Joining WEA is good for you personally and professionally ... and it's good for students.

As your professional organization, we are like a family, a union of professionals who agree that students and education are important -- and that the people who are working in schools are important, too. 

As skilled and caring professionals, we help you build relationships with colleagues across the state and nation. We are 6,300 members strong in Wyoming and 3.2 million members strong across the country. There is a WEA member in virtually every school building across the state ready and willing to help you and your students succeed.

We are the favorite teachers from your school days. We are your friends, your colleagues and your mentors. We are united in our belief in, and support for, public schools and the teaching profession. We know that it is part of our professional responsibility to unite together for the good of our students and for our profession.

We are a volunteer organization supported by our members' dues, grants from the National Education Association and the good work of our members. Regardless of job classification, we are all educators.

Everything we do centers around WEA's priorities of promoting quality public schools, strengthening the teaching profession and improving the well being of members.

"Everything" we do includes:

• maximizing learning opportunities for you and your students,
• working to enhance your career,
• lobbying the Legislature, and
• protecting your right to practice in your chosen profession.

Your membership is part of the equation that makes Wyoming public schools so successful. Your WEA membership makes a difference for students in your classroom and for your colleagues across the state.

Join Today!

We have a variety of membership categories. Click here to learn more or contact your local WEA representative or our regional office closest to you.

Member Benefits

A variety of programs are available to help you further your career, to improve your teaching and to save you money. It makes good sense to belong to WEA! When you join the Association, take advantage of the many benefits available, including:

• News, practical information, and teaching tips you can't get anywhere else. These are available through a variety of publications, kits, training, the WEA and NEA Web sites and other online resources.
• A professional network of colleagues from across the state and the nation with whom you can share your concerns and explore solutions.
• A clearinghouse for the best professional development opportunities, the latest research on proven school improvement activities and special discounts on a variety of books and teaching materials to help you be your best. WEA ensures teacher input to the policy makers who determine the rules and regulations that affect your career and how you do your job.
• Liability insurance protection plus access to specially trained staff and WEA attorneys if you should ever find yourself faced with job-related legal trouble.
• Professional staff located across the state who are available for assistance with teaching and learning, student achievement and legal and salary issues. They are a phone call or a computer click away.
• A voice in the Wyoming Legislature where we lobby for lower class size, increased school funding, teacher mentoring programs, professional salaries and retirement benefits for educators.
• Research, support and training to negotiate professional salaries, benefits such as health insurance, and working conditions.
• Personal financial advice and information you can trust plus real discounts and good deals through our WEA/NEA Member Benefits program. "Good deals" include a low-interest signature loan to tide you over until you receive your first paycheck or to take a college class; home finance programs to buy a house or refinance a mortgage; insurance protection for your family; and guidance in building your retirement nest egg.
• Belonging to WEA is an asset because of the community support, recognition, and respect that we have earned as the state's leading advocate for quality public education.

When you join the Association (local, state, and national), you join forces with more than 6,300 of your colleagues here in Wyoming and 3.2 million educators nationwide. That strong membership base give us the strength, power, and resources to accomplish more together than any individual or small group can do alone. Below are our various membership categories. For complete details and an enrollment form, contact your  UniServ office or Linda Bottom at WEA via e-mail at  lbottom@nea.org or phone 800.442.2395 x 102

Professional Membership:

Professional members employed by K-12 school districts, community colleges and the state university. Professional members include classroom teachers, counselors, librarians, nurses, and other professionals.

Educational Support Professionals (ESP):

Educational Support Professionals include classroom paraprofessionals, clerical, custodians, buildings and grounds, food services, maintenance, paraprofessionals, transportation and other support professionals employed by a public education institution.

Retired Lifetime:

Retired Lifetime membership is offered to retired individuals who were formerly eligible for professional or educational support professional membership in a school district, college, university or other public institution devoted primarily to educational work.

Student Membership:

Student members are preparing for a career in education and are attending any Wyoming community college or the university. This also includes student teachers.  Visit the Student WEA website.

Substitute Membership:

Active Professional Substitute employed on a day-to-day basis and included in a bargaining unit with full-time education employees (eligible to run for NEA RA Delegate)

Active ESP Substitute employed on a day-to-day basis and included in a bargaining unit with full-time education employees

Substitute employed on a day-to-day basis, but not included in a bargaining unit with full-time education employees (NOT eligible to run for NEA RA Delegate)

Reserve Membership:

A Reserve member is a member who is on sabbatical, medical or other leave of absence for at least six (6) months. These members should be encouraged to change their membership to RESERVE, rather than cancel. Cancellation voids their DUES-TAB Insurance and any NEA/WEA benefits such as auto/life insurance and loans.

Click here for more information about membership and the many benefits of belonging.

With our commitment to improving the lives of members and its substantial group buying power, WEA/NEA Member Benefits provides quality products and services that help with many of the financial needs of the Association's members.

The NEA Member Benefits Corporation is a subsidiary of the NEA, established to develop, implement and administer NEA Member Benefits programs and services. Its governing body includes a Board of Directors which oversees the corporation to ensure the quality and consistency of the programs.

Of all the products NEA Member Benefits reviews, only a few are accepted. The great majority of programs simply cannot meet NEA Member Benefits standards.

