ARTICLES 12 to 16
ARTICLE 12, HOURS OF WORK
12.01 Work‑Week
The normal regular full‑time work‑week shall consist of five (5) working days Monday to Friday inclusive.
12.02 Work-Day
- The normal regular full-time work-day for inside staff shall consist of seven (7) hours per day between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., inclusive of a one (1) hour unpaid meal break.
- The normal regular full-time work-day for outside staff shall consist of eight (8) hours per day between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., inclusive of a one-half (½) hour unpaid meal break.
12.03 Variation in Normal Working Hours
Where a work-day or work-week is to be varied from that set out above, the District shall notify the Union in writing giving details of the proposed change. Any variation shall be by mutual agreement of the District and the Union, and shall be in writing.
12.04 Continuous Operations
Articles 12.01 and 12.02 notwithstanding and unless agreed otherwise between the District and the Union, the hours of work for regular full-time employees engaged in continuous operations shall not exceed seven (7) hours per day for inside staff, or eight (8) hours per day for outside staff. Overtime rates shall be paid for all hours worked in excess of the agreed daily straight-time hours. The total straight-time hours worked in any eight (8) week cycle shall not exceed two hundred eighty (280) hours for inside staff, or three hundred twenty (320) hours for outside staff without overtime rates being paid.
12.05 Irregular Work Schedules
The District and the Union recognize that regular part-time, regular seasonal and auxiliary employees may be required to work irregular work schedules to conform with the operational needs of specific departments or work units. Such work schedules may vary from the work-day and work-week set out in Articles 12.01 and 12.02 above.
- Unless agreed otherwise between the District and the Union, overtime rates shall apply for all work in excess of seven (7) hours in a day for inside staff and eight (8) hours in a day for outside staff.
- Employees are entitled, within each eight (8) week cycle, to the equivalent number of days of rest as those provided to a regular full-time employee. Overtime rates shall be paid for work on a scheduled day of rest. Where an employee is to be scheduled for more than five (5) consecutive days of work at straight-time rates, the District shall seek approval from the Union prior to requiring the employee to work such shift arrangement.
- Total straight-time hours worked in any eight (8) week cycle shall not exceed two hundred eighty (280) hours for inside staff or three hundred twenty (320) hours for outside staff without overtime rates being paid.
In those instances where a work-day or work-week is to be varied from that set out above, the District shall notify the Union in writing giving details of any proposed changes.
12.06 Staggered Hours
Staggered hours of work may be implemented, for specifically predetermined periods of time in various departments, sub-departments or work groups, following consultation and approval of the Chief Administrative Officer and the Union.
12.07 Notice of Shift Change
- In the event a regular employee’s normal shift schedule is changed, the Employer will endeavour to give twenty-four (24) hours’ notice of such change.
- When such notice is not given, the employee shall receive a premium of seventy-five cents (75) per hour in addition to his/her regular basic pay for work performed on the first shift of the schedule to which he/she was changed
- The above notwithstanding, this Article does not apply to emergency situations.
12.08 Reporting Pay
- Unless notified to the contrary prior to leaving home to report for scheduled work, an employee shall be paid for two (2) hours work at the regular rate.
- An employee reporting for and commencing work on a scheduled shift shall be paid not less than four (4) hours at the regular rate, unless discharged for cause or stopped by bad weather, in which instance the employee shall be paid for time worked, with a minimum of two (2) hours.
- On any day that an auxiliary employee commences work, the employee shall be paid a minimum of two (2) hours at the regular rate.
12.09 Meal Breaks
Provided operational requirements permit, regular part-time and auxiliary employees shall be eligible to receive an unpaid meal break after five (5) consecutive hours worked in any work-day. When operational requirements do not permit, such employees shall take lunch at their work station which shall be considered part of their normal paid work-day.
12.10 Rest Breaks
A regular employee shall be entitled to one fifteen (15) minute paid rest break within each half of the full shift.
12.11 Job Sharing
- The number of job sharing units (pairings) shall be limited to a maximum total of eight (8). Those departments where job sharing is to be permitted shall be identified by the Chief Administrative Officer or his/her delegate.
- Each job sharing unit (pairing) shall require the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer, or his/her delegate, before being implemented.
- There shall be no extra costs to the Employer as a result of implementing or maintaining any job sharing unit (pairing).
