Michigan residents agree that it is very important to be aware of all clauses included in an employment contract before making a final decision about accepting or declining the job offer. After an offer has been accepted, the employee is prohibited from negotiating compensation, benefits, job roles, noncompetition clauses or terms of severance with the employer. Recently, the Adrian, Michigan, Board of Education approved a one-year employment contract with the education association, representing 187 teachers and district staff. The next stage is to finalization the contract with the state’s education board.
According to the school district superintendent, teachers will not be receiving a wage increase, but the school district has agreed to increase its contribution to employee insurance premiums. The superintendent added that the school district continues to deal with financial challenges, and, as a token of appreciation to teachers and staff, who have sacrificed pay increases for several years, the school district agreed to increase insurance premium contributions.
The contract also addressed professional development. According to reports, the number of hours dedicated to professional development for teaching and support staff has been increased from 30 to 35 hours. The professional development program will focus on the continued implementation of the International Baccalaureate for all levels of employees across all schools in the district.
In most cases, wages and benefits earned through employment are the primary sources of livelihood for that employee and his or her family. It is crucial that employment contracts are foolproof in protecting the best interests of employees, whether at the time of joining a new company or at the time of separation. Since some contract terms may not be easy to understand, consulting a Detroit employment contract attorney may help identify any possible loopholes before signing, to the benefit of the employee.
Source: The Daily Telegram, “Adrian school district, teachers reach contract agreement,” Dan Cherry, June 19, 2014
