HSP Professional Development Programs

2023-2024 HSP Pro-D Fund 

The 2023-2024 HSP Professions Development Fund is now open for applications. 


Working in partnership with the government of British Columbia, Health Science Professional Bargaining Association has secured $3 million in new funding to support professional development for members covered by the collective agreement. The funding, first announced June 2022 and provided by the BC Ministry of Health, will allow members to pursue further specialization of skills in key professions.

The HSP Professional Development Fund is administered by the PEA on a first-come, first-served basis. All provisions of the HSP Collective Agreement continue to apply, including the leave provisions.

How to apply:

We anticipate that, due to the volume of applications received, it may take several weeks to process your application. We thank you in advance for your patience.

Eligibility 

1. The applicant must be a PEA member covered by the HSP Collective Agreement.

2. The application must pertain to education/training commenced between September 1, 2023, and August 31, 2024.

3. The application must serve the purpose of at least one of the following three categories:

  • on-going required professional development
  • training and upgrading skills for members working in a profession experiencing shortage
  • training and upgrading skills for members working in a profession in rural or remote location

4. The education/training must pertain to professional development in a health science professional discipline being practiced in the public health care system.

5. Eligible expenses for reimbursement include tuition fees, registration fees, cost of required books/materials, and other reasonable education-related expenses and may also include the reasonable costs of travel and accommodation if the applicant must travel or temporarily relocate to attend education/training or related clinical placement. There is a maximum $2500 cap (from the total $10,000 possible amount) per member for reimbursement of eligible travel expenses. Only travel within Canada or the United States is eligible.

For transportation, there is a cap of $750 total for combined expenses such as airfare, mileage, ground transportation, parking, bus fare, ferry costs etc. Mileage is calculated at $.61/km. For travel in town, the fund will reimburse for km that are calculated at the difference between the member's normal commute from home to work, and the commute from home to training.

Eligibility for hotel or other accommodation is based on there being a minimum distance of 25 kilometres between the applicant's residence and the location of the in-person education/training provider. Eligible accommodation expenses will be reimbursed up to the maximum cap of $1750 with the following limitations:

- Eligible hotel accommodation reimbursement is capped at a maximum of $250.00 CAD per night for the duration of the event, to a maximum of seven nights (7 x $250 = $1750);

- If it is necessary to arrive at the education/training location on the day preceding its start time, so as to be able to attend at the start time, eligibility for hotel accommodation reimbursement will include the date immediately preceding the event;

- If it is necessary to stay at the hotel for the night following the completion of the event because there is no transportation option that permits the applicant to arrive home before 10:30 pm on that date, eligibility for hotel accommodation reimbursement will include that night's accommodation.

- If a member must relocate for a longer duration training period (eg clinical placement, course/training longer duration not offered locally) they may submit accommodation expenses for consideration. Such expenses if deemed eligible will be reimbursed up to the maximum accommodation cap of $1750.

See Funding Guidelines below for the funding cap per member.

6. Applications must be received by August 31, 2024, for this funding period and will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Funding Guidelines

1. When an application is deemed to satisfy the eligibility criteria, it will be approved subject to sufficient funding remaining available.

 2. Applicants must not apply for funding that they have received, or anticipate receiving, from any other source for any cost related to this application for funding. If additional funding from other sources is approved AFTER, applicants must disclose it when submitting receipts and cannot claim it again.

 3. The PEA will inform applicants by email of the approved amount, if any.

4. Approved applicants must provide detailed receipts for all claimed expenses.  Receipts must be submitted in a timely manner and, in any event, by the deadline specified in the email.  Reimbursement will only be made following an applicant’s submission of satisfactory receipts up to the approved amount. US dollar amounts must be accompanied by documentation that shows the actual converted amount paid in Canadian dollars (for example a credit card statement)

 5. Following receipt of the applicant’s proof of payment of approved, eligible expenses, the fund will reimburse the applicant for those actual costs. A member is permitted to make multiple applications to this fund, subject to the $10,000.00 cap per member. PEA has sole discretion lowering the maximum available per member, at any time, to ensure as many members as possible have the opportunity to receive funding.

6. Total funding available is limited. At PEA’s discretion, applicants may be approved for less than the funding amount applied for.

 

HSP ProD Fund FAQ


 

2023-2024 HSP Professional Development Fund Application Form


Health Science Professionals Chapter Bursary Program

The Bursary Program is now closed for 2023. 


The Health Science Professionals (HSP) chapter may, as funding permits, offer annual Chapter bursaries of up to $500 each. These bursaries shall be available to PEA HSP immediate family members (spouse or children) subject to the following terms:

A. Eligibility

  1. Only the immediate family of PEA HSP members in good standing shall be eligible to apply for HSP Chapter bursaries.
  2. Applicants must be registered for, or in the process of being registered in, an upcoming part-time of full-time post-secondary educational degree or diploma program or other professional development education. A partial bursary may be awarded to cover education courses and associated costs (such as books and course materials) costing less than $500.

