1st exception – Your teaching contract has ended

• • A contract is considered as no longer in effect on the day following the last day of the contract, as long it is not renewed or no other contract exists. Consequently, regular benefits are payable for any part of a non-teaching period until a new contract is signed or effective
  • If you are in a repetitive 10-month contract you are considered to have a termination of contract at the end of the teaching period. However, if a contract for the next teaching period is signed or agreed with the same school board prior to the termination, you cannot be paid regular benefits for the non-teaching period

If during the non-teaching period a contract for the next teaching period is signed, you cannot be paid regular benefits as of the date of the signature of the new contract.

• There is no contract termination if you are suspended or on an approved leave of absence with or without pay
• If you do not meet the 1st exception you need to meet the 2nd or 3rd exception to be paid regular benefits during a non-teaching period

2nd exception – Your employment was on a casual or substitute basis

• If the nature of your teaching employment in the qualifying period is on a casual or substitute basis, regular benefits are payable for any part of a non-teaching period, in certain situations
• Casual teaching means irregular, occasional or incidental teaching. If the employment involves filling an unexpected or temporary absence for a short period and, if the employment can be cancelled at any time, it is of a casual nature
• Substitute teaching means the replacement of another teacher for part or all of a school year. However, when teachers sign repetitive 10-month contracts for substitute positions with the same school board and work the full school year, regular benefits cannot be paid unless their contract is actually terminated
• If you are employed on a casual or a substitute basis, for any part of the qualifying period, and you, since the beginning of, or prior to, the non-teaching period have signed or agreed to a regular teaching contract for the following school year, you may not be entitled to benefits during any non-teaching periods that fall within your current benefit period
• If your employment was both regular and casual or on a substitute basis in the qualifying period, you may qualify for benefits even if there was full-time teaching in the qualifying period. For example, if you are under a contract to work full-time from September to January of each year, worked as a substitute teacher from January to March, and on a casual and substitute basis from March to June, you may be paid regular benefits for a non-teaching period

3rd exception – Qualify for benefits with an occupation other than teaching

• If you have accumulated sufficient insurable hours in the qualifying period with employment other than teaching, you can be paid regular benefits during a non-teaching period
• The benefit rate during the non-teaching period is calculated using the earnings from the other employment. However, if you become unemployed after a non-teaching period and if you are entitled to be paid benefits, your benefit rate will be adjusted to take into account your insurable earnings from your teaching employment
• If you are employed in an occupation other than teaching, during part of the qualifying period, and then sign a contract to teach on a regular part-time or full-time basis for the following school year, you can still be paid regular benefits during the non-teaching periods that fall within your benefit period