- The two employees involved in each job sharing unit (pairing) shall share the wages, benefits and conditions provided under the Collective Agreement, to a combined maximum which is the same as if one employee occupied that position. Where it is impossible to split a benefit or condition between the two employees, one or both of the employees shall be required to pay the additional costs incurred by the Employer in making that benefit or condition available to both.
- In order to institute a job sharing unit (pairing), voluntary acceptance by the incumbent currently occupying that position is required. The other member of the pairing shall be selected by the Employer with the primary consideration being compatibility. It is understood that job sharing units (pairings) shall not necessarily be posted and employees seeking to be involved should make their interest known in writing to the Human Resource Department.
- When one member of a job sharing unit (pairing) is absent (e.g. sick leave, vacation, etc.) the other member of that unit (pairing) shall make every reasonable effort to cover for such absence by working full-time, rather than employ a temporary replacement when full-time coverage is required by the Employer.
- When both incumbents or the Employer wishes to discontinue the combined assignment, the incumbent longest in the shared position shall be given preference over the junior incumbent in filling the full-time position. The junior incumbent shall be either laid off or “bump” a more junior employee in accordance with Article 11 of the Collective Agreement, on the same basis as any other regular part-time employee.
ARTICLE 13, OVERTIME
13.01 Overtime Rates
- Overtime rates shall apply for all work performed by an employee in excess of seven (7) hours in any work-day, or thirty-five (35) hours in any work-week for inside staff; or eight (8) hours in any work-day or forty (40) hours in any work-week for outside staff and continuous operations employees.
- The overtime rate shall be time and one-half (1½) for the first four (4) hours of overtime worked in any work-day, and double time (2x) thereafter.
- These overtime rates shall be calculated on the normal salary or wage of the employee having worked such overtime.
13.02 Saturday and Sunday Work
Except for personnel engaged in continuous operations, regular employees shall not ordinarily be required to work on a Saturday or Sunday except in special circumstances. When required to work, overtime rates shall be paid at the rate of double time (2x), except between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon on Saturday which shall be compensated at the rate of time and one-half (1½). If overtime is worked on a Saturday which is also a statutory holiday, then double time shall be paid for all hours worked.
13.03 Time-off in Lieu of Overtime
The District shall give reasonable consideration to requests from regular employees working overtime that compensation be in the form of time-off rather than in salary, subject to the maintenance of efficient services and operations and the District and the employee arriving at mutually satisfactory arrangements for such time-off.
13.04 Call-Out
Except for those employees on scheduled standby duty, regular employees or auxiliary employees (refer to Article 1.13, Call-out) required to return to work, as the result of a call-out, shall be compensated at double time (2x) rates, with a minimum of two (2) hours pay at double time (2x), for each call-out.
13.05 Standby
- Employees who are designated as being on standby shall receive an allowance equal to two (2) hours pay at their regular rate for each eight (8) hour shift of standby duty.
- Employees on standby duty who are required to respond to a call-out shall receive, time and one-half (1½) their regular rate for the first four (4) hours and double time (2x) thereafter, with a minimum of two (2) hours pay at the overtime rate.
- Employees who are required to respond to a call-out on a statutory holiday shall receive pay at double time (2x) for all hours actually worked, with a minimum of two (2) hours pay at the overtime rate.
- An employee who responds to a call-out may leave work and subject to operational needs return home when the employee has completed the work that was required for the call-out.
- Within a work unit of a department, the District shall endeavor to equitably distribute standby duties on a rotating basis amongst those who are qualified and willing to perform the required work.
- In the event the District determines there are not sufficient numbers of employees willing to assume standby duties, then the Employer shall retain the right to assign employees to perform standby duties.
ARTICLE 14, SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL
Regular employees, probationary employees or auxiliary employees working full-time shifts in excess of three (3) continuous months, who are employed on afternoon or graveyard shifts shall receive a shift differential in the amount of seventy-five cents (75) per hour while working the afternoon shift (4:00 p.m. to midnight) and eighty-five cents (85) per hour while working the graveyard shift (midnight to 8:00 a.m.). This shift differential shall apply only for straight time hours actually worked.
ARTICLE 15, WAGES/SALARIES AND ALLOWANCES
15.01 Schedule “A” and “B”
- The salaries and wages to be paid shall be as set forth in Schedules “A” and “B” appended hereto, which schedules are attached to and form part of this Agreement.
