Branch Audit of Operating Accounts Form

GUIDELINES
By-Law XIX of the Association’s By-Laws states, in part: “The financial arrangements for NLTA branches … shall be determined by the Executive and approved by the Convention in its budget … Other resources may be sought and expended without reference to the Executive, except that no branch… may incur any indebtedness through such things as borrowing or use of credit cards, without prior approval of Executive.” The Convention, in the Association’s annual budget, determines the amount of the Registration Rebate and the Membership Rebate for branches. These amounts constitute the normal branch operating funds. In addition to these regular amounts, the budget contains certain discretionary funds that may be provided to branches upon application.

In order to assist the Finance Committee in allocating these discretionary funds equitably among the branches, the Association has adopted certain policies to be followed by branches. These policies deal with the Registration Rebate, Membership Rebate, finances for School Board-Teacher Liaison Committees, assistance for Special Branch Functions and Exceptional Travel, Additional Funding for other branch projects and programs and Hospital Visitation. The sources of funds available to branches are:

I. Registration Rebate
1. Seven hundred ($700.00). A partial payment of $200.00 will be sent to the branch treasurer in September after a completed Branch Preliminary Registration Form is received at NLTA Office; the remainder after the Official Registration and Audit are received.

II. Membership Rebate
1. The branch will receive a rebate of $6.00 per member.
2. This rebate will be sent to the branch treasurer as per the number of members reported on the Registration Form and will be paid only once per year. A list of teachers in the branch shall be compiled early in each school year and kept on file by the branch executive.
3. This rebate is to be used to pay any legitimate expenses of the branch.
4. The rebate must be claimed before December 31st of the school year.
5. The membership rebate will be paid on receipt of a complete audit for the previous year as per association policy which states in part:
sp (a) branch accounts shall be audited at the end of each branch year by at least two members of the branch other than
branch executive officers;
sp (b) the results of this audit shall be registered with the NLTA Office on the form provided together with any written report by the auditors.

III. Finances for School Board-Teacher Liaison Committees
1. The expenses of the teacher representatives on these committees will be paid by the association as per current association policy.
2. The branch may pay the expenses of its representative(s), as per current association policy, upon receipt of vouchers, then forward such vouchers to NLTA Office for reimbursement. If branch funds are insufficient to meet such expenses, the vouchers may be forwarded directly to the NLTA Office for payment.
3. Payment shall be made only upon receipt of minutes of the Liaison meeting or a written report from the teacher coordinator of the committee.

IV. Assistance for Special Branch Functions and Exceptional Travel
1. Teachers receiving retirement scrolls at NLTA branch banquets will have the meal bill paid for themselves and a guest by the NLTA upon receipt of a claim submitted by the branch. The maximum amount will be as per NLTA guidelines.
2. Special funds shall be allocated to branches which have transportation difficulties. In order to qualify for this assistance a branch must have a transportation rebate policy which has been approved at a branch meeting. Such branches must declare on the request form the following information:
(a) the nature of the special transportation problem, i.e. travel by water, etc.;
(b) a detailed description of the anticipated solution, i.e. boat charter, snowmobile, transportation by air, etc.; and
(c) a realistic cost estimate of the proposed solution based upon prevailing transportation conditions.

V. Additional Funds
1. Request from branches for additional funds will receive sympathetic consideration from the Finance Committee provided the following conditions are met:
(a) approval of the funds for such expenditure must be obtained in advance; (b) all requests for additional funds must be made on the “Request for Additional Funding” form; and (c) funds will be advanced only for teacher-oriented activities.
2. Projects will be judged on merit, financial conditions, geographical location and size of requesting branch.

VI. General
1. Requests for additional funds must be itemized; i.e. you must give a breakdown of how you arrived at such an amount.
2. Branches may provide speakers/presenters who do not charge a set fee for their services with a moderately priced gift rather than a monetary honoraria.
3. Branches that expend regular funds on such things as Education Week activities, children’s parties, public speaking contests, branch scholarships, etc. and intend to apply for additional funding for such expenditures should be aware of the limited funds available in the overall association budget. Despite the fact that such activities are very worthwhile and commendable, branches must be sure they can fund such activities and, at the same time, carry on the regular branch program.
4. Branches, having a travel rebate policy for members attending meetings should develop stringent guidelines for paying such rebates based on the availability of branch funds.
5. Participants at branch sponsored workshops or professional days should be expected to provide or pay for their lunch. A reasonable registration fee would cover such a charge.

The Finance Committee reserves the right to examine extenuating cases and use discretion over the administration of the funds in IV and V above. (All funds must be claimed in the year in which expenses are incurred. The association year runs from September 1 to August 31.)

*TREASURERS PLEASE NOTE: There should be no time lag between the end of one financial year and the beginning of the next. That is, if the “books” are closed on June 24th (for example) and the year-end audit completed, then the new financial year starts on June 25th. Any bills paid or funds received over the summer would then become part of the records for the new financial year. Conversely, the financial year could end in early September, in which case the summer period would be part of the previous financial year. Under no circumstances should any funds be disbursed or received without being properly accounted for in the branch’s financial records and year-end audit.

Please forward completed form to: Rita Tee, Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association, 3 Kenmount Road, St. John’s, A1B 1W1