HSPBA reaches agreement on retroactive pay for members covered by terms of HSPBA union contract who have ceased employment since April 1, 2022 – IMPORTANT DEADLINES TO BE ELIGIBLE

Union members covered by the HSPBA collective agreement are urged to reach out to former colleagues with important information about retroactive pay they are entitled to apply for

The Health Sciences Professional Bargaining Association (HSBPA) and the Health Employers Association of British Columbia (HEABC) reached a Memorandum of Agreement this month on retroactive pay for eligible members who ceased employment on or after April 1, 2022 – the date a majority of the monetary terms and conditions of the 2022-2025 HSPBA collective agreement came into effect.

This retroactive pay agreement, which was concluded on July 21, 2023, ensures union members covered by the HSPBA collective agreement whose employment ended after April 1, 2022 will receive payment for all monetary provisions related to work they performed on or after April 1, 2022. This applies to any member who stopped working at an HEABC employer through resignation, retirement, or termination by the employer. It applies only to employees who have severed their employment relationship. For clarity, members who retired but remain casual employees have a continuing employment relationship so are not required to apply for retroactive pay under the terms of this Memorandum of Agreement.

Retroactive pay includes all monetary provisions such as wages, premiums, allowances, and leaves and is calculated on all paid hours. Please check the HSPBA 2022-2025 comprehensive report for details on specific increases here. 

Eligible members will receive a letter from their employer at their last known address on record, with details on how to apply for the retroactive pay.  Under the terms of the agreement, these letters will be sent by the employers no later than August 15, 2023. Eligible members will have 60 days from the date of the letter to respond to the employer.

If a former employee does not provide a response within 60 days, the employer will not be required to pay.

The method and timing of the payment will be determined by the employer but will be no later than December 1, 2023, and may be by manual cheque or direct deposit.

Important deadlines

Letter from employers to former employees: August 15, 2023
Last day to apply for retroactive pay: October 14, 2023
Retroactive payment to former employees: no later than December 1, 2023

If you know someone who may be eligible for this retroactive payment, that is, any colleague who stopped working after April 1, 2022, please forward this important information to them so they can apply for money owed to them.

Former employees who are eligible for retroactive payment should contact me if they do not receive a letter from their former employer outlining how to apply for the retroactive pay they are entitled to.

Rhiannon Bray
Labour Relations Officer