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GLP — Collective Agreement Documents
Related Collective Agreement Documents
Related Collective Agreement Documents
Renewal of Prior Vacation MOA 2024
Vacation for Benefited Auxiliary Employees Upon Retaining Regular Status
EMPR Recruitment and Retention Information – Mines Inspectors
EMPR Recruitment & Retention Information – Petroleum Geologists
MOA – Reduced Workweek Program
MOA – Veterinarian Classification Revised Oct 2022
Know Your Contract
Collective Agreements: FAQs
General Leave
Download a PDF copy | General Leave
Collective Agreement Language
(a) The Employer may grant an employee leave of absence with pay for purposes other than those specified in the Agreement to a maximum total of 35 hours per calendar year.
What is the purpose of General Leave?
General leave provides up to 35 hours of paid time off per calendar year for employees to take care of personal business. The reasons for taking general leave are quite broad and can include such things as attending a wedding, dealing with household issues, caring for a sick dependent, etc. The only limitation for taking general leave is that it can’t be for a purpose already specified in the collective agreement (e.g., annual vacation leave).
Can I use this leave for vacation purposes?
General leaves are not meant to be used for vacation. As outlined in the collective agreement, general leaves of absence are “for purposes other than those specified in the agreement.” Annual vacation leaves are specified in the agreement.
Do I need to let my supervisor know that I am taking time off under this leave provision?
Any leave from work needs to be requested in advance, if possible. If an emergency arises and the employee is not able to make their request in advance, the employee should notify their supervisor as soon as possible.
Can I take more than one general leave day in a row?
There is nothing that prohibits an employee from taking more than one general leave day in a row. A supervisor may seek additional information under these circumstances to determine if the leave is for purposes already specified in the collective agreement such as vacation.
Can I carry unused leave to the next calendar year?
General leave is not carried over to the next calendar year. It is advisable to use general leave when possible before other kinds of leave.
What if I am part-time employee or I started with the Public Service after January 1st?
General leave of up to 35 hours is pro-rated based on the percentage of hours an employee is at work during the calendar year. If you work half time hours, you would be entitled to 17.5 hours of general leave per calendar year.
Do I need to use general leave when I have a medical or dental appointment?
Employees are entitled to up to two hours of paid time for medical, dental or midwife appointments (including for dependent children) where it is not possible to schedule the appointment outside of work hours. If the leave from work exceeds two hours, the full leave time shall be charged to general leave, followed by OSS, or annual vacation.
What other leaves are available in the collective agreement?
There are many other kinds of leave in the collective agreement including the following:
24.01 Leaves for Union or Licensing Body Activity
24.02 Union Business or Arbitration Proceedings
24.03 Leave for Court Appearances
24.04 Leave For Writing Examinations
24.05 Canadian Armed Forces
24.06 Emergency Service and Provincial Emergency Program Leave
24.07 Elections
24.08 General Leave
24.09 Extended Leave
24.10 Field Crew Leave
24.11 Penal Restrictions
24.12 Special Licenses and License Renewal
24.13 Compassionate Care Leave
24.15 Leave Respecting Death of Child (NEW)
24.16 Leave Respecting Disappearance of Child (NEW)
24.17 Donor Leave (NEW)
26 Maternity, Parental and Adoption Leave
Extended Child Care Leave (NEW)
Bereavement Leave
36.03 Political Activity
Retirement Benefits
Download a PDF copy | Retirement Benefits
There have been many questions about Retirement Benefits and your rights in the PEA Master Agreement. This attempts to answer those questions.
Is it true that, in your last year before retirement, once you work even just a few days into a new calendar year, you can collect all your annual vacation leave?
Yes, you can collect the entire vacation entitlement in the year that you are retiring providing you qualify (55 years old) to retire. This benefit arises from the collective agreement clause 21.06.
When would my vacation pay be paid?
The collective agreement under 21.06 says that “the employer will make every effort to make this payment on the employee’s last working day, but in any case will not delay payment beyond the time limitation imposed by Employment Standards Act.” This Act states that “an employer must pay all wages owing to an employee within 6 days after the employee terminates the employment.”
Can I use those paid leave days up to the day you actually collect your pension from the pension fund?
Yes, if you take the vacation as time rather than just get paid out, the vacation days then actually earn pension service as both you and the employer contributes to the pension plan during the vacation.
What is archived vacation?
This is vacation that exceeded the maximum of 10 days of vacation that could carried over at any time. It can only be cashed out upon termination or at specific times agreed to in bargaining. It has the value it had in the year it was earned.
Can I take archived vacation as leave?
Archived vacation cannot be taken as leave time and will be paid out at the rate at which it was earned.
Does the rule that applies to vacation and retirement also apply to the OSS, that once I work even just a few days into a new year, I can collect all my OSS?
No, unfortunately, it doesn’t apply to OSS as there is no special clause that allows the full OSS entitlement to happen in the retirement year as it does with vacation. Article 15.02 states that OSS is a percentage of 7% of basic salary earned for each calendar year.
