1.    Contracts

Teachers’ contracts are subject to the Lebanese teaching law no. 56, dated 15 June 1956, and amendments. There are 3 types of contracts:

1.1.   Permanent

All permanent appointments are subject to the satisfactory completion of a probationary period of 2 years. Teachers on probation do not usually receive a letter at the end of the probationary period, unless it is a termination. Teachers who have the required qualifications, and have held Lebanese nationality for 10 years, may then join the Provident Fund (Cadre).

1.2.   Contractual

Contractual means that the contract is on a yearly basis e.g. all part-timers, non-Lebanese staff and staff on probation. Each year, part-timers and non-Lebanese staff will get a letter ending the contract, and it may be renewed the following year.

1.3.   Hourly

Hourly staff are paid per hour worked until the end of the academic year or a shorter period. They are not paid over the summer months. Hourly staff do not have any entitlement to additional benefits.

2.    School Year

The academic year consists of three terms. In addition, the Lebanese law stipulates that the school is entitled to ask teachers to attend school during one specified month of the summer vacation. This attendance is for the purposes of training and preparation etc.

Officially, the teaching year starts on 1 October each year, and contracts start from this date. However, teaching staff are required to be available as follows:

• Senior staff and Heads of Department from the beginning of September
• Teachers for Staff In-Service Training which starts in September.

Classes usually start in September. A teacher is paid for one academic year (12 months), so classes taught and staff training attended in September are considered paid with the salary of the following September. The last day for teaching staff is usually around mid-July.

3.    Working Hours

Full-time teachers are expected to be available for scheduled duties during normal school hours. Normal school hours are 7:30am to 3:30pm on Mondays to Fridays.

The maximum weekly teaching hours are as follows:

Lower School                27 hours

Intermediate Section     24 hours

Secondary Section        20 hours

Where a teacher works in two different sections his/her maximum hours are according to the section in which he/she does the most hours.

Full-time teachers should work the full hours specified above. At least 75% should be teaching hours. Subject to the maximum specified above, the school reserves the right to allocate the remaining hours to related duties such as substitution/replacement, playground supervision, invigilation, activities or clubs etc.

N.B. Please note that when a teacher is working in more than one school, the total hours cannot exceed thirty.

3.1.   Meetings/Office Hour

In addition to the teaching hours specified above, teachers are required to attend staff meetings (at least once per week), allocate a weekly office hour and attend parent-teacher meetings.

3.1.1. Wednesday Afternoon Meetings

The teaching day is shorter on Wednesdays to allow for staff to meet and discuss academic and student matters. Attendance is mandatory.

3.1.2. Office Hour

In addition to the teaching hours, every teacher designates an “Office Hour” during the school week in which parents or colleagues can consult on academic or student matters.

3.1.3. Parent-Teacher Meetings

Parent-Teacher Meetings and Parent Orientation sessions are organised two or three times per year and all teachers are expected to attend.

3.2.   Invigilation for Exams

Both full-time and part-time staff are expected to invigilate at Mid-Year and Final Exams within the periods that they usually teach.

3.3.   Assemblies

All teachers are encouraged to attend one assembly per week.

3.4.   Extra Curricular Activities

Every teacher is encouraged to participate in school life by organising, supervising and attending: assemblies, school performances, exhibitions, fairs, competitions, field trips and after school activities and clubs.

3.5.   Class Advisers

Teachers in the Upper School and Upper Elementary are expected to be willing to take on the additional responsibility of a Class Adviser, for which there is an additional allowance.

3.6.   Timetable

A teacher on a full-time contract at BHS who teaches at another school is expected to give BHS the priority in arranging the timetable. Part-timers are required to give notice and proof of hours taught elsewhere.

4.    Salaries and Benefits

4.1.   Salaries

Salaries are related to qualifications and years of experience and are equal to or higher than the official basic salary on the Lebanese Government scale. Salaries are paid in Lebanese currency in arrears on a monthly basis over twelve months. They are subject to any cost of living increase agreed by the Lebanese Government.

4.2.   Additional Hours

Additional hours may be paid for extra periods taught. These are paid pro-rata to the agreed salary.

4.3.   Additional Responsibilities/Allowances

Additional responsibilities increase income and are paid according to the BHS allowances scale. Examples of additional responsibilities are: Homeroom teacher, Class Adviser, Head of Department, Coordinator, boarding duties and organising activities.

