Teacher’s Card for Temporary Workers: Why It’s Not Applicable and What the Jurisprudence Indicates

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Teacher Card for Temporary Teachers: A Comprehensive Overview

The answer regarding the allocation of the Teacher Card for the year 2024 remains unchanged: temporary teachers do not qualify for this benefit.
Specifically, those with fixed-term substitute contracts, even if they run until June 30 or August 31, are excluded from the €500 bonus that was reactivated for permanent faculty on October 14.
This allowance is exclusively available for in-service teachers, further highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by temporary educators.

Despite the exclusion from the Teacher Card, recent legal rulings have often favored temporary teachers in response to appeals.
There have been instances where courts recognized the right to the €500 bonus for individuals who filed their claims, albeit typically benefiting only those who took legal action.
Let’s delve into the reasons behind the exclusion of temporary teachers and the legal perspectives surrounding this issue.

Reasons for Exclusion of Temporary Teachers from the Teacher Card

The Teacher Card is renewed annually, but its benefits are limited to permanent faculty.
However, many temporary teachers contribute significantly to the Italian education system and bear educational expenses, especially with the rising costs of qualification pathways for upcoming exams.
It’s crucial to acknowledge that the majority of teachers using substitute contracts, often for short-term assignments, are the ones who stand to gain the most from the Teacher Card benefits.

Given the extensive number of fixed-term contracts and the unpredictable nature of substitute work, managing the Teacher Card across all temporary teachers in Italy would be complex.
Nonetheless, consideration could be given to offering the €500 grant to those who secure longer-term contracts running until June 30 or August 31, which was a temporary measure in 2023.

Last year, the Teacher Card provisionally qualified annual substitutes and was extended to those with contracts ending on June 30, although this did not create a lasting solution for all temporary teachers.
Additionally, the need for technological resources is pressing, as many educators are forced to use personal devices in classrooms due to inadequate institutional provisions.

Legal Perspective on Teacher Card Eligibility for Temporary Teachers

The Corte di Cassazione’s ruling on October 27, 2023, acknowledged that the Teacher Card, previously extended to temporary teachers with contracts until August 31 for 2023, should also be available to those whose contracts end on June 30.
This landmark decision has enabled additional legal challenges with favorable outcomes for many temporary teachers over the past five years.

Moreover, the court reiterated that the mandatory training requirements stated in the relevant regulations apply equally to temporary teachers, with no distinction made in the legislation.
This position has been echoed by various judges, further validating the claims of temporary educators seeking recognition for the Teacher Card.
However, those with only temporary contracts or fewer than 180 days of service in the academic year remain ineligible for this benefit.

In the previous year, the Council of State and the European Court of Justice also voiced their support for temporary teachers, highlighting the unfairness of limiting the Teacher Card to only permanent staff.
In October 2024, the European Court revisited the situation of Italian temporary teachers, this time focusing on the misuse of fixed-term contracts within the education sector.

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