2012 AEA Member Guide - Alabama Education Association
2012 AEA Member Guide - Alabama Education Association
2012 AEA Member Guide - Alabama Education Association
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<strong>AEA</strong> Legal Services<br />
<strong>AEA</strong> provides legal assistance and support to <strong>AEA</strong> members and affiliates in<br />
conjunction with certain job-related disputes through the Professional Rights and<br />
Responsibilities (PR&R) Legal Services program.<br />
The program is intended to protect employment rights and privileges of members<br />
involved in adverse employment action. All active and educational support professional<br />
members are eligible for legal services under the program.<br />
As a member of the association, you may petition the association for legal services<br />
and assistance by submitting an Application for Assistance and Support (PR&R form).<br />
Theron Stokes<br />
Nancy Perry<br />
After review of the application, if assistance is provided, <strong>AEA</strong> may assign a staff<br />
attorney, an outside attorney, or other staff member to assist you in resolving your<br />
employment problem.<br />
In cases where you are, by law, granted a due process hearing, <strong>AEA</strong> will provide<br />
legal assistance to you. A request for legal services will be considered by <strong>AEA</strong> when<br />
it involves a dispute between a school system or other institution involved in the<br />
teaching or learning process and a member or local affiliate on matters established by<br />
law or adopted policy.<br />
The following list demonstrates some of the areas for which legal services may<br />
be available: terminations, cancellations or suspensions, tenure issues, salary matters,<br />
demotions, promotions, certificate revocations, on-the-job injuries and board of<br />
adjustment claims, DHR charges of abuse, criminal charges related to corporal<br />
punishment, and transfers.<br />
Charles Norton<br />
Clint Daughtrey<br />
Tamika Reed<br />
4<br />
Your Liability Protection<br />
As an association member, you are insured under the NEA’s Educators Employment<br />
Liability (ELL) program, which provides payment or reimbursement of legal costs for<br />
defending civil proceedings, civil rights violations, criminal proceedings, or posting bail<br />
bonds in certain employment-related cases. The program assigns an attorney and pays<br />
legal fees for defending civil proceedings (other than civil rights violations) brought<br />
against members in the course of their work as educators. The policy provides $1 million<br />
per member in coverage in such lawsuits. The policy also provides up to $250,000 for<br />
defense, settlements, or judgements for proceedings involving civil rights violations.<br />
There is a $3 million cap per occurrence where there are multiple member defendants.<br />
As a member, you may seek reimbursement of attorney fees and other legal costs<br />
up to $35,000 if you are charged with violating a criminal statute in the course of your<br />
employment as an educator, and if you are subsequently exonerated of the charges.<br />
You may seek reimbursement of up to $1,000 for a bail bond premium if you have to<br />
post bond as a result of an occurrence arising out of your educational employment. (The<br />
insurance company is not obligated to furnish the bond.) You may also seek payment of<br />
up to $500 for damages to personal property if you are attacked during the course of your<br />
employment.<br />
The program provides coverage for educational employment activities on and off<br />
school grounds including school-sponsored athletic events, laboratory experiments, shop<br />
training, field trips, and after school trips.<br />
Defense settlements or judgements, and court costs up to a maximum of $250,000<br />
are provided when incurred as the result of the defense of an action arising out of<br />
educational employment activities and alleging a violation of another person’s civil rights.<br />
Certain activities are excluded and the policy explicitly states those exclusions.<br />
You will receive a copy of the policy when you become a member of <strong>AEA</strong>. Read the<br />
policy to familiarize yourself with the terms and conditions of coverage.