B. Requirements

  1. Bursary applicants shall submit applications to the HSP chapter via the link above. Applications shall include a statement (maximum 250 words) outlining the applicant’s education and career goals and how bursary funds will assist in attaining these goals.
  2. Deadline for receipt of applications shall be September 8, 2023. No late applications will be considered.

C. Conditions

  1. Bursaries shall be awarded at the discretion of the HSP Chapter Executive
  2. Bursaries may not be awarded should an insufficient number of suitable applications be received. Unawarded bursaries shall revert to Chapter funds.
  3. HSP Executive will review each bursary application to ensure that it meets eligibility criteria in sections A and B above.
  4. Should the number of applications identified in section C3 above exceed the number of bursaries available, bursaries shall be awarded first to those who have not previously received an HSP Chapter bursary. Selection will occur via random draw.
  5. Payment of bursary award shall be subject to proof of course completion. Successful applicants must provide proof of successful course completion within 12 months of notification of award or will be asked to repay the funds to HSP.

Health Science Professionals Pro Fees

Thank you for your patience regarding the reimbursement of professional fees. We are pleased to announce that regular HSP members are now able to apply for funding to cover their health science professional fees for 2023 – negotiated in the recent round of HSPBA bargaining.

Recognizing that many health science professionals pay out of pocket for mandatory regulatory body fees, and/or voluntary fees to professional associations that help them enhance their ability to maintain current and best practices, for the current year – 2023 – you may submit a receipt for reimbursement to cover the fees related to one professional body of your choice.

Application for reimbursement will be open to all regular members until October 31, 2023. Funding is limited and the PEA cannot guarantee sufficient funds will be available to reimburse regular members after the October 31 deadline. Regular members should submit their applications as early as possible to hspfees@pea.org 

We will communicate with casual members regarding the details of their application process in November.

You are encouraged to apply for reimbursement for the highest dollar value fee you paid or will pay in 2023 and you will be reimbursed up to a maximum cap, informed by the fee rates set by regulatory bodies and professional associations. Please note that the maximum cap is based on required regulatory professional fees. Voluntary fees in excess of this amount will not be fully reimbursed.

How To Apply
To apply for reimbursement of your 2023 health science professional fees, please submit the following three documents to hspfees@pea.org:

We anticipate that, due to the volume of applications received, it may take several weeks to process your application. We thank you in advance for your patience

In this section

The PEA was formed in 1974, by a group of professionals working in the public sector. The story goes that the founders of the union mortgaged their houses to fund negotiations of the union’s first collective agreement. 

Now, the PEA is BC’s union for professionals. We represent a wide range of professionals including lawyers, foresters, engineers, agrologists, teachers, veterinarians, fundraisers, physiotherapists, pharmacists, psychologists program managers, librarians and more.

Our union is led by the PEA Executive. They represent members from across the chapters of the PEA and set the overall vision and direction for our union.

Resources for our members

Navigating a union can sometime be a challenging process. Under this section of the website you will find resources to help you navigate the PEA. In the members section you'll find expense claim reimbursements, information on the PEA's scholarship and bursary program and our grants and donations program.

Collective bargaining and job action resources explain the process of collective bargaining and what to do in the unlikely event of job action. 

Local reps can also find resources to help them complete their job more effectively. This includes ways to welcome new members, how to take notes in investigation disciplinary meetings and more.

The heart of our union

The PEA is made up of nine chapters, or groups of members who either work for the same employer or are in the same field of work. Each chapter has an elected executive tasked with running the affairs of the chapter. Each chapter is entitled to representation at the PEA Executive, the governing body of the union. 

Our members work for a range of employers: the Province of BC, the University of Victoria, St. Margaret's School, the Family Maintenance Enforcement Program, the Oil and Gas Commission, the Law Society of BC, Legal Services Society, the Okangan Regional Library and health authorities across BC.

Professionals need unions now more then ever

Since the 1970’s, when the PEA was formed, our mission has been to ensure our members can work in safe, productive environments and receive fair and reasonable wages and benefits for the valuable work they do. We help individuals and groups of professional workers to understand the challenges they face in their workplaces and some of the solutions available to them. 

We work with potential members to become certified as a union and achieve the wages, benefits and respect they deserve. 

The Professional | Volume 48 Issue 1

The Professional is the PEA's award-winning, quarterly magazine for members.

The Spring 2022 issue takes a deep dive into the work of GLP members and their work during provincial emergencies.

Read the latest issue

 

 

The PEA was formed in 1974 to represent licensed professionals in the BC Public Service. Since then the organization has grown to include a wide range of professionals from across BC. Find our more about our governance, staff and strategic direction.

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