIN field. The PIN # will be sent to the email address provided.
Read the PDF note explaining the PIN reminder procedure
Available Jobs
Currently, there is a 15 second delay between clicks when refreshing the screen during 'search for jobs'. Jobs, that are currently being called out by the telephone system, are still included in the list of "Available Jobs" on the web, but you will see "In Callout" instead of "Details". This prevents the OT from trying to accept/decline the job when the system is calling another OT for that job. Once you return to the "Available Jobs" screen, the available jobs list will be refreshed and any jobs no longer available will be removed; any new jobs available to OT will be added to the list; jobs still available, but no longer 'in callout' will be changed to 'Details'.
WebTracs: 
'Shop for Jobs' is now known as "Available Jobs". OTs will be able to 'shop' for future "Available Jobs" from 9 p.m. to 12 midnight, and search for "Available Jobs for that day only from 12:01 a.m. to 1 p.m. You will only see jobs that are within your profile.
During the Tracs evening call out period (6 to 9 p.m.) you will NOT see "Available Jobs" on WebTracs' Home Page as it will be turned 'off'.
Evening call out will be from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. with a morning call out from 5:30 a.m. for Sec. and 6:00 a.m. for Elem. OTs. The call out will be according to Article 13.05 that states unless an OT is specified/requested by a principal, OTs on the A List will be given the first opportunity to accept all daily assignments that are within their profile. If there are daily jobs still available, OTs on the B List will be given opportunity to accept those jobs.
WebTracs - use the navigation buttons to accept or skip a job
from Cathy McCabe, Human resources:
OTs are using the back button on the browser tool bar. After an OT accept a job they need to use the buttons provided on the web page not the browser tool bar. If they press the go back button on the tool bar, they are not receiving the notification that they have accepted a job.
The reference manual states:
Note: Do not use the browser’s Back button to navigate to a previous screen. There are buttons provided within the program to return you to previously viewed information. For example, the Return to List button, or use the tabs at the top of a screen.
WebTracs - skipping to the next job is possible.
If you are not interested in the job that you are listening to, you can choose 8 to hear next assignment. WebTracs does not log anything when you choose option 8. See page 3 of the quick reference card.
Available Jobs
You can also read the Available Jobs guide by clicking here.
Important Notice about Cancellations!
There appears to be a reduction in work this year. Although the reasons remain unclear at this time, it may be because:
a) the Board is using internal coverage; b) administrators are canceling jobs that have been assigned and accepted by our OTs; and c) administrators are canceling and re-creating the jobs under different job numbers.
If this has happened to you, please contact us immediately with the following information: Job #, school, teacher, grade/subject, date of job, and date of cancellation, if possible.
Your input is essential and will prove to be invaluable in our efforts to address this matter.
Secondary OTs
Should Secondary OTs receive more than 3.5 periods for a full day, please bring it to the administrator's attention (Article 14.03 & 15.02 b), do not argue, just comply. At the end of the school day, please forward your assignment sheet (make sure school name, date, & job # if possible, are on the sheet) to Jean Smylie, c/o OECTA - Occasional Teachers by Board courier.
Procedure: Emergency Situations
From time to time, a school may have an emergency situation arising that needs absences to be filled in short notice. The board has set up a procedure to cover this situation. Emergency situation memorandum.
EMERGENCY DAYS
As an occasional teacher working in an LTO position you are entitled to emergency days, under article 17.01 of the contract. These can be granted for a variety of reasons, including bereavement, weather (snow days), Family Illness, moving, graduation, religious holidays, and writing exams.