HSPBA: The Profile-Based Classification System

The new profile-based classification will be implemented on December 6, 2024. When that happens early next year, job classifications will move from the previous system (e.g. Grade I, Sole Charge) to the new profile-based system (e.g. P1, P2A, S2). New salary structures will also be effective on the implementation date.

If your job is matched to the P1 Working Professional profile, like the majority of HSA members, you won’t see much of a change as you’ve been paid at the new P1 rate since April 1, 2024.
 
If your job is matched to a different profile (P2A, P2B, or S1 – S4), the salary structure of your job will likely change. The new rates are retroactive to April 1, 2024. If your job’s new rate is higher than your current rate, you will see that increase reflected on your December 6, 2024 pay statement. The employer has agreed to provide retro pay by February 28, 2025.
 
Some jobs in the P2A, P2B and S1 – S4 profiles will have a new wage rate that is lower than members’ current wage rates. These members will be “green circled” which means that they will continue being paid at their current rate, and receive all future general wage increases, for as long as they remain in the same position, i.e. they do not move to the new lower pay rate of their job. Affected members will receive written notification of green circling from the employer prior to implementation.

As part of preparation for implementation, job classifications have been reviewed both by staff in HSA’s classifications department and, as part of 2023’s classification review, by all members working in a regular position.
 
Once the new profile-based classification system is implemented this December, members who believe that their jobs have been matched to the wrong profile will be able, with assistance from their stewards, to file classification grievances to correct their profile match.

When the new profile-based classification system comes into effect, there are provisions that allow for your union to advocate to recognize new special procedures and techniques by adding them to the P2A Special Procedures profile. This is an exciting opportunity to recognize and compensate the specialized work of many members who have jobs that are currently matched with the P1 profile.

Special Procedures are defined as:

"A recognized level of expertise or competency in a specialized area of practice. This qualification is obtained through specialized education, training, and experience, which is over and above the full-scope working level and is required in order to carry out duties.”

If you think that your work meets the above definition and should be recognized as a new special procedure or technique, please send us an email at redesign [at] hsabc.org letting us know your area of practice and your specialized education, training, and experience. Your union has heard from many members about their specialized areas of practice, but we are always ready to hear from more.

Staff in the classifications department are working to review submissions and build a case that shows how each proposed special procedure or technique meets the definition above. Your union intends to give notice as soon as possible after the new profile-based classification system is implemented; this will start the process to determine the special procedures and techniques that will be added to the P2A profile.

We will notify affected members, by profession, as work is added to the P2A profile. Members who perform this work will be coded up or reclassified, as appropriate, based on whether the special procedure/technique is performed for the majority of their work time.

When a new special procedure or technique is added, retroactive pay will be effective from the date that the union gave notice that the procedure or technique should be recognized as part of the P2A profile.

As part of the HSPBA classifications review, HSA members who thought that the employer-assigned profile match for a job was incorrect were able to file an objection through the online assessment tool.

That process closed in November 2023 and resulted in thousands of objections moving through the process agreed upon by the union and the employer. The outcome of each objection was decided by an appointed classification referee.

You can also review the classifications review FAQ.