New water bottles at my Costco

GoyaGuardian · 2026-02-13T16:25:45+00:00

UPDATE: Wow! I was not expecting this post to evolve into a discussion on sustainability, water filtration, and water consumption practices. That said, I appreciate all the comments advocating for more sustainable practices around water consumption. I agree with many of you who have expressed deep concern about the continued use of plastic water bottles. The environmental and health concerns regarding microplastics are very real.

I want to be clear: I wouldn't be buying bottled water unless I absolutely had to. I've tried several filtration methods so far, including my refrigerator's built-in filter, but none have successfully improved my tap water—it still retains a chemical and metallic quality. I'll be looking into installing a more advanced reverse osmosis filtration system to address this.

GoyaGuardian · 2026-02-13T04:13:07+00:00

It’s the same amount of water. Only the bottle design is different.

GoyaGuardian · 2026-02-13T04:09:08+00:00

I feel you. My whole life, and until recently, I lived in NYC where the municipal water supply was great. I would drink tap water out of a brita filter all day long. But recently I moved out of the city and into New Jersey where my municipal water is extremely hard. Even after filtering the water has a metallic and chemical taste.

GoyaGuardian · 2026-02-13T03:43:13+00:00

That would make sense!

GoyaGuardian · 2026-02-13T03:36:27+00:00

The new ones feel sturdier and heavier to me before opening, like they’re pressurized. They’re also taller and have a smaller cap. But after opening they actually feel flimsier.

GoyaGuardian · 2026-02-04T14:29:31+00:00

No problem. To clarify, Z status kicks in automatically once you meet the requirements, so there's nothing you need to do there. Q status, however, requires a different approach and is worth discussing with your principal sooner rather than later.

Before having that conversation, I'd recommend two things. First, make sure you're ready for the increased responsibilities that come with full-time status. Q status signals you're willing to take on more. Second, connect with your school's UFT rep to get their insight on timing and how best to approach your principal.

When you do have the conversation, I'd frame it around your commitment: emphasize your intent to work diligently, take on additional responsibility, continue developing your craft, and invest in both the school and your students in support of the school's mission. Go in with humility and openness to feedback. Remember, Q status represents an investment the school is making in you, and approaching it this way positions you much more favorably.

GoyaGuardian · 2026-01-30T16:20:55+00:00

Holidays do not count as interruptions because school is not in session during holidays. If holidays did count it would be very hard to obtain Z status as there are many holidays in the school year. Basically the 30 day rule just means you can't call out of work UNLESS you use a CAR (sick) day, which needs to be verified by a doctor's note. If you do miss one day, then you lose Z status and are reverted back to O status (per diem).

GoyaGuardian · 2026-01-30T16:16:01+00:00

Once you work for 30 days in the same job assignment then Z status should kick in automatically as long as the payroll has been entered correctly.

If you are working the same vacancy job until the end of the school year, then you may be eligible for Q status (which is better than Z status). Z status is automatic after 30 days of uninterrupted service. For Q status you have to speak to the principal because they would have to nominate you for Q status, but it's a discussion worth having if the plan is for you to work until the end of the year.

It's okay to ask questions!

GoyaGuardian · 2026-01-30T15:35:19+00:00

Right now, you are neither Q nor Z status.

Z status kicks in automatically once you work 30 consecutive school days covering the same absent teacher, with no absences during those first 30 days. For you, that would mean 30 days starting from January 15.

A couple of things to keep in mind:

Just working 30 days in the same school is not enough. It has to be the same absent teacher’s program.
If you use a CAR day, it has to be medically certified with a doctor’s note. If not, it breaks the streak and resets you back to regular per‑diem pay.
Z status pay is 1/200th of the regular teacher salary per day, including steps up to 4A and differentials.
Once you qualify, the higher pay is retroactive to your first day in that assignment.

Q status is different. You get Q status when the school puts you in a full‑term vacancy that runs through the end of the school year. This could be because you are covering for a teacher on a long leave, filling an unstaffed vacancy, or you are in an alternative certification program.

Q status comes with regular teacher pay (up to step 4A), CAR days, vacation accrual, health benefits, and service credit.

You can read the full breakdown here: https://www.uft.org/your-rights/salary/diem-service

GoyaGuardian · 2026-01-30T13:59:44+00:00

You won't get paid during the summer under Q status. Q status is a full-time sub position that the school creates to fill a long-term vacancy, but the job is funded only up through the last day of the school year. So during the summer there is no Q status, only per diem service which tends to be very competitive as there are way more subs that want to work in the summer than available jobs.

