Opinion ID: 2470930
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Temporary Care Assignments

Text: Seniority also affects Temporary Care Assignmentsthough only slightly. When a temporary school vacancy results from illness, vacation, or leave, the Board fills the vacancy through the TCA process. Unlike the transfer process, the TCA process is not found in the collective bargaining agreement. The record conflicts as to whether the TCA process is governed by any contract negotiated with Local 891. [14] A Custodian or CE who receives a TCA will, for the duration of the TCAusually two monthslook after the TCA school in addition to his or her regularly assigned school. During that time, the salary of the Custodian or CE will be increased by 75%or 100% in the unlikely event that the TCA lasts more than six monthseven though he or she is not required to put in any additional time on the job. A Custodian or CE can reasonably expect to get a TCA once every two years. The process for assigning TCAs is somewhat different from the transfer process, but seniority still plays a role. The record is, however, unclear as to how significant that role is. Once a Custodian or CE has at least one year of experience, he or she is added to the TCA waitlist for the district in which his or her regularly assigned school is located, or for adjacent districts. [15] As TCAs arise, they are assigned to the Custodian or CE at the top of the list, so long as the TCA school does not require a license or special skill that the top person does not have. Upon finishing the TCA, the Custodian or CE is returned to the bottom of the list. Because of the rotation system, seniority seems to play only a relatively minor role in the awarding of TCAs. The district court does, however, suggest a way in which seniority might make a difference. According to that court, there are three separate TCA lists in each district: one for CEs, one for Custodians with at least 15 years' seniority, and one for other Custodians. United States v. N.Y. City Bd. of Educ., 448 F.Supp.2d 397, 411-12 (E.D.N.Y.2006) [hereinafter NYC Board III ]. None of the parties' briefs mentions three lists, nor do these briefs cite any part of the record supporting this proposition. But, if the district court's statement is correct, then increasing a Custodian's seniority might increase the size of the 15-year TCA list and thereby work to the detriment of other Custodians on that list. This would correspondingly benefit other Custodians who are on the fewer-than-15-years TCA list by decreasing that list's length. Similarly, it is to the advantage of any particular Custodian or CE for there to be as few as possible other Custodians or CEs with at least one year of seniority in the same or adjacent districts. For then it would not take as long to get back to the top of the list after a TCA assignment.