House Bill 3130 would allow substitute teachers to get retirement benefits

OREGON — Oregon House Bill 3130 is set to go in front of the committee in Salem Monday.

The bill would make all substitute teachers employees of the school districts they work for, regardless of the amount of days they substitute teach.

The bill would also be retroactive back to 2015, so outsourced subs can get benefits through the public employees retirement system (PERS).

Many outsourced teachers are currently hired through third-party companies, such as EDUStaff.

Outsourced substitute teacher, Debbie Fery, is one of the people pushing for the legislation to pass.

“If you work in those school districts who have outsourced, and you get your 600 hours in a calendar year, you’re not eligible for any retirement benefits – but if you work in a school district that does not outsource their teachers, then you do,” said Fery.

Fery says she’s spent the last 3 years working on the senate bill.

She says benefits would not be guaranteed and would still need to be earned by both non-outsourced and outsourced teachers.