Do I earn OSS while I am on Pre-Retirement Leave?
Unfortunately, no. While it is earned during other vacation periods it is not earned when an employee is not returning to work. The employer’s rationale for refusing to allow it to be earned in that period is that it considers that OSS is earned by being at work as it is considered payment or time off in lieu of overtime.
What is Article 32.09 Retirement Allowance?
You are eligible for Article 32.09 if you have at least 20 years of service. You would get a retirement allowance of one month’s full salary for that 20 years. Then you get an additional one-fifth of a month for each year above 20 years to a maximum of 30 years.
Do I have to fill out a form to get the Retirement Allowance and go on Pre-Retirement Leave?
Yes, there is the Paid Absence Prior to Retirement form. Once it has been filled out and signed and the leave has started, no further adjustments will be made to the leave for reasons of illness or other circumstances, other than death.
What is Pre-Retirement Leave?
This means that the retiring member can opt to take the Retirement Allowance as paid leave or as cash. If it is opted to be taken as paid leave it must be taken immediately prior to retirement.
How can I find out what my Retirement Allowance entitlement will be?
| Employees | |
| Service | Entitlement |
| 20 years | 21.75 days |
| 21 years | 26.10 days |
| 22 years | 30.45 days |
| 23 years | 34.80 days |
| 24 years | 39.15 days |
| 25 years | 43.50 days |
| 26 years | 47.85 days |
| 27 years | 52.20 days |
| 28 years | 56.55 days |
| 29 years | 60.90 days |
| 30 or more years | 65.25 days |
Your retirement allowance entitlement can be confirmed by BC Government Financial Management Division. They do this service in any event for employees considering retirement?
To track, update or review your service requests and history, visit AskMyHR at www.gov.bc.ca/myhr/contact. Please note that AskMyHR has been set-up to replace MyHR@gov.bc.ca.
Should you wish to speak with someone from the Public Service Agency, call 1-877-277-0772, press option 2 and quote your reference number (150204-000871).
What if I worked for the Public Service and then left and returned again. Will the service I had before I left be counted for the purpose of the Retirement Allowance?
Yes, the allowance is calculated based on completed years of cumulative (not continuous) service. While breaks in service are not counted, periods of auxiliary and part-time service are included. Periods of part-time service are prorated.
What if I elect to take the Retirement Allowance in cash?
If you prefer to receive cash for your retirement allowance, you will receive payment in the month following your last day on payroll. The payment is subject to withholding tax deductions.
| Payment Amount | Witholding Tax |
| $5,000 or less | 10% |
| $5,001 – $15,000 | 20% |
| $15,001 or more | 30% |
How can I lessen the tax?
Avoid the withholding tax by directing all, or a portion, of the allowance to an RRSP or RPP. You can direct your allowance to:
a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) in accordance with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) rules (currently $2,000 per year of contributory service pre-1996); or
an RRSP in accordance with CRA statement of accumulated RRSP contribution room (a copy of the latest tax assessment notice is required to confirm the available room).
Complete a TD2R form and submit an online service request through AskMyHR >> Pay & Reimbursements >> Work-Related Reimbursements & Allowances. Attach the TD2R (Direct Transfer of an Eligible Retiring Allowance) form.
Can I do contract work while I am on Pre-Retirement Leave?
The employer’s view of Pre-Retirement leave is that once you have started this leave, the normal employment relationship is considered to be modified; you are no longer committed to the employer to return to work, and the employer is no longer committed to provide you with work. While working for others is not considered conflict of interest by itself, paid employment of any nature while on pre-retirement leave is subject to the Standards of Conduct. Refer to the sections on Conflict of Interest and Outside Remunerative and Volunteer Work.
What if I have a sick bank credit?
If you have a pre-1978 sick bank and are taking it as cash, the sick bank accumulation and retirement allowance payments are combined for purposes of applying the correct withholding tax rate. You should note that, depending on your overall tax situation, there could be additional tax payable with respect to these amounts when you complete your next income tax return.
What does 32.13 Relocation at Time of Retirement mean?
If an employee has been relocated to an isolated location by the employer or moved there due to winning a competition, they can have their moving costs of all their household goods and effects paid for by the employer when they retire. The employee must give 6 months’ notice prior to retirement that they wish to relocate elsewhere in the Province.
In order to be eligible the employee must be eligible for a pension (55 years old). They must have served a minimum of 3 years in the isolated location. The list of isolated locations is found in Information Appendix C of our Collective Agreement. Severely isolated locations are found in Information Appendix G. The employee has to move to the new location within 3 months of retirement (the month they cease to be actively employed in the Public Service).
When can I expect my pension to start and how much will I get?
The Public Service Pension people at pensions.bc are the right people to ask about all your pensions questions. The pension calculator allows you to feed in different retirement dates to see what monthly amounts you would qualify for.