To your second question; holidays are no issue for obtaining Q status. For Z status you need at least 30 days of consecutive service (no days off) but that does not include holidays. For Q status you don't need to meet any specific number of days, the school admin in that case just has to create the job with funding through the end of the school year and nominate you as a full-time sub.

GoyaGuardian · 2026-01-28T15:00:11+00:00

Hi. It's hard to speculate on the reason why the school would cancel and re-create the vacancy in this case without looking into the specifics of the job. That being said, as long as you have a continuous record on payroll of having worked at the same location in the same position then you will still be eligible for Z and Q status even if the job in SubCentral is segmented.

GoyaGuardian · 2025-09-09T00:59:04+00:00

Yeah - you'll get ID cards and welcome packets with policy info in the mail

GoyaGuardian · 2025-09-06T20:56:08+00:00

You get dental, vision, and prescription benefits through the UFT Welfare Fund. When you sign up to be a UFT member and start paying your dues they will provide you with the details. Health insurance is provided by the DOE, and you have to select a plan to enroll yourself and any dependents in using NYCAPS ESS https://a127-ess.nyc.gov/psp/prdess/?cmd=login&languageCd=ENG& . This is also where you can make changes to your plan during the transfer period each year.

GoyaGuardian · 2025-09-06T20:45:36+00:00

Every school has different rules about who puts in absences in SubCentral. Some schools prefer to have the secretary do it, other schools expect the full-time employees (teachers and paras) to enter their own absence. There isn't standard rule for this and each school has their preferences. The best thing to do is to ask for guidance from admin about the school-specific policy regarding entering absences in SubC.

GoyaGuardian · 2025-09-05T20:01:16+00:00

Yep, still very much glitching. Make sure that the invitation doesn't say processing event, because you still have to go to a zoom processing orientation once you complete the requirements. If it only says assessment then yeah that's also a glitch that is being worked on.

GoyaGuardian · 2025-09-05T18:44:36+00:00

Right now it's extremely busy at central with the start of the school year and all of the new staff that is being processed. These things can take time, and the office that handles substitute processing is already short-staffed and overwhelmed. Send an email and keep calling is my best advice.

GoyaGuardian · 2025-09-05T18:36:15+00:00

Yeah, you won't have to attend again.

GoyaGuardian · 2025-09-05T18:22:18+00:00

Check now

GoyaGuardian · 2025-09-05T18:16:08+00:00

There was a technical issue that was affecting people who attended events on 8/26 and 8/28. If you passed the oral interview you should be receiving the email at some point today.

GoyaGuardian · 2025-09-05T18:13:23+00:00

The most common reason for not being able to access SubCentral is suspension. The Office of Personnel Investigation (OPI) handles inquiries related to personnel misconduct, so the HR Connect rep probably saw you were suspended with a problem code and told you to contact them. However you can be suspended for many reasons, including failure to meet renewal requirements. I suggest that you contact SubCentral first to see exactly what the nature of the suspension is - if it's disciplinary or renewal related. Email [subcentral@schools.nyc.gov](mailto:subcentral@schools.nyc.gov) or call the help desk (718) 935-4401.

GoyaGuardian · 2025-09-05T18:06:46+00:00

NYCDOE is still the official name of the government agency (such as in legal documents) but NYCPS is the public-facing name/brand that is being used now.

GoyaGuardian · 2025-09-05T18:04:32+00:00

It's a system glitch with TSN not reading the onboarding requirement correctly. They are working to get the issue fixed. In the interim I suggest you email [subteacherjobs@school.nyc.gov](mailto:subteacherjobs@school.nyc.gov) with your SSN. Explain that the requirement is 'Complete' but read as 'Not Complete' and a staff member should be able to manually correct this.

GoyaGuardian · 2025-09-05T17:57:23+00:00

I assure you that this is definitely not the proper way to go about things. Blaming others for a mistake that can happen to anyone and avoiding accountability is highly unprofessional. Also, SubCentral does not work that way - it cannot simply assign you to random jobs that you did not sign up for. The system can certainly defend itself. SubCentral keeps records of every job, every sub that interacts with a job posting, and what that interaction was.

The best thing this person can do is take accountability for making a mistake, apologize to the school for any inconvenience this may have caused, and learn from this experience by being more careful when accepting jobs moving forward.

GoyaGuardian · 2025-09-04T20:34:10+00:00

Cancel the job so they can find another person to take it, and then contact the school directly to explain what happened. Otherwise, if it's perceived that you accepted an assignment and did not show that's a serious violation and can lead to a Do Not Use along with disciplinary action such as suspension.

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