Guidelines and Updates

The purpose of this document is to provide general guidance for the application of the recently negotiated collective agreement and the intent of the new Article 8.9 Coaching.

Feedback and coaching creates culture of continuous learning and development that supports employees in meeting employment expectations.

Best practice is when meaningful performance discussions and relevant coaching occur on a frequent, timely and on-going basis so that employees understand what is expected of them and where concerns may exist. On-going feedback and coaching should occur throughout ones probationary and/or assessment period and beyond.

What is required for feedback and coaching to be effective?

Feedback and coaching provide for dialogue and effective relationships between managers and their employees when:

• Promote the value of feedback as support for learning and development and establish non-disciplinary tone
• Identify, establish and regularly discuss expectations, roles and responsibilities of employees and management
• Ensure two-way discussions focus on observed performance, are facts-based and specific and occur in timely manner
• Identify areas for improvement and determine steps that may be taken to assist in meeting expectations
• Allow for reasonable time period for improvement to occur
• Provide an appropriate level of support (e.g. training, equipment/technology) for the employees learning and development needs
• Document discussions and provide written summaries or coaching letters to employees as necessary to achieve mutual understanding
• Commit to employees and the institutions successes
• Recognize and appreciate contributions and accomplishments

Feedback an Coaching Tactics

The following suggestions offer strategies and approaches to support culture of constructive feedback and coaching:

• Encourage shared responsibility between employees and management
• Offer encouragement and advice
• Ask what employees feel they need, and determine what management can offer
• Explain the resources available to assist improved performance and success
• Consider both informal (e.g. verbal) and formal methods (e.g. coaching letter)
• Establish any existing boundaries and/or identify barriers (e.g. around available supports, appropriate forms of recognition, developmental opportunities)

Guidelines for Consideration Article 8.9 Coaching

1. When concerns or gaps in expected performance are identified, the employer encourages that efforts first be made through feedback and coaching, consistent with Article 8.9 of the collective agreement.
2. This Article encourages managers to have coaching conversations with employees regarding areas of concern.
3. The intent of the Article is supportive and developmental. It is intended to provide a framework for coaching, to assist the employee understand the concerns or gaps and to identify steps that may be taken to address the concerns.
4. Feedback and coaching opportunities should occur since the initial appointment into any position and should also be used during the probationary and assessment periods to determine and inform an employee of the suitability into the position a an early stage.
5. A verbal, coaching conversation may be followed up in writing and if so, the letter will form part of the employees personal file. The coaching letter will be removed from the employees file after one (1) year.

Feedback and Coaching Resources

For further information and guidance, please contact your Human Resources Strategic Business Advisor.

• Feedback and Coaching Guidelines

For the purposes of vacation accumulation only, service is defined as all employment with the university. During the first five (5) years of service, an employee will accumulate fifteen (15) days vacation for every year of service. At the end of five (5) years of service, an employee will commence earning vacation leave at the rate of twenty (20) days per year. At the end of fourteen (14) years of service, an employee will commence earning vacation at the rate of twenty-five (25) days per year. At the end of twenty-two (22) years of service, an employee will commence earning vacation at the rate of thirty (30) days per year.

As of January 1, 2018

Full-time employees will accumulate vacation semi-monthly and accrual amounts will vary based on the hours worked within the pay period

Semi-Monthly Vacation Accrual in Hours – CUPE 1975, 35 hours/week

Semi-Monthly Vacation Accrual in Hours – CUPE 1975, 38 hours/week

Part-time employees will accumulate vacation on a pro-rata basis:

• Where an employee commences employment on other than the first day of the month or terminates employment on other than the last day of the month, the employee’s vacation accrual shall be pro-rated based upon the hours worked in the month.

As of January 1, 2018

Full-time employees, other than casual, recurring relief and students, will accumulate sick leave up to a maximum of one hundred and twenty (120) days on the regular hours stated for that classification on an hours per semi-monthly pay period basis as follows:

Semi-Monthly Sick Accrual in Hours – CUPE 1975, 35 hours/week

Semi-Monthly Sick Accrual in Hours – CUPE 1975, 38 hours/week

Part-time employees will accumulate credits on a pro-rata basis.

Where an employee commences employment on other than the first day of the month, sick leave accrual shall be pro-rated based upon the hours worked in the month.

Reflecting the intent of the recently negotiated collective agreement, the purpose of this document is to provide general guidelines for the implementation and application of Article 18.4.1.

Article 18.4.1 states the following:

Upon approval of the Dean, Administrative Head or designate, an employee shall be granted up to two (2) days personal leave per year (to be deducted from the employee’s sick leave accrual). This leave is intended for situations that need to be attended to but may or may not normally be scheduled in advance. In emergent situations, the employee will inform their supervisor as soon as possible regarding the need to take such a leave. In non-emergent situations, the employee shall consult in advance with their supervisor to obtain approval.