Establishing a modified work week schedule
Download a PDF copy | Modified work week schedule
Work schedules are a matter to be worked out between local management and the professionals employed in a work unit — not unilaterally by the employer.
What this means is that PEA members have an established right to make representations on their work schedules, to have management take them seriously, and to expect that the outcome will be determined mutually and consensually.
Find out how the process works, and what your rights are, below.
Do government licensed professionals have an absolute right to work a modified work schedule?
No, but Article 13.01 (b) of the Ninth Master Agreement does establish that work schedules are subject to mutual agreement within each work unit. The employer retains the right to determine its hours of operation — the daily time span in which the employer conducts its business — and work schedules must fall within that span, but determination of actual work schedules, the specific hours in which individual employees are scheduled to work, is by mutual agreement within each work unit.
Work schedules are a matter to be worked out between local management and the professionals employed in a work unit — not unilaterally by the employer. What this means is that PEA members have an established right to make representations on their work schedules, to have management take them seriously, and to expect that the outcome will be determined mutually and consensually. Refusal by management to make an effort to effect a mutual determination of scheduling issues constitutes a breach of Article 13.02.
What Rules Govern Work Schedule Decisions?
Article 34.01 (h) (v) lists seven criteria the joint committee must satisfy in any work schedule decision it makes:
schedules must meet the annual hours of work requirement established under Article 13.01 (a), i.e., 1,827 hours;
the committee must consider “unusual or seasonal demands and functionally linked work groups” both in and out of the PEA’s licensed professional bargaining unit;
schedules must result in no additional cost to the employer, and preferably, produce actual cost savings or improved efficiency and service;
schedules must not be retroactive;
the committee’s mandate is limited to interpreting Articles 34.01 (h) (iv) and (v) — the articles describing its task and terms of reference, and not least, * the committee must consider “employee preferences, fairness, and equity”.
Joint Committee Hearings: What Happens?
Once an appeal has been filed and the union is satisfied that it meets the criteria required under Article 34.01, the PEA arranges with the Public Service Employee Relations Commission (PSERC) to schedule a hearing before the joint committee. Hearings are similar to formal arbitration hearings: sworn evidence is given by witnesses representing the appellants and the employer; witnesses are examined and cross-examined by committee representatives.
After all the evidence is submitted the committee goes into session, arguments are made by the partisan committee members, and the committee tries — often unsuccessfully — to reach a consensus decision. Frequently it is left to the neutral chairperson to cast the deciding vote. Outcomes run the gamut from outright rejection to complete acceptance of an appeal, but there are in-between results too: the committee has occasionally mediated compromise schedules. Committee decisions are final and binding on all the parties.
Article 13.02 is not a cure-all but it does provide some leverage to PEA members who have a good case for a modified work week, but are being unreasonably stonewalled by local management.
Disputes Go To Joint Union-Employer Committee
What happens when local management and the PEA members in a work unit are unable to reach an agreement on a work scheduling issue? When that occurs Article 13.02 (c) stipulates that the disagreement can be referred to a joint union-employer committee for a final and binding determination of the issue. The joint committee is established under Article 34.01 (h) and comprises one representative each from the employer and the union, and an independent chairperson who has authority to break a deadlock and make a decision.
Work scheduling issues can be instigated either by employees or management; they can address changes to an existing schedule or attempts to establish a new schedule. In any of these circumstances disputes can be referred to the joint committee and the parties assured of getting a final, conclusive determination.
Pending the joint committee’s determination of a work schedule dispute, Article 13.02 (c) enables the employer to implement a revised work schedule.
What Factors Improve the Chances of a Successful Appeal?
Most work schedule disputes occur because local management refuses to entertain a request by a professional work unit to establish a new work schedule, typically a modified work week (MWW). Employer’s objections usually boil down to these:
Licensed professionals’ functions are too specialized; when an employee is ‘flexing’ under a MWW, others cannot provide adequate backup;
MWWs are counterproductive: ‘flexdays’ frustrate and alienate managers, clients and customers by decreasing employee availability. For these reasons MWWs reduce efficiency and service. The advantages of longer work days do not offset the disadvantages of fewer days.
Work schedule arguments succeed to the extent employees are able to persuade the employer — or the joint committee, as the case may be — that such management worries can be remedied. Members have succeeded where they could establish that adequate backup is available, that a MWW schedule can provide adequate coverage, that real efficiencies can be created, and that reasonable client or customer concerns can be accommodated.
To succeed, work schedule appeals must satisfy the employer — or the joint committee — that the schedule meets the seven criteria described above. Without answering bona fide management objections substantially and credibly, appeals will have no better prospects in a joint committee hearing than they do in the boss’s office. It is not enough to simply reject employer concerns. To persuade the joint committee — and particularly the chairperson — employees must be able to show that legitimate management issues can be addressed and accommodated consistent with the seven criteria.
Where members fail in an attempt to resolve a work schedule dispute by discussions with local management, the members can ask the PEA to take the dispute before the joint work schedule committee.