These additional responsibilities are of an exceptional nature and do not give any vested rights, because they are based on aleatory (uncertain) factors. At the end of each year the responsibilities and related allowances are stopped and reviewed. They may be renewed in the following academic year.

4.4.   Transport Allowance

Based on current government employment laws, there is a transport allowance of 8,000LL per working day, except for staff who live on campus. Transport allowance is not paid for non-working days or during any absence. It is payable for staff who use the buses and act as a supervisor on the bus.

4.5.   Reduction on BHS Tuition Fees

New full-time and contractual staff get a 50% reduction on BHS tuition fees for their children. Full-time staff receive free BHS tuition for their children when they join the Teachers’ Provident Fund (see below). This reduction or exemption does not apply to charges for insurance, activities and computer.

4.6.   Accommodation

Furnished accommodation and full board may be provided for staff who have responsibilities related to boarding students or whose duties require them to live on campus. Full board is provided in the cafeteria in term time (as and when provided for the boarding students).

4.7.   School Transport

Staff may use the buses provided for students free of charge in return for supervisory duties whilst on the bus. In such cases, transport allowance continues to be paid.

5.    Taxation

5.1.   Income Tax

With effect from 1 August 2019, the income tax rate based on yearly income is as follows:

From	To	Tax
LL 1	LL 6,000,000	2%
LL 6,000,001	LL 15,000,000	4%
LL 15,000,001	LL 30,000,000	7%
LL 30,000,001	LL 60,000,000	11%
LL 60,000,001	LL 120,000,000	15%
LL 120,000,001	LL 225,000,000	20%
LL 225,000,001	And over	25%

Depending on a person’s status (e.g. single, married, number of children), a percentage of the income may be exempt from tax.

N.B. Please note that if you are working for several employers, or are an owner or partner in any other business, it is your responsibility to submit a yearly personal declaration to the income tax department (form R8 – available from the Ministry of Finance and their website http://www.finance.gov.lb) before 30 April. On this form, taxation due and paid is reconciled, and you will then need to pay any taxation outstanding to the tax authorities.

5.2.   Taxation on Benefits

The Ministry of Finance requires us to apply the law regarding taxation of benefits. This law specifies that all benefits (except tuition fees for teachers in the Provident Fund) are subject to tax.

Tuition fees for staff not in the Provident Fund are taxable after the deduction of an educational allowance (equal to the educational allowance the government pays to its employees). This annual tax free allowance applies to each child (up to 5 children) and is currently:

• LL 2,040,000 for Elementary and Infant
• LL 2,710,000 for Intermediate
• LL 3,430,000LL for Secondary

6.    National Social Security Fund (NSSF)

Staff with Lebanese nationality (and of countries with reciprocal arrangements) are automatically members of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).

In addition to the school’s contribution, employees pay 3% by deduction on monthly basic salary of up to LL 2,500,000 – a maximum payment of LL 75,000 per month. This is payable even if the employee is not eligible for NSSF benefits.

The benefits cover:

• In-patient hospitalisation: up to 90% of all the customary medical expenses incurred during a stay in a hospital (3^rd class) arising from sickness or accident.
• Out-patient benefits: up to 80% of examinations and medical tests that are required for any diagnostic purpose and that do not require hospitalisation. These include doctor’s fees, medicines, and laboratory tests.

Additional medical insurance, to upgrade to 1st or 2nd class hospitalisation and 100% of lab tests and emergency room fees, may be obtained privately or through the union run by the Lebanese Teachers’ Syndicate (2^nd class only).

7.    Teachers’ Provident Fund (Cadre)

7.1.   Registration

After successfully completing 2 years’ probation, a full-time teacher may be registered in the Provident Fund (a government pension fund), as long as they have the required qualifications and have held Lebanese nationality for 10 years.

7.2.   Contributions

Full-time teachers are required to pay into the Teachers’ Provident Fund and the contributions are 6% of official basic salary.  In addition, Brummana High School also pays 6% of official basic salary into the Provident Fund.