Guidelines for consideration:

1. The intent of the Article is to provide employees with leave in urgent (unplanned) or non-emergent (planned) situations.
2. A pre-condition to an approved leave under this Article is that employees must have a sick leave balance to draw from.
3. This Article was created with the intention of allowing employees to attend to situations that are urgent, unforeseen, or are of a critical nature where it is a necessity for the employee to be present. Such situations may include a basement flood, furnace failure, house fire, etc.
4. In urgent situations, the employee must notify their supervisor or manager to advise of the absence prior to the employee’s absence.
5. The Article is also intended to allow for non-urgent and planned events such as parent-teacher interviews, graduations, children’s class trips, to cover the days the university is closed at Christmas, etc.
6. In non-urgent situations, the employee must seek and obtain approval in advance of the planned event.
7. A request may be denied for operational reasons.
8. The leave will be applied consistently across campus and reasons for the leave will not be evaluated.
9. In circumstances where the supervisor or manager has multiple leave requests and the operations of the unit cannot be maintained, they may evaluate the reason of the requests before approving the leave.
10. Any unused portion of the leave will not be carried over to the next year.
11. In order to facilitate the administration of this article, including transfers and changes of employment, you may want to consider tracking these days based on the fiscal year. An employee who transfers internally will not be disadvantaged; therefore, upon transfer into a new department, it is recommended that the employee and supervisor should discuss what personal days the employee has already taken and create a plan on how many days (if any) the employee is eligible to use in the new department’s tracking year.

Contact:

If you have further questions, please contact the Consultant or Analyst for your unit.

• Article 18.4.1 - Personal Leave Guidelines

The purpose of this document is to provide general guidelines to assist with the interpretation of Article 18.10.

Article 18.10.1 states the following:

Where an employee is injured at work the provisions of The Workers Compensation Board Act, 1979 will apply.

Guidelines:

1. Where an injury in the workplace occurs resulting in wage loss, employees will receive wage loss replacement directly from the Worker’s Compensation Board (WCB). The employee will not receive wages from the University of Saskatchewan for the wage loss.
2. Wage loss replacement is not deducted from the employee’s sick leave.
3. Where an employee is injured at work and is required to leave the workplace due to the injury, the department shall pay the employee for the remainder of the shift. This time is not deducted from the employees’ sick leave.
4. If the employee is required to attend medical appointments due to the injury during regularly scheduled working hours, the employee will not be deducted pay. This time is not deducted from the employees’ sick leave.
5. Benefit treatment (Health, Dental, Life, Pension, Disability) for employees on WCB are treated the same as if the employee is receiving Short term disability benefits.
   • Return to work programs - Pension benefits are made on a pro-rata basis for the portion of salary paid on the Earnings provided under the partial or rehabilitation basis (return to work programs).
6. If an employee returns to work (full or part-time) within thirty-one (31) calendar days, credits for sick and vacation leave will continue to accumulate in the normal fashion. i.e.) full accrual. If the return to work program exceeds thirty-one (31) calendar days, credits for sick and vacation leave will be pro-rated.

Contact

If you have further questions, please contact Wellness Resources at 306-966-4580.

• Article 18 - WCB Guidelines

Article 15.4.4 states:

Where, as a condition of employment, the employer requires an employee to take a specified course, acquire or maintain a certification, registration or membership, the Employer will pay the required costs.  When time off is necessary, the Employer shall allow such time off without loss of pay.  In respect to a required course, where classes are taken outside normal working hours, an equivalent number of hours off work will be granted.

1. EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENT

The job profile, job advertising information or offer of employment must include a reference to a condition of employment requiring an employee to hold and maintain a valid membership, certification or license as a condition of employment.

2. EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITY

It shall be the sole responsibility of the Employee to hold and maintain registrations, certifications and licenses required as a term and condition of employment, and to pay for them on a timely basis.

3. ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES

The Dean, Department Head or designate (not in scope of CUPE 1975) will confirm an employee’s eligibility through their authorization for reimbursement of the fees paid by the employee. Reimbursement for association, membership, certification and licensure fees will be paid as follows:

• Permanent/Seasonal employees whose appointments are half time or greater will receive full reimbursement
• Permanent/Seasonal employees whose appointments are less than half-time will receive reimbursement at the rate of 50% of the invoiced amount
• Term employees with appointments of one year or more and whose appointments are at half time or greater will receive full reimbursement
• Term employees with appointments of one year or more and whose appointments are less than half time will receive reimbursement at the rate of 50% of the invoiced amount

4. EFFECTIVE DATE

Article 15.4.4 came into effect on June 28, 2019, where the employee has paid the membership or certification fees prior to employment at the University of Saskatchewan. The University will not reimburse the employee for the fees until such time that they become due again in the future.