Ideally, appeals should reflect the unanimous views of all PEA members employed in the work unit seeking a ruling. The Article 13 language establishing the right to mutual determination of work schedules and to refer disputes to the joint committee invests these rights in the work unit — the work unit’s PEA contingent as a group — rather than in individual employees. It is desirable not only that all PEA members are a party to the appeal but also that they agree that one schedule pattern should apply to the entire work unit. If members themselves are divided on the issue of what schedule should be established, or whether an appeal should be pursued at all, it is easy to speculate why the employer might have reservations too. Management typically — and not surprisingly — prefers to have a single schedule pattern, rather than a mix of two or more, because it is administratively easier.
The heart of any appeal is the ability to prove that the proposed schedule is consistent with the rules established in Article 34.01 (h) (v), the ability to demonstrate that the target schedule will not just suit employees, but also benefit the employer by enhancing the services produced in the work unit. Appeals do not succeed without showing that a new schedule is likely to improve service and productivity as well as employee morale.
Professional Fees
Regular employees who have completed their probationary period will be entitled to reimbursement in full of their annual licensing fee, upon application and presentation of a receipt (effective April 1, 2022, not to exceed the fee schedule as set on January 1, 2021). Members can fill out the form (linked) under the “Qualified registered professional fees” section on MyHR and submit to their expense authority for reimbursement.
Here is the link: Licenses and certificates – Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)
Fee Schedule
Retroactivity
Members who made claims between April 01, 2022 to current may resubmit for the difference between the old and new rates.
OSS Explained
Download a PDF copy | OSS FAQ
OSS has been a long standing feature of the PEA Master Agreements since the concept was first negotiated in 1978. Although the OSS language in Article 15 is much the same as it was back then, it is sometimes found to be not clearly understood by employees and employers. This document seeks to provide clarity on the PEA’s interpretation of this benefit.
What is OSS?
OSS provides a special compensation of 7% of basic salary earned for each calendar year. It is an in lieu payment of direct compensation for all overtime, shift work, and standby work. OSS is not considered basic salary for the purpose of calculating any benefits or other premium entitlements (e.g., pension).
Who is eligible for OSS?
OSS is provided to regular full‑time employees who are members of the PEA.
Part-time employees are not eligible for OSS, instead, they get overtime as per Article 16. Auxiliary employees are also not eligible as it is stipulated that it is for regular employees.
How does this compensation work?
OSS can be taken as a payment of 7% of basic salary or it can be taken partially, or in whole, as time off. Employees designate (as per Article 15.03 [b]) which portion they wish to take in time-off and which portion they wish to be paid out.
For the portion that is elected to be paid out in cash, it is paid by February 28th of the following year.
Time off may be taken at any time mutually agreed to between the employer and the employee, provided that any time off earned in a particular calendar year but not taken by March 31st of the following calendar year shall be paid for in cash.
If an employee ceases to be covered by Article 15 for any reason, any time off earned but not taken shall be paid for in cash.
What do I have to do to earn OSS?
OSS is earned throughout the year and is based on basic salary earned.
Since OSS is a plan that operates in lieu of conventional overtime compensation, it is expected that employees who work more than their regular hours of work are not compensated with extra payment (e.g., time and a half).
Do I have to put in extra hours equivalent to 7% to qualify for OSS?
No. OSS is not based on the amount of extra hours actually worked. There is no requirement that an employee must work extra hours that add up to 7% or more. In reality, some PEA members work extra hours that add up to more than 7%, others work less.
What if I put in a lot of extra hours on emergency situations?
PEA members who put in extra hours on projects that are considered provincial emergencies may be eligible for payment based on Information Appendix H in the PEA collective agreement, Leave for Meritorious Service in Response to Emergencies.
How does OSS work with our Hours of Work schedules in Article 13 of our Collective agreement?
Article 13 provides the terms and conditions for the hours that an employee is expected to be at work. It says that the average weekly hours of work, exclusive of meal periods, shall be 35 hours
Within the hours of operation (determined by the employer) employees’ work schedules shall be determined by mutual agreement within each work unit. In other words, the employee and the manager must both agree to the work schedule. OSS is work that happens outside that schedule.
Am I expected to work after my normal work day and on weekends with no extra pay?
OSS is for unscheduled work that arises as a part of the work day or work week. For instance, when there is a pressing need to finish a project that is in progress, the 7 hour day or 35 hour week may not provide enough time to complete the work. In those circumstances work may be done after the normal work hours or even occasionally on a weekend.
An occasional, incidental requirement to work an evening or weekend day is just part of the deal that comes with OSS: members are assured of 7% of annual pay as overtime compensation; the employer is assured that employees will perform their professional work according to agreed timelines and, if necessary, will put in the extra hours that may be needed to get the job done.
Can the employer schedule me to work extra hours and say it is covered by OSS?
No, the collective agreement does not allow the employer to schedule extra work in advance over the normal schedules that have been agreed to under Article 13. If this were the case the employer could insist that PEA members work 24/7 but be paid only for 35 hours per week. This would be an abuse of the terms and conditions of the collective agreement.
