Do Your Homework
Over the course of your career, how much money will you put in your union’s bank account instead of yours? Use the form below to find out.
The Voices of New Jersey NJEA members who Discontinued their Membership
New Jersey NJEA members who have left the NJEA tell their stories in their own words. Empower yourself with the facts. Don’t let NJEA misinformation scare you.
Key Facts about the NJEA
- NJEA dues are the highest in the nation by far, with union members paying $1,400 per year. LEARN MORE.
- Only 12% of your dues go to your local association; 85% go to the NJEA and the National Education Association. LEARN MORE.
- NJEA leadership spends half your dues on politics, with 93%+ going to Democratic candidates. LEARN MORE.
- Your dues pay for lavish compensation for top NJEA leadership who pay themselves more than any other union bosses in the nation. Recently retired executive director Ed Richardson was paid over $9.3 million as a NJEA officer, making him the single-highest paid union boss in the nation. LEARN MORE.
- Your dues also pay for gold-plated, very secure pensions for NJEA leadership … unlike teachers’ pensions, which are modest and severely underfunded. LEARN MORE.
- Over decades, the NJEA leadership did not protect your pensions, which are only 37% funded and predicted to be insolvent within 20 years. NJEA leadership has kept you in the dark about these facts. LEARN MORE.
How To Stop Paying Dues
- You can notify your district Business Administrator at any time that you want them to stop taking dues out of your paycheck.
- Simply send your district Business Administrator an email saying you want them to stop taking union dues out of your paycheck. That’s it. That’s your official notice. We recommend that you copy the Payroll Department on your email and keep a copy of your correspondence for your own records. Here is a sample email you can use. SAMPLE EMAIL.
- Ask the district Business Administrator to acknowledge receipt of your email and for the actual date when they will stop taking union dues out of your paycheck. If you use Sunlight’s SAMPLE EMAIL, these requests are already included. Please see the FAQ section above for when they are required to stop taking dues out of your paycheck (your “effective date,” which depends on when you were hired). When they tell you a date, be sure to follow up a few weeks before that date to make sure they will do what they are required to do.
- You do not have to inform anyone else. You do not have to inform the union or fill out their termination form.
- If your Business Administrator is unresponsive to your email or refuses to stop taking out dues from your paycheck, you have legal protections and we are here to support you. Please contact our legal team HERE.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Our goal is to inform you of your rights and the facts. Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) and our answers to help you make the best decision for you and your family. If we’ve missed something, please feel free to contact us with your questions HERE.
If I inform the Business Administrator that I want to stop paying dues, when will the district actually stop withholding dues from my paycheck (my “effective date”)?
If you were hired before May 18, 2018, you can notify the Business Administrator at any time, but the “effective date” when the district will stop withholding dues from your paycheck is either July 1 or January 1, whichever comes first after you give notice. If you were hired May 18, 2018 or later, you can notify the Business Administrator at any time, but your “effective date” will be 30 days after the anniversary of your hiring date. So if you were hired on September 1, your next “effective date” would be October 1, 2023.
If I leave the NJEA, will my job or salary or benefits be affected?
No, all teachers and paraprofessionals, including those who are not in the union, are covered by the same collective bargaining agreement. Your job, salary, tenure, seniority and health benefits will all stay the same and will continue to be controlled by the collective bargaining agreement, not by the union. If you experience problems with any of these issues, please contact us HERE.
If I leave the NJEA, can I still get liability insurance?
Yes. For a fraction of the costs of your union dues any New Jersey teacher can still receive liability insurance. You can obtain liability insurance from a broad array of reputable insurance companies, or through teachers’ associations like the Association of American Educators, Christian Educators, or American Public Servants Association.
If I leave the NJEA, can I still get disability insurance?
Yes. NJEA members who purchase disability insurance must pay for it in addition to their annual dues. As a non-member, there are a variety of options available to you. Many insurance companies provide disability insurance and are competitive with what the NJEA is currently charging you. Similar options are also available from teachers’ associations like the Association of American Educators, Christian Educators, or American Public Servants Association.
For additional information on obtaining disability insurance as a non-NJEA member, please see the Americans For Fair Treatment webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbxiBm1KZ9c.
Can the NJEA retaliate against me?
No, it is illegal for the NJEA or the local union to retaliate against you. You have legal protections against any retaliation. If you feel you are being retaliated against, please contact Sunlight’s legal team HERE.
Will my colleagues think I’m selfish to opt out of paying union dues?
This is a common fear, but most folks respect your right to join the association of your choice. A survey of education professionals indicated that 90% of professionals respect the right of their colleagues to join the association of their choice. Exercising your legal right as a professional is never selfish.
If I leave the NJEA, will my tenure or seniority be affected?
No, union membership will have no impact on your tenure or seniority. As a non-member, your tenure and seniority will continue to be controlled by the collective bargaining agreement, not the union.
If I leave the NJEA, will my pension or retirement health benefits change?
No, your pension and retirement health benefits are yours as a teacher or paraprofessional, not as a NJEA member. The state provided those to you and will be responsible for them when you retire, not the union.
If I leave the NJEA, can I get similar legal representation for job-related issues?
Yes, if you join a teachers’ association like the Association of American Educators, Christian Educators, or American Public Servants Association, you will get job-related legal representation as part of your membership at a fraction of the cost of your NJEA dues.
What if my Business Administrator is unresponsive or refuses to stop taking union dues out of my paycheck?
It is against the law for your Business Administrator to refuse your request that they stop taking dues out of your paycheck. If your Business Administrator is unresponsive or refuses to honor your request, please contact Sunlight’s New Jersey legal team HERE. We stand ready to help you exercise your 1st Amendment rights.
More Questions? Contact us and we’ll be happy to provide answers and support. Be informed and be empowered.
Legal Support
The law is on your side and our New Jersey legal team stands ready to support your decision to stop paying dues and leave the NJEA. All NJEA members have the 1st Amendment right to stop paying dues and leave the NJEA. No one — not the NJEA, your local, your principal or superintendent, or your Business Administrator — can stop you from exercising your rights. No one can retaliate against you for exercising your rights. You have legal protections. If you believe that someone is impeding your right to stop paying dues or that you are suffering retaliation, please contact our legal team HERE. We stand ready to help you defend your 1st Amendment rights.
Why is the Sunlight Policy Center of New Jersey Shining a Light On All Of This?
- The NJEA leadership has worked very hard to keep members in the dark about their 1st Amendment rights.
- Sunlight wants to shine a light on the truth and empower NJEA members with the facts. The Sunlight Policy Center of New Jersey put the word “sunlight” in our name for a reason. Sunlight’s mission in this campaign is to shine a light on the truth about teacher’s 1st Amendment rights. Our goal is to pierce that darkness and empower NJEA members with the facts and the truth.
- Sunlight is not telling you what to do. We are informing you that you have a choice.
- You have the right to decide if you want to keep your $1,400 every year for you and your family.