In This Issue: The Complete Insider's Guide to FEA - FEA Online!

Page 6 FEA Journal
By Linda Callender
FEA Secretary/Treasurer
We all know that FEA is a responsible
organization that safeguards our dues money and
works within the guidelines of the Department
of Labor, the National Education Association,
our parent organization, and FEA governing
documents.
Th e FEA Constitution sets FEA active dues
at one percent of Step One of the BA pay lane of
Salary Schedule C for DODDS Educators and
Specialists. Our annual dues increase is directly
correlated to our salary increases.
All dues, NEA, FEA, and Local, are paid to
your region (DDESS, Europe and Pacifi c). NEA
dues are then transferred to the FEA Headquarters
offi ce which, in turn, pays them to NEA.
A portion of your FEA dues is sent to the
FEA Headquarters offi ce to support the State
operating budget. Th at budget is used to support
the work that FEA does for DDESS, Europe
and the Pacifi c: arbitration costs, legal services,
membership promotions, publications, insurance
premiums for all FEA leaders and more.
Each year a state budget is presented at the
FEA Annual Membership Meeting. At the fi rst
FEA board meeting in the fall, the FEA board of
Directors modifi es or approves the State budget.
Th e amount of each regional obligation
to the State budget is directly proportionate to
its percentage of membership. For example, if
the Pacifi c Area has 27.6 percent of the overall
membership of FEA, they pay 27.6 percent of the
approved budget amount.
Local associations in DDESS and DoDDS
develop autonomous budgets. Th ey control their
budgets and determine how their expenditures
are handled within guidelines that must conform
to NEA, FEA, and Department of Labor
requirements regarding the expenditure of
membership dues.
FEA works hard for its members. We can all
be assured that our dues dollars are used wisely
and give us a high return for our individual
investments.
FEA Dues Explained
Below is an example of how dues dollars were spent at the Headquarters level in
accordance with the FEA state budget for SY 2005-2006:
In School Year 2005-2006, FEA Dues were $341.00. From that amount, funds used to
support the FEA Headquarters operating budget were $190.51. Below is a breakdown of
how the funds from your FEA dues were distributed.
The balance of $150.49
remains in the regions
to support the individual
regions. In addition, a
portion of local association
dues is returned to the
region. Local association
dues do not come to the
Headquarters offi ce.
$20.39
$13.33
Administration
Offi ce equipment,
maintenance, and
supplies. It also
includes audit services,
legal publications,
and membership
promotional items.
Professional Services
Negotiations, arbitrations,
insurance and outside
legal assistance when
necessary.
$5.71
$37.34
$113.74
Communications/Publications
FEA Journals, BOD minutes,
and FEA Web site fees.
Governance
Expenses for At-Large offi cers,
FEA BOD meetings, funding
for state delegates to the FEA
Annual Membership Meeting/
NEA convention, training for
FEA leaders, and benefi ts
and expenses for the FEA
President.
Personnel
Salary, benefi ts, and expenses
for the staff in the FEA
Washington offi ce.