7.3.   Benefits

The benefits of being a member of the Provident Fund are the following:

• Free tuition for children at BHS (not subject to tax)
• Family allowance
• Pay increments on the official basic salary every 2 years
• An entitlement to a reduction in teaching hours after specified years of service
• An end of service indemnity payment based on the official basic salary

7.3.1.   Reduction in Teaching Hours

A teacher who is registered in the Provident Fund is entitled to a reduction in teaching hours, depending on the section and number of years completed service (from the date of joining the Provident Fund) as follows:

Decree 2601/2108
Years completed service	Lower School	Years completed service	Intermediate	Years completed service	Secondary
Up to 20	27	Up to 20	24	Up to 16	20
21, 22, 23	26	21, 22, 23	23	17, 18, 19	19
24, 25	25	24, 25	22	20, 21, 22	18
26, 27	24	26, 27	21	23, 24	17
28, 29	23	28, 29	20	25, 26	16
30	22	30, 31	19	27, 28	15
31	21	32	18	After 28	14
32	20	After 32	17
After 32	19

The hours by which the teaching load has been reduced are allocated to non-teaching duties, for example management responsibilities such as Head of Department or Coordinator, substitution/replacement, playground supervision, invigilation and activities or clubs etc. By law, each 1½ hours allocated to non-teaching duties is considered as 1 hour. There is no entitlement to extra pay for non-teaching duties. However, please note that any additional hours taught are paid extra and the hours by which the teaching load has been reduced should be allocated to non-teaching duties.

7.3.2.   End of Service Indemnity Payments

End of service indemnity payments are paid from the Provident Fund when a member leaves the teaching profession. They are calculated on the Lebanese government official basic salary and are based on years of service:

• 1-10 years – 1 month/year
• 11-29 years – 2 months/year
• >30 years – 3 months/year

If a teacher leaves the teaching profession before 25 years’ service, s/he is entitled to a refund of the employee contributions (but not the employer’s contributions).

At retirement age (64 years) or after 25 years of service the teacher is entitled to full indemnity pay including the employer’s contribution.

A female teacher registered in Provident Fund is entitled to receive back the employee’s and employer’s contributions to the Provident Fund if she gets married whilst in service and stops teaching.

8.    Union Fund

Membership of the Union Fund (national teachers’ syndicate fund) is optional for teachers who are not in the Provident Fund, but compulsory by law for all Provident Fund (Cadre) members.

The benefits of contributing to the Union Fund, include 2^nd class medical insurance with in-patient and out-patient cover. There is a one-off registration fee of LL 500,000 and a monthly contribution of LL 60,000 from salary.

On request, the benefits may be extended to other members of the family, if they are registered under your name in Social Security. The additional monthly contributions are:

• Children up to 19 years old – LL 45,000
• Children over 19 years old – LL 60,000
• Husband or wife – LL 70,000 (if spouse is not registered in Social Security, the contribution varies between LL 105,000 and LL 420,000 depending on spouse’s age)
• Parents – LL 100,000 each

9.    Leave of Absence

9.1.   Sick Leave and Sick Pay

Absence for more than one day requires a member of staff to submit a doctor’s report on his/her return. Please note that there is no entitlement to a regular day off every month without a valid medical reason.  The Lebanese laws relating to sick leave are followed.

Currently, staff who have a medical report covering the period of absence, are entitled to up to 1 month at full pay and a second month at half pay.

After 3 months the school can ask for the medical report to be checked by the medical committee for government and employees in the Ministry of Health. If the committee finds that the employee cannot come back 2 months after the check, the Principal has the right to terminate the contract.

9.2.   Pregnancy and Maternity Leave and Maternity Pay

The school implements the Lebanese teaching law which allows two months’ pregnancy and maternity leave on full pay and a further month on half pay if the teacher wishes to take an additional month. This includes absences due to pregnancy before the delivery date. Any additional leave will be unpaid.

9.3.   Bereavement

The school implements the Lebanese teaching law which stipulates four days’ leave following the death of a husband, wife, child, father, mother, sister or brother.

9.4.   Other Leave of Absence

Leave of absence, other than leave specified in the Lebanese laws, may be approved at the recommendation of the Head of Section and the discretion of the Principal.

10.  Resignation

For both full-time and part-time teaching staff, the legal deadline for submitting resignations for the following academic year is before 5 July. Teachers may not leave during an academic year.

11.  Discipline/Termination of Contract

The school has a staff code of conduct. Breaches of the code of conduct lead to an initial verbal warning recorded by the line manager. Subsequent breaches result in written warnings to be signed and kept on file and may result in termination of contract. The legal deadline for the school to terminate a contract is before 5 July, however contracts may be terminated at any time if serious misconduct is involved.

12.  Grievance Procedure

A grievance procedure, to address staff problems which have not been resolved through the normal procedures, is being developed.

This information may be subject to amendment without prior notice.