The PEA Main Agreement does provide, at Clause 13.01, that work schedules are determined by mutual agreement between employees and management. The employer does not have the unilateral right to fix work schedules.
What if the employer schedules me to work after my normal work day hours or on the weekend?
If a PEA member is faced with a requirement by their manager to work extra hours outside the regular working times on a scheduled basis, the member should remind the employer that the collective agreement in Article 13 stipulates that they work 35 hours on average per week and that the hours of work schedules must be mutually agreed.
The member should seek an agreement with local management to modify the work schedule to include the requirement within the regular work schedule.
Article 13 of the Agreement provides that if the employees and local management are not able to agree on a schedule, the matter can be referred to a joint committee for resolution. The committee is chaired by a neutral third-party who has authority to settle unresolved issues and impose a work schedule when the parties are not able to agree among themselves.
Does the employer have the right to schedule extra hours?
The PEA collective agreement contains no language entitling the employer to schedule overtime work.
Where the employer is in a position to predict that given work will be regularly required on a workday evening or a Saturday or a Sunday, and where those times fall outside the employee’s regular work schedule, an agreement must be worked out that is mutually acceptable to both the employer and the employee.
The PEA collective agreement does not entitle the employer to add the required hours to the employee’s work schedule, thereby raising the average to more than 35 hours a week.
Clause 13.01 is not subject to any proviso that the employer may increase scheduled hours of work in consideration of the 7% OSS compensation.
Under Article 13.01(b) it may be appropriate to suggest that the schedule be adjusted in order to incorporate the weeknight/Saturday/Sunday work so that the average scheduled hours do not exceed 35.
What can I do if the employer insists on unilaterally imposing a schedule of extra hours?
If a PEA member is faced with a manager who is insistent on unilaterally scheduling extra hours, the member should respectfully tell their manager that they believe that this may be in non-compliance with the collective agreement and request the manager to postpone their directive until they have had a chance to talk with their union representative.
The member should then call their Local Rep or their Labour Relations Officer at the PEA. If the employer’s requirement is not in compliance with the collective agreement, the Local Rep or LRO can have discussions with the manager or the PSA to assist the manager in compliance with the collective agreement.
If the manager fails to align their decision with the collective agreement, the PEA can file a grievance that the collective agreement has been violated.
Do I have the right to choose to take OSS as time off or pay?
Yes. Article 15.03 (b) states that the employee has the right to make the decision to take OSS in cash or time off. This decision is made at point in time during the year that is determined by the employer.
If the employee fails to make the decision during that time limit then the employer has the right to decide if it is to be in cash or time off. An option, once made by the employee, may not be changed until the next calendar year.
What happens if I elect a full or partial cash option?
The cash payment is made once annually by February 28th of the year following that in which the OSS was earned.
Any time off not taken or not paid will be finally paid out by May 31st of the following year the OSS was earned.
When can OSS time off be taken?
Time off may be taken at any time mutually agreed to between the employer and the employee. If an employee leaves the PEA, any time off earned but not taken shall be paid for in cash.
Is OSS part of my basic salary?
OSS is not considered part of the employee’s basic salary for the purpose of calculating any benefits or other premium entitlements. It is not considered part of salary when calculating Short Term Illness or Injury Plan (STIIP), Long Term Disability (LTD), Recruitment and Retention Adjustments (RRAs) or Pension.
Can I use OSS to top up STIIP when I am off work for medical reasons?
Yes, and we recommend that you do. There are advantages to topping up STIIP payments from 75% of basic salary to 100%.
OSS is earned while on STIIP but only if you top up STIIP from existing OSS or vacation entitlements. If a person has topped up their STIIP the whole amount of the STIIP plus top up counts for purposes of calculating OSS. However, if a person doesn’t top up STIIP with OSS, the STIIP amount doesn’t count for any of the OSS calculation. The reasoning for this is that OSS is based on basic salary, so if a person is not getting basic salary then they are not eligible for OSS accrual. For this reason, it is important to top up STIIP payments to 100% whenever possible. For topped-up STIIP to be included in base pay an employee must have worked at least 10 days in a given month.
The 75% benefit may be supplemented, at the employee’s option, at the rate of 25% of actual duration of absence due to illness or injury by the use of the following in descending order:
(i) Accumulated sick leave credit under the old sick leave plan;
(ii) Compensatory time off (CTO) where Article 15 is not applicable to that employee.
(iii) Banked earned time off (ETO), excepting where scheduled in a shift schedule;
(iv) Unused pre-retirement leave pursuant to Article 14 or unused time off where an employee has elected time off pursuant to Article 15 and such time off has not been paid out;
(v) Earned vacation entitlement;
Unearned vacation entitlement to a maximum
Does time spent on vacation or STIIP earn OSS?
Good news, OSS is earned while an employee is on vacation.
How does the Cash/Time Off Conversion in Article 15.03 (e) work?