5. LEAVE OF ABSENCE, DISABILITY, MATERNITY LEAVE

If an Employee’s membership comes due during a leave of absence without pay (including long term disability, short term disability or maternity leave), reimbursement will be made to the employee upon the employee’s return to work, and according to the terms of these Guidelines.

6. CERTIFICATIONS COVERED

Eligible certification fees may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Pesticide Applicator’s License
• Dental Assistant Certification, Dental Technician Certification
• Trades Ticket
• Driver’s license different than a Class 5 with no fines or penalties
• Professional memberships for technicians, CALAS for Animal Technicians and Technicians, SAVT membership for Vet Teaching Hospital Technicians
• First Aid for First Aid Instructor
• A+ Certification
• Technical certifications to repair computer products
• Other registrations, certifications or licenses required as a term and condition of employment

7. FEE SCHEDULE

The employer agrees to reimburse employees for association, membership, certification and licensure fees that are paid by the employee, as per the rates current fee schedules. In no circumstances will the employer pay late fees, penalties or other fines.

8. FUNDING

The department will be responsible for the reimbursement of any eligible association, membership, certification or licensure fees required as a condition of employment, as stated in the job profile, job posting or offer of employment, upon approval of the Dean, Department Head or designate (not in scope of CUPE 1975) in accordance with the limits specified in these Guidelines. Colleges/departments/units should include provisions for these expenditures in their budget planning.

Employees may review the guidelines for the Employee Development Fund for information on the possibility of reimbursement for other association, certification, membership or licensure fees which are not a condition of employment under the personal/self-development portion of the Fund.

9. TERMINATIONS/RETIREES

There will be no requirement for employees to repay membership, certification, association or licensure fees that the University has reimbursed to them at the time of termination of employment or retirement.

10. TAXABLE BENEFIT

Reimbursement of fees under Article 15.4.4 is not a taxable benefit to the employee as long as only items that are required as a term and condition of employment are reimbursed.

11. APPLICATION PROCESS

Employees should submit a completed Certification Fee Reimbursement Form to their Dean, Department Head or designate (not in scope of CUPE 1975) for approval, along with the original receipt showing full payment, within 30 days of payment of the required fees. The signature of the Dean, Department Head or designate authorizes reimbursement of the fees within the limits specified in section 3, above. The completed Certification Fee Reimbursement Form and original receipt, along with a Cheque Requisition Form should then be forwarded to ConnectionPoint, per the normal procedures for processing cheque requisitions.

• Artice 23.12 Certification of Fees

Reflecting the intent of the recently negotiated collective agreement, the purpose of this document is to provide general guidelines for the implementation and application of Article 23.9.

Article 24.8 states the following:

Standby duty shall mean a period where an employee is not on regular duty, but during which the employee is assigned to be on call and shall be immediately available to return to work outside of the employee’s regularly scheduled hours.

Employees who are designated by the Employer to standby will receive one (1) hour’s pay at their regular rate of pay for each eight (8) hour period or portion thereof. Where an employee on standby is called back to work the employee shall be compensated pursuant to this Article in addition to Article 23 for the actual hours worked.

Guidelines for consideration:

1. Where units deem it necessary to implement a standby policy in accordance with the new Article, the unit will determine an appropriate process to suit the needs of their business operations.
2. Using principle-based decision making, specific positions and employees will be designated to be available for scheduled standby shifts.
3. In all cases, scheduling of standby shifts will be done so reasonably and fairly.
4. In cases where the standby shift is less than an eight (8) hour period, the pay shall be prorated.
5. Principles to consider when determining a designated position include: risk management, asset protection and mitigation of events that may create hardship to people or animals, loss of process of function, damage to property, and historical frequency and severity of call-outs to the position.
6. Principles considered when designating an employee to be on standby include: probable response time, capability to respond to emergency calls, and minimizing the amount of time an individual performs the standby duties.
7. Employees who are designated for standby shifts have a responsibility to accept and manage after-hours calls for a specified period of time.
8. Being on standby, or performing work while being on standby, will be treated as additional work beyond a normal workweek for which CUPE employees are scheduled. Where an employee is called back to work he or she shall be compensated pursuant to this Article in addition to Article 23 for the actual hours worked.
9. It is the designated employee’s responsibility to assess the situation to determine: the appropriate steps to take, the severity of the situation, and whether or not additional employees are required to assist. Their primary responsibility is to ensure the university’s assets are protected.
10. Employees who are scheduled for standby shifts will have the same expectations as they would for a regularly scheduled shift.

Contact

If you have further questions, please contact the Human Resources Strategic Business Advisor (HR SBA) for your unit.

• Article 23.9 - Standby Guidelines