AN All-Ireland winning footballer and MLA has said it would be unacceptable to deny substitute teachers pay for the rest of the school year.
Justin McNulty, a member of the assembly education committee, said supply staff needed urgent clarity on whether they would be paid.
He said several staff of all ages felt "cast off".
Department of Education officials are considering a `hardship' fund for subs left without work due to the Covid-19 school lockdown.
All full-time employees will receive their normal pay, whether they remain in the workplace, are working from home or are unable to carry on.
Supply teachers on fixed-term contracts including maternity cover will also be paid "for the period of time that they have been engaged to work".
This includes any days that are already agreed through the Northern Ireland Substitute Teacher Register (NISTR) website.
Casual subs, including Tyrone gaelic footballer Mark Bradley, have expressed concerns to The Irish News that they are not covered.
They will receive no money for days they might have worked between now and the end of the academic year. One day is worth a minimum of £110.71. This increases depending on experience.
Mr McNulty raised the issue at an informal meeting of the education committee at Stormont this week.
The Newry and Armagh assembly member has also written to Education Minister Peter Weir.
"Many substitute teachers rely on the casual subbing register (NISTR) to go to various schools," Mr McNulty said.
"Unfortunately after the St Patrick's Day break when most of the schools closed down for teaching, there was no demand for substitute teachers and they now feel cast off and forgotten about.
"Where the problem lies is that there are day to day substitute teachers who wait on phone calls the evening before they are due to go to work or even sometimes as late as getting a phone call in the morning to go in to a school."
Mr McNulty said he had spoken to several teachers who recommended the department calculate and distribute an appropriate monthly amount based on their average service.
"Because substitute teachers don't get paid during the summer months and if schools hopefully start back in September, that will mean that as things stand, the next time substitute teachers will get paid will be in the middle of October," he added.
"I like many of those teachers believe this would be unacceptable. It is a long time to wait until mid October for your next paycheck."