- The Employer shall not increase the rate of pay of any employee beyond that set out in this Collective Agreement without the mutual agreement of the Union and such mutual agreement shall not be unreasonably withheld.
15.02 Pay While Relieving in a Higher Rated Position
- When a regular employee is appointed by the Employer to perform the full duties of any higher paid position than his/her own:
- Outside staff, as defined in Article 1.10, shall receive the rate for the higher position for the time spent in such higher position, subject to section (ii) below:
- Inside staff, as defined in Article 1.09, shall receive the minimum salary for the higher position, or an amount equal to one (1) increment above the employee’s regular salary, whichever is the greater, for the total of the time spent in the higher position, subject to section (ii) below.
- In the event that an employee does not perform the full duties of the higher position, a pay adjustment in an amount determined by the Chief Administrative Officer prior to commencing such duties when it is practical to do so, shall be made to compensate for the additional responsibilities assumed which adjustment shall not be less than one (1) increment above the employee’s regular salary.
- It is the desire of the Parties that pay for relieving in a higher rated position should, when operational requirements permit, be limited to a maximum period of six (6) consecutive months.
15.03 Service Pay
All regular employees who have completed five (5) years continuous service with the District shall receive service pay at the rate of ten cents (10) per calendar-day; and an additional ten cents (10) per calendar-day on completion of each additional five (5) years of service.
15.04 Vehicle Allowance
When an employee utilizes their personal vehicle for business purposes, they shall be reimbursed for vehicle expenses at the rate of fifty cents (50¢) per kilometer driven.
15.05 First Aid Allowance
- An employee who is required by the District to hold a valid Level 2 Occupational First Aid Certificate shall be paid sixty-five dollars ($65.00) bi-weekly.
- The cost of certification and re-certification and paid time off work to write examinations to attain the certificate shall be borne by the Employer for those regular employees required to hold valid Occupational First Aid Certificates.
15.06 Pesticide Sprayer Allowance
An employee who possesses the Integrated Pest Management certification shall receive an allowance of seventy-five cents (75¢) per hour when required to apply pesticides, in addition to their regular rate of pay.
15.07 Professional Fees and Dues
Regular employees designated by the District to maintain membership in a professional organization/society as a condition of their employment, shall be reimbursed their annual membership fee upon presentation of proof of payment to the District.
15.08 Aquatic Re-certification
Regular employees who work in positions in aquatic programs, who are required to periodically re-certify their qualifications, shall be reimbursed such costs upon successful re-certification.
ARTICLE 16, SALARY INCREMENTS
16.01 Earned Increments
- It is expressly agreed, while Schedule “A” provides a minimum and maximum salary, annual increments of all regular employees are to be earned before they are paid. The decision as to whether a salary increment has been earned shall rest with the District, based upon a recommendation of the department head, division head or section supervisor responsible for the employee’s area of work.
- If an employee feels aggrieved with regard to the matter of annual increments, it shall be the responsibility of such employee to forward in writing to the Union the reason for such grievance. If the Union feels the employee concerned has a justifiable complaint and notifies the District, and where the complaint is not resolved through discussion, then the matter shall be processed through the grievance procedure, as set forth in Article 7.
- An auxiliary employee who is the successful applicant for a posted regular vacancy or converted to regular status shall have their previous time worked in the same position credited for the purpose of increments.
16.02 Normal Increments
Upon completion of the first twelve (12) months of service and subject to the provision of Article 16.01, the first salary increment applicable under Schedule “A” shall be granted. Thereafter, salary increments shall continue to be granted after serving a minimum of twelve (12) months at the previous step, in accordance with Article 16.01.
16.03 Effect of Lateral Transfers on Increments
Where an employee accepts a lateral transfer from one department to a position in the same classification in another department, he/she shall retain the increment date which was applicable immediately prior to his/her transfer.
16.04 Effect of Promotion on Increments
The first increment shall be granted after twelve (12) months and all future increments shall be granted in accordance with Article 16.02.
16.05 Re-employment Within Six Months
If an employee leaves the employ of the District, or is on an approved leave of absence for a period not exceeding six (6) months, or is laid off for a period not exceeding twelve (12) continuous months, and is re-employed in his/her last classification, his/her last increment date shall be retained.