To find out how to do a cash conversion of one week (35 hours) take 2% of an employee’s salary for that year. Similarly, to figure out time off, calculate 2% of basic salary for the year and that will give 35 hours. If an employee has used 6% of their total allotment of OSS of 7%, they would have 1% remaining and that would be half of 35 hours or 17.5 hours. So basically 7% is 3.5 weeks of time off or pay.
Let’s use an easy example:
Employee makes $100,000/year
35 hour work week
2% = $2000
1% = 17.5 hours
7% = 122.5 hours or 3.5 weeks
7% = $7000
Medical and Dental Allowance
Under Article 32.18, for PEA employees, if travel is required to receive medical or dental treatment for you or your family, employees are entitled to accommodation and travel expenses reimbursement. 2024 rates are posted here and more information can be found here.
Appendix H | Leave for Meritorious Service
With flooding and fires, PEA members are called upon to put in extraordinary hours that exceed their normal course of duties. In some cases, this work is performed without knowing what, if any, compensation will follow.
The public is largely unaware that our members work in these conditions without a guarantee of any compensation. Your union’s leadership sees you and we are very honoured and grateful to represent so many committed public servants. Thank you for all that you do to keep our province safe and thriving.
Compensation in the form of leave for meritorious service for regular full-time professional employees working in response to emergencies is outlined in Appendix H of the collective agreement
The following guideline establishes a government-wide approach to granting regular full-time professional employees leave for meritorious service in response to emergencies:
1. If the deputy minister responsible for the Provincial Emergency Program, in consultation with the deputies of the ministries directly impacted by an emergency situation, gives written approval to activate the recognition process, regular full-time professional employees who perform duties outside their normal responsibilities will earn leave entitlement calculated on the following basis:
– One (1) hour for every hour worked above and beyond normal work hours during the regular work week; and
– One (1) hour for every hour worked on a day of rest.
2. Once the recognition process has been activated, the period of compensation will include the two weeks prior to the effective date of the activation. Compensation for that two-week period will be the same as set out in 1, above. (This was a recently agreed to change from the last round of bargaining. )
3. Time off shall be taken by mutual agreement subject to operational requirements. Any time remaining as of March 31 of the following calendar year shall be paid out.
4. Leave entitlement as calculated above shall not be grievable, but will be reviewed by the ministry involved upon employee request
Frequently Asked Questions
Reimbursement Process
In July 2024, the process for Meritorious Service reimbursement changed. See the FAQ here.
Can we change our compensation for meritorious service so that we get time and a half or double time like BCGEU members get?
The collective agreement between the PEA and the Province of BC expires March 31, 2025. The bargaining team, after consulting with the members, may table language that seeks improvement to meritorious service compensation beyond the scheme outlined above.
In past rounds of bargaining, the Employer has been unwilling to change Appendix H compensation without the PEA’s agreement to open up and change the special compensation (OSS) of 7% of the basic salary that regular full-time employees receive.
Who does Appendix H apply to?
Appendix H applies to all regular full-time employees who perform duties outside their normal responsibilities in response to an emergency that has received written approval from the deputy minister.
Appendix H applies to all regular full-time employees who perform duties outside their normal responsibilities in response to an emergency that has received written approval from the deputy minister.
If employees are not on TEAMS deployment and are performing duties outside their normal responsibilities, employees should discuss their particular circumstances with their supervisors/managers to determine whether Appendix H applies. If employees are told Appendix H doesn’t apply but believe it should, they should contact the PEA.
In some cases, blanket approval is given (e.g., wildfire) whereas in others (e.g., floods, COVID pandemic) months pass before decisions are made to apply Appendix H.
Does the special compensation of seven per cent of basic salary that regular full-time employees receive apply to Appendix H?
Yes. The special compensation of seven per cent of basic salary that regular full time employees receive applies on Appendix H.
What method and rate of compensation do auxiliary PEA employees receive while working overtime on a wildfire TEAMS deployment?
The application of overtime in Article 16 applies to part-time and auxiliary employees. This functions in a more traditional time-and-a-half model.
For an office status PEA member, when on a wildfire TEAMS deployment, is there meal compensation for days in the field and/or on travel status? If so, how are these meals to be claimed?
Meal allowances as provided for in the collective agreement continue to apply when on travel status. When employees are in the field meals are generally provided therefore there would be no need to claim for anything.
We continue to advocate on behalf of our members on this subject and encourage you to reach out to your Local Rep, GLP Executive or Labour Relations Officer should you need support or have questions about Appendix H.
Safety, Health and Well-Being
BC Public Service employees may explore and access resources for health and well-being. Find out more information about Employee and Family Assistance Services (EFAS) and Health and Well-Being workshops.
Part Time Articles
Article 16
Overtime Provisions for Regular Part-Time Employees and Auxiliary Employees
16.01 Application
This Article applies to all regular part-time employees and all auxiliary employees.
16.02 Definition
OVERTIME means work performed or time spent on Employer’s business by a full-time employee in excess or outside of the employee’s regularly scheduled hours of work.
