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What additional relief teacher funding is
Additional relief teacher funding (ARTF) is available for state and state-integrated schools.
It is to help with the costs of employing relief cover for a teacher taking eligible paid leave. Criteria must be met to receive ARTF.
You can apply for additional relief teacher funding when:
- a teacher has taken eligible paid leave
- your school has employed a reliever to cover the absence, and
- your school hasn’t received other funding to cover their leave.
When claiming this funding, you must keep auditable records of the teacher’s leave and the hiring of relief cover.
Eligible leave
ARTF can be claimed for these leave types. Each one has its own conditions.
How to apply
Before you start the application, make sure the leave has been entered in EdPay using the correct payroll code. You will also need to have scans of the teacher's medical documentation if they have taken sick leave.
Apply using the Education Resourcing System (ERS).
The Education Resourcing System (ERS) – Applications and Online Systems
You must submit an ARTF claim within 1 year of the date the leave started.
After you apply
We calculate funding based on the number of days your school needs relief cover for. The daily rate is set out in the relevant collective agreement.
For part-time teachers, funding is paid in proportion to their employed hours. When the application is for cover of a part-time teacher, you must outline their usual working hours and days in the application.
If we approve your application, the ARTF payment is made to your school's bank account.
ARTF for sports or cultural leave
This is only provided in cases where the event meets our conditions for sports and cultural ARTF.
Additional relief teacher funding for sports and cultural leave
Long term illness of your principal
For cases of hardship due to the long-term illness of your principal, contact your finance advisor to discuss your situation.
What we do not provide ARTF for
You cannot claim ARTF when a relief teacher is not required, for example during school or public holidays, or teacher-only days. You also cannot claim it if a relief teacher wasn’t employed to cover an absence.
ARTF is not available for:
- leave without pay
- professional development
- bereavement leave
- board-approved discretionary leave, including discretionary leave granted to teachers to attend to dependent members of their family (note: this is not the same as sick leave for a teacher to care for a dependent)
- leave for job interviews
- ACC claims
- leave where a board has received some other form of resourcing to cover the absence of a teacher.
ARTF isn’t a full reimbursement of any board’s particular relief related expenses or salary expenditure, which may include the payment of higher duties or acting up allowances.
Who to contact if you have any questions
If you have a query about ARTF, contact the channels team.
Phone: +64 4 463 8383
Email: [email protected]
