TeachNZ funding of relief costs

What relief costs will TeachNZ fund?

TeachNZ funds relief costs for the maximum school weeks of leave awarded to the teacher or principal. Term breaks are not counted. For example, if a teacher has been granted 32 school weeks' leave, TeachNZ will fund relief costs for 32 school weeks, plus any holiday pay accrued (calculated by Novopay). Relief costs may include multiple Higher Duties Allowances (HDA) as well as the salary of a relieving teacher depending on the way the school has structured relief costs.

We have a part-time teacher (0.8FTTE) who has been awarded 24 school weeks leave. How does this work for the school?

TeachNZ will fund relief costs for 0.8FTTE for 24 school weeks (96 school days). In line with the teacher’s employment agreement the time is pro rata.

TeachNZ has awarded our teacher 32 school weeks’ leave but we have employed a relieving teacher for the full school year. How does this work with payroll?

TeachNZ will only fund relief costs for 32 school weeks, plus any holiday pay the reliever is entitled to. Once TeachNZ has funded relief costs for 32 school weeks, you will need to fill out the Funding/Department Code Change Form NOVO21 and have the salary charge moved back to the Teacher Salaries or Bulk Grant funding code. It is the school’s responsibility to ensure the codes are changed back once the teacher or principal has completed study or sabbatical leave. If you charge beyond the allocated award period, you will be liable to repay the additional charge.

The school employed a reliever for a teacher who was on study leave last year, and will continue to be employed this year to cover another teacher who has been awarded study leave. Do we need to fill in any extra forms for payroll?

You need to fill out a Funding/Department Code Change Form NOVO21 to get the salary of the reliever charged to the funding code and department code on the coding notice specific to the year and teacher on leave. Relief teachers must be charged to the correct and unique codes for the teacher’s position they are covering.

Here is an example of a study award coding notice

TeachNZ study awards and sabbaticals: charging options when teacher or principal is on leave 

Novopay forms
NOVO12 - for the awarded teacher or principal. Code LWP
NOVO1t - appointing a new relief teacher
NOVO28t - extra responsibilities for existing teachers.
NOVO20t - part-time existing teacher for additional hours