16.03 Authorization
(a) An employee who is required to work overtime shall be entitled to overtime compensation when:
(i) the overtime worked is authorized in advance by the Employer; and
(ii) the employee does not control the duration of the overtime worked.
(b) Notwithstanding (a) above, it is recognized that the nature of the work carried out by certain employees is such that it may not be reasonably possible for the employee to obtain prior authorization for necessary overtime work. In such cases, the employee shall use discretion in working the necessary overtime and the Employer shall be considered to have authorized the overtime in advance. The Employer reserves the right, subject to the grievance procedure in this Agreement, to determine the legitimacy of the overtime claimed. In order to enable fair administration of this provision, the Employer will draw up regulations defining the circumstances under which an employee may work overtime without prior authorization.
16.04 Computation
No compensation is payable for overtime work of less than five minutes’ duration per work day, for which computation, however, overtime worked immediately preceding the normal starting time of a work day may be added to the overtime worked immediately following the normal finishing time of the same work day. Overtime shall be compensated in 30 minute increments.
16.05 Recording
Employees shall record starting and finishing times for all overtime worked in a form designed by the Employer.
*16.06 Types of Overtime and Rates of Compensation
a) i) Overtime on a regularly scheduled work day shall be compensated at the rate of time and one-half for the first two hours and double time thereafter. This overtime compensation is to be on a daily basis and not cumulative.
(ii) A part-time employee, whose regular work day is shorter than the normal daily hours for a full-time employee and who is required to work in excess of regularly scheduled working hours, shall be compensated at straight-time rate for the hours so worked up to the normal daily hours for a full-time employee, and thereafter at overtime rates as prescribed in (i) above.
(iii) An employee working flextime shall not be entitled to the overtime compensation prescribed in (i) above until the employee has worked in excess of the agreed averaging period or the maximum daily hours for employees on flextime.
(iv) A full-time employee, or a part-time employee whose regular work day is of the same duration as for a full-time employee, who is required to work a minimum of two and one-half hours of overtime immediately before or after regularly scheduled daily hours of work, shall be provided with a meal or reimbursed in the amount of $15.91 effective April 1, 2022; effective April 1, 2023, $16.98; effective April 1, 2024, TBD. In either case, a meal break of one-half hour shall be given and considered as time worked. If the employee continues to work overtime beyond three hours, a further meal or allowance and meal break as above shall be provided upon completion of an additional four hours worked, and upon completion of every three hours worked thereafter. For a part-time employee whose regular work day is shorter than the normal daily hours for a full-time employee, this provision shall not apply until the employee has worked up to two and one-half hours in excess of the normal daily hours for a full-time employee. This meal allowance shall not apply to any employee who is on travel status or who is entitled to field allowance.
Note: The 2024 allowances will be increased by the percentage of the combined GWI and COLA for each respective year.
(b) An employee who has regularly scheduled days of rest and who is required to work on such a day of rest shall be compensated at the rate of double time for all hours worked.
(c) A regular part-time employee who works on a designated holiday to which the employee is entitled and which is a regularly scheduled work day shall be compensated at the rate of double time for all hours worked, plus a day off with regular pay in lieu of the holiday.
For Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, the compensation shall be at the rate of double time and one-half for all hours worked, plus a day off with regular pay in lieu of the holiday. Such day off in lieu shall not apply where designated holidays are already built into the work schedule of the employee.
(d) A regular part-time employee who works on a designated holiday to which the employee is entitled and which is not a regularly scheduled work day shall receive the regular rate of pay for the day, plus additional compensation at the rate of double time for all hours worked. For Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, the additional compensation shall be at the rate of double time and one-half for all hours worked.
(e) An auxiliary employee who works on a designated holiday to which the employee is entitled shall be compensated in accordance with (c) above. An auxiliary employee who works on a designated holiday to which the employee is not entitled shall be compensated at straight-time rate for hours worked up to the normal daily hours for a full-time employee, and thereafter at overtime rates as prescribed in (a)(i) above.
(f) An employee on travel status who is required to travel on Employer’s business shall be deemed to be at work and shall be compensated accordingly. However, “hours travelled” means hours spent travelling from point to point within British Columbia and does not include time spent other than actually travelling, such as meal breaks and sleep. The Employer may determine the means of such travel.
(g) An employee who is called back to work outside that employee’s regularly scheduled hours of work shall be compensated at the applicable overtime rate. The employee shall be so compensated from the time of leaving home to report for call-out duty until the time of arriving back, upon proceeding directly to and from work. The minimum compensation for a call-out shall be three hours’ compensation. This provision shall not apply to an employee who is not assigned a regular work schedule and who is normally required to work whenever called.
(h) When an employee is called out for overtime prior to a scheduled shift and it was not possible to give sufficient notice to permit preparation of the meal normally taken to work, the Employer shall provide the meal or pay the overtime meal allowance.
