New Joint Statement: Part-time employee scheduling

A new joint committee statement related to the Provincial Collective Agreement (2013-2017) has been agreed to by United Nurses of Alberta and employers Alberta Health Services and Covenant Health. Through a joint committee of representatives from UNA and Alberta Health Services, joint statements are issued to resolve issues arising from the UNA Collective Agreement.

Article 30: Part-time, Temporary and Casual Employees

Re: Article 30.01(e) 18.03(c) July 2016 Article 30.01(e) 18.03(c) of the Alberta Health Services/United Nurses of Alberta Collective Agreement for the period of April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2017 states:

”Where a Part-time Employee is not scheduled to work on what would otherwise be a regular work day, directly as a result of a Named Holiday, those hours may, at the request of the Employee, be rescheduled in the Cycle of the Shift Schedule”.

This means that where an Employee requests that their Manager add an additional day to their schedule, this request shall be granted. This additional day must be scheduled within the cycle of the shift schedule. However, it is important to note that the Employee cannot choose when in the schedule this day will be placed. It is the Manager’s right based on operational needs to determine both when the additional day is scheduled within the shift schedule and whether the Employee will be assigned to work on another unit if needed on that additional day. Employees are encouraged to notify the Employer of a request to reschedule the shift with 14 days notice.

For example: If a Part-time Employee regularly works on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and their worksite/area is closed on the Monday due to a Named Holiday, the Employee may not be scheduled for that day. The Employee will not receive payment for that day, instead the Employee receives a sum equal to 4.8% of regular earnings on each pay cheque, in lieu of the Named Holiday. If the Part-time Employee requests that an additional shift be scheduled, then the Manager will do so within the cycle of the shift schedule and on a day and on a unit that makes sense operationally.