NEA Member Benefits also follows strict guidelines for its own organization as well as the companies that work with it.

The NEA does not profit from NEA Member Benefits  programs. The goal of NEA Member Benefits programs is to provide members with quality products at a reasonable cost --no program is supported by dues dollars!

NEA Member Benefits also demands strict criteria from prospective corporate providers. All providers must have the ability to serve NEA members on a nationwide basis, be financially stable, demonstrate a commitment to quality and a proven track record of success, comply with all federal regulations, be willing to collaborate closely with NEA Member Benefits in marketing efforts, and provide a competitively priced product backed by excellent service, exclusively for NEA members and their families.

By following these strict guidelines, NEA Member Benefits helps ensure substantial, long-lasting relationships with program providers to serve NEA members better.

Visit the NEA Member Benefits Web site to find complete details about the insurance programs, financial services, investment opportunities, discounts, and consumer information or contact WEA Director of Support Services Julie Schwindt via email JSchwindt@wea.org or call 800.442.2395 x 103.

With your Association membership comes a $1 million Educators Employment Liability (EEL) insurance policy which protects you against civil proceedings brought against you in job-related matters. What's more, you'll be reimbursed for up to $35,000 to cover attorney fees and other legal costs if you are exonerated of criminal charges; and up to $5,000 regardless of the outcome. On top of that, you're entitled to receive payment of up to $500 for damage to your personal property if you're assaulted in the course of your work.

Of course, you can buy liability coverage anywhere, but be sure to read the fine print. Some may offer more coverage, but it may be cumulative. That means if someone files a claim before you do, there may not be any funding left for you. Our ELL coverage combined with our staff experience and legal support means that no member ever has to go it alone.

But liability protection alone just isn't enough these days. In adition to being threatened with the loss or your job or a violation of your hard-earned rights, educators today are vulnerable to any one of a number of charges that can can be leveled by angry students or disgruntled parents.

When you belong to the Association, you have peace of mind that your side will be heard and that your rights will be protected. We stand ready and willing to go the extra mile to make sure you get a fair shake . . . and you don't have to pay a penny in legal fees!

In addition to our UniServ directors in the field, we also employ attorneys who are experts in school and labor law who provide representation for any employment problem you might encounter. If you have a job-related problem or feel your rights have been violated, contact your UniServ director. He or she is your first line of defense.

As a WEA member, you can receive money-saving discounts on everything from hotel rooms to restaurants and from vacation packages to retail purchases. Just click here to log in and begin saving!

Use your WEA membership card and save big!

The WEA has teamed up with Educator Access to provide you with significant discounts. Here's how to make the most of this exclusive membership benefit. 

What is the Access to Savings card?

It's your Association membership card and more! It not only entitles you to all the benefits of being a WEA/NEA member, but it also gives you the ability to save money at thousands of locations worldwide.

Did someone say discounts?

Your card saves you up to 50 percent on purchases you make everyday--at restaurants, hotels, retail stores, golf courses, ski resorts, theme parks, and everywhere else in between. With discounts at 150,000 locations worldwide, where you are--or wherever you plan to be! Members who use the card frequently report that they recoup many times their Association dues investment. To find out how much you can save, use our handy online calculator. Just log in to our "Access" Web site and click on the Calculator" link along the left-hand side of the screen.

Access Travel Service

You can now book your dream vacation conveniently online! Through the Access Travel Service Center, you'll discover a host of competitive rates on airfare, cruises, travel packages, and over 75,000 hotels worldwide. Simply click Access Travel Services from the Access site and you're on your way to savings at exciting destinations around the world.

How do I activate my card?

Simply follow these three easy steps:

1) Click on the image of your membership card at the top of this page or click on the login link.
2) Once you're there, type your membership id number in the sign-in box in the upper left-hand corner of your screen.
3) Create your personal account by following the registration instructions. Be sure to sign up to receive e-mail updates of special deals and benefits. Be aware, though, that some school districts will filter out these messages so sign up using your personal e-mail address to make sure you're informed.

How do I get my discounts?

Most merchants require that you present your membership card at the time of purchase. Occasionally, some merchants also require a printed coupon that you print from the Web site, so be sure to check the individual merchant page for specific instructions.

How do I search for savings?

To find participating merchants, enter the city or zip code where you live--or the city to which you will be traveling--in the box marked "find discounts" near the top of your screen. To refine your search, use the pull down "select your category" menu and click on "Find."

What if I lose my card?

Don't worry. Contact your UniServ Unit office or call 307-634-7991 to request a new card be made and mailed you. Please note that it may take a few weeks to receive your new card.

What if a merchant I visit doesn't honor the discount?

Unfortunately, this happens from time to time due to a change in managers or new employees who have not been made aware of the program. If this happens, please call our member services team immediately. The toll-free number--866-204-8462--is printed on the back of your card.

I'd like to see more local merchants. What can I do?

We get some of our best leads from members. Use the "Refer-a-Merchant" link on the Web site (along the left-hand side of the screen) to identify local businesses that would like to be included. Our merchant recruitment team will then go into action--contacting those businesses and encouraging them to join with us.

WEA News is your source for  important news and information regarding public education, your Association, and your benefits. Read the latest issues here:

Jan/Feb/March 2009