16.07 Method of Compensation
(a) Overtime compensation shall be monetary or in time off, at the employee’s option. If the employee chooses time off, such time off shall be scheduled by mutual agreement between the Employer and the employee. Employees shall, within 60 days from the end of the month in which the overtime was worked, schedule such earned time off.
b) i) Any overtime still owing at the end of the calendar year may be taken as compensatory time off at a mutually agreeable time prior to the end of the fiscal year. Should this become impossible, all outstanding overtime shall be compensated by monetary payment at the end of the fiscal year.
(ii) Notwithstanding (b)(i) above, an employee who has opted for compensatory time off (CTO) for overtime worked in one calendar year may, by mutual agreement, schedule the CTO to be taken by April 30, of the following calendar year, and the employee may not subsequently opt for monetary payout for the overtime.
Article 17
Shift Work Provisions for Regular Part-Time Employees and Auxiliary Employees
17.01 Application
This Article applies to all regular part-time employees and auxiliary employees.
17.02 Shift Premium for Full-Time Employees
(a) Where a shift is regularly scheduled to start between 4:30 a.m. and 10:59 a.m. inclusive, no shift premium is payable.
(b) Where a shift is regularly scheduled to start between 11:00 a.m. and 1:59 p.m. inclusive, a shift premium of $1.20 per hour, effective May 14, 2006 (effective April 1, 2007 – $1.25 per hour; effective March 30, 2008 – $1.30 per hour – effective March 29, 2009 – $1.35 per hour) shall be paid for all hours worked after 2:00 p.m. Effective April 1, 2016 it shall be $1.40 per hour.
(c) Where a shift is regularly scheduled to start between 2:00 p.m. and 8:59 p.m. inclusive, a shift premium of $1.20 per hour, effective May 14, 2006 (effective April 1, 2007 – $1.25 per hour; effective March 30, 2008 – $1.30 per hour – effective March 29, 2009 – $1.35 per hour) shall be paid for all hours worked. Effective April 1, 2016 it shall be $1.40 per hour.
(d) Where a shift is regularly scheduled to start between 9:00 p.m. and 4:29 a.m. inclusive, a shift premium of $1.30 per hour, effective May 14, 2006 (effective April 1, 2007 – $1.35 per hour; effective March 30, 2008 – $1.40 per hour – effective March 29, 2009 – $1.45 per hour) shall be paid for all hours worked. Effective April 1, 2016 it shall be $1.50 per hour.
17.03 Shift Premium for Part-Time Employees
(a) Where more than one-half of a shift is regularly scheduled between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. inclusive, a shift premium of $1.20 per hour, effective May 14, 2006 (effective April 1, 2007 – $1.25 per hour; effective March 30, 2008 – $1.30 per hour – effective March 29, 2009 – $1.35 per hour) shall be paid for all hours worked. Effective April 1, 2016 it shall be $1.40 per hour. 47
(b) Where a shift is regularly scheduled to start between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. inclusive, a shift premium of $1.30 per hour, effective May 14, 2006 (effective April 1, 2007 – $1.35 per hour; effective March 30, 2008 – $1.40 per hour – effective March 29, 2009 – $1.45 per hour) shall be paid for all hours worked. Effective April 1, 2016 it shall be $1.50 per hour.
17.04 Overtime and Shift Premium
(a) Where a shift premium is payable for a shift, the same premium shall apply to all overtime hours worked adjoining that shift.
(b) Where an employee is called out between 9:00 p.m. and 4:29 a.m. inclusive, a shift premium of $1.15 effective April 1, 2001 ($1.20 effective March 31, 2002; $1.25 effective March 30, 2003) per hour for all hours worked between 9:00 p.m. and 4:29 a.m. inclusive will apply. Effective April 1, 2016 it shall be $1.50 per hour.
17.05 Flextime and Shift Premium
No shift premium is payable to an employee working flextime who, by personal volition, chooses to start the shift at a time which would normally qualify for a shift premium.
Article 18
Standby Provisions for Regular Part-Time Employees and Auxiliary Employees
18.01 Application
This Article applies to all regular part-time employees and auxiliary employees who are assigned a regular work schedule and who are not normally required to work whenever called.
18.02 Compensation
Where an employee is required to stand by to be called to duty under conditions which would restrict normal off-duty activities, the employee shall be compensated in the proportion of one hour’s pay at straight-time rate for each three hours standing by. An employee designated for standby shall be immediately available for duty during the period of standby at a known telephone number. No standby payment shall be made if the employee is unable to be contacted or to report for duty when required.
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Awards and Decisions
Over time, the PEA has won significant awards that ensure members rights. Below you will find some of these significant wins.
Hayter Award
The PEA successfully grieved a decision by the Ministry of Forests and Range to designate Practices Foresters in BCTS as “field status” rather than “stationary status.” The full decision of Arbitrator Munroe is available here. Additionally, in April 2007, Arbitrator Munroe issued a supplementary award regarding the Hayter award. The full decision of the supplementary award is also available here.
