Q: Do I have to have a touch-tone telephone to use SubFinder?
A: Yes. You must have a touch-tone telephone to us SubFinder.

Q: Do I have to call in and register with SubFinder before I can receive job offers?
A: Yes. You will not receive any job offer unless you call in and register by recording your name.

Q: Do I have to register every time I call in?
A: No. You only have to register once.

Q: What happens if SubFinder calls me and I am not available to pick up the telephone?
A: If your answering machine picks up the call, it will record some portion of SubFinder’s greeting and narration asking for your PIN (employee number). SubFinder will realize that the telephone was answered, but will not leave any information regarding the job. Under the following circumstances, SubFinder will disqualify you for the day when the limit is reached.

Connect – no response: 3 times (if additional jobs are available)

Rejection: 3 times (if additional jobs are available)

Busy line: 3 times (if additional jobs are available)

Cancellation: 1 time

No Answer: 3 times (if additional jobs are available)

Hang-up after PIN entered: 3 times

Q: Can an employee request me as a preferred substitute?
A: Yes. As long as you are available both Mondays and Fridays you can be requested as a preferred substitute. The employee who is requesting you as the specific substitute must have your employee number.

Q: What if the days I am available to work changes from week to week?
A: By calling SubFinder you can adjust the days you are available to work. (#5 Personal Information; #3 Days Available). Unless the change is permanent, it is advisable to utilize the Date Range Menu (# 5 Personal Information; #4 Date Range) to indicate individual days or periods of time that you will not be available. SubFinder is programmed to offer assignments first to all substitutes available five (5) days per week, by seniority, before offering jobs to all substitutes available less than five days per week.

Q: What if someone else answers my telephone and it is SubFinder calling?
A: SubFinder will ask for your employee number (PIN) number 4 times, pausing 30 seconds between each request, you have approximately two minutes to get to the phone before the call is terminated. If SubFinder registers "connect - no response," SubFinder will attempt to call up to ten (10) times during the morning "call out" period before disqualifying you for the day. It is not advisable to have anyone else respond for you. If you chose to give someone else your employee number and authorize them to respond for you, it will be your responsibility to get the Job Number and follow through.

Q: Can I be requested as a Preferred Substitute to fill an absence?
A: Yes. However the caller must have your employee number. Remember, you must be available both Monday and Friday at a minimum for SubFinder to call you for Preferred Substitute requests.

Q: If I enter an unavailable date range (for example, for a vacation) and return early, can I begin to pick up jobs early?
A: Yes. However, you will need to call SubFinder, go to the Personal Information menu and change the end date of the unavailable date range. (#5 and then #4)

Q: Can I call SubFinder and “shop” for jobs?
A: Substitutes can only call to hear jobs for which they have been requested as Preferred Substitutes (name requests).

Q: When I call in to review available jobs, will I be given a list of jobs from which to choose?
A: No. You will hear one job at a time and must make a decision about that job before hearing if another job offer is even available. You may choose to accept the job, hear the job again, or reject the job. If you reject the job, you will be asked to choose a reason from a menu provided. If additional jobs for which you have been requested are on file you may still review these jobs.

Q: If I reject a job for a particular day, will SubFinder quit calling me for that day?
A: No. You may hear up to three jobs per calling period. If you reject a job and there are more assignments to be filled, SubFinder will call to offer you another opportunity. However, after three rejections SubFinder will disqualify you for the remainder of that calling period.

Q: Do I need to remember the Job Number?
A: Yes. The job number is your confirmation that SubFinder has received your acceptance of the job, and that you are the only person officially authorized to work and be paid for the position. Also, you will also need the Job Number if you need to cancel the job.

Q: Will I have the same Job Number for all my jobs?
A: No. Every new job you accept will have its own job number.

Q: Can I cancel a previous accepted Job in the event of an emergency?
A: Yes. From the Main Menu, choose the option – "To Cancel a Job." You must know the Job Number to cancel a job. A Substitute Cancel Deadline has been established as one hour or less before the posted start time of the job. If it is within one hour, cancellation must be reported directly to the Substitute Unit Help Desk and to the administrator of the school.

Q: Will I ever be offered a job position for an area or subject that I did not put on my substitute availability profile?
A: Possibly. Substitutes are subject to assignment primarily to the schools within the geographic area they have selected but may be offered assignments to schools within adjacent calling areas. Generally, elementary level substitutes are only assigned to regular elementary schools and elementary level magnet schools. Secondary substitutes may be offered assignments at a middle school, high school, or secondary level (generally 6-12th grade) magnet school. Such assignments will be made to the preferred subjects but may be to any secondary or special education subject as the need dictates. Substitutes may hear and reject up to three jobs per day but will be disqualified after the third rejection.