Vacation

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Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA)

On March 21, 2020 the provincial government announced a temporary order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA). The order granted hospitals the ability to modify vacation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What this means for you

Under the order, we are permitted to cancel or defer vacations. As well as recall essential healthcare workers from vacation if warranted.

Vacation requests until March 4, 2022

As an essential service and in response to our need for healthcare workers, we are pausing on the approval on any NEW vacations from now until March 4, 2022.

Employee availability due to cancelled travel vacation

For employees that no longer require vacation time due to a change in personal travel plans, please speak with your Manager if you have new availability to work. This will help in our ability to support evolving operational requirements.

Cancelling approved vacation

Previously approved vacation requests will be honoured, whenever possible. However, as we look to our urgent staffing needs and operational requirements to ensure our commitment to quality service delivery within our community, we may be moving ahead with the cancellation of previously approved vacation and recalling employees back to work.

As a frame to support this level of staffing a temporary order had been issued under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) that facilitates the ability of hospitals to implement plans to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vacation pay-out option

On a one-time basis, there will be an automatic payout of 50% available 2021/2022 carry over, with the balance of the carry-over to be taken as vacation time subject to operational requirements. In addition, staff will be allowed, if they so elect, to up to 100% (the remaining 50%) of the 2021/2022 carry over as an additional payout,

lf you are interested in this option, please submit a vacation pay-out request form to Payroll. The deadline to submit a request is April 3, 2022. This is a firm deadline to allow for payment in the April 13, 2022 pay deposit.

Staff can access their amount of vacation carryover on their pay deposit.

Vacation carry-over

Available vacation hours not used during the 2021-2022 vacation year will carry-over.

Using your carry-over

By May 1, 2022, employees must provide their manager with a plan for how their carry over will be used. Employees should plan to utilize the balance of any remaining vacation carry over by December 31, 2022.