HSPBA: Green Circling Update

The information in this update is intended for members who were informed by the employer that you were green circled when the profile-based classification system was implemented on December 6, 2024. This notification should have included your exact 2024 green circled pay rate.

On December 6, 2024, green circling was applied to incumbents of P2A, P2B and S1 – S4 profiles where the wage rate under the new profile-based classification system was lower than your pre-existing wage rate under the former classification system.

“Green circling” means that you will continue being paid at your pre-existing higher rate, and receive all future general wage increases (GWIs), for as long as you remain in the same position i.e., you did not move to the new lower pay rate for your job.

Now that the new rates of the 2025-2029 Health Science Professionals collective agreement are being implemented, here’s what your union needs you to know:

Updated Green Circled Rates

In 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028 there is a GWI of 3% each April, applied on the first pay period after April 1 each year. 

As your green circled rate increases whenever there is a GWI, calculate your updated green circled rates as follows:

• Your 2025 green circled rate = your 2024 green circled rate x 1.03.
• Your 2026 green circled rate = your 2025 green circled rate x 1.03.
• Your 2027 green circled rate = your 2026 green circled rate x 1.03.
• Your 2028 green circled rate = your 2027 green circled rate x 1.03.

As a green-circled employee, we encourage you to carefully check the pay rate that the employer has applied to you effective the first pay period after April 1, 2026.

Similarly, when the employer processes and pays your retroactive pay for the period from April 2025 to March 2026, we encourage you to carefully check the pay rate used to calculate this pay. 

Could I ever stop being green circled?

Yes, you will cease to be green circled if you post into any other regular full-time or part-time position. You will then be paid the appropriate collective agreement rate of the new position.

Your green circling will also end if pay increment step progression results in the rate you’d normally be paid in your job exceeding your updated and recalculated green circled rate. You can see the normal rate for your job by either checking the wage schedules posted on the HSA website or by using the HSA wage calculator.

For example, if you were green circled in 2024 at a 1^st year pay increment step rate, it’s quite likely that a higher increment step rate (2^nd year, 3^rd year, 4^th year, etc.) of the salary structure of your job will at some point be higher than your updated and recalculated green circled rate. When that occurs, you will move to the higher paid increment step of the job, and cease being green circled.

If you were green circled in a position classified as a supervisor profile (S1, S2, S3, or S4) and are now supervising more FTEs, the new rate for your job may have surpassed your updated and recalculated green circled rate. If so, you will move to the higher paid increment step of the job, and cease being green circled.

Lastly, you will cease to be green circled if a collective agreement change results in the rate you’d normally be paid in your job exceeding your updated and recalculated green circled rate. You can see the normal rate for your job by either checking the wage schedules posted on the HSA website or by using the HSA wage calculator. There are several examples of such changes occurring in the first pay period after April 1, 2026:

• The P2A salary structures increased from P1+3.8% to P1+7.6%
• The P2B(S) salary structures increased from P1+3.8% to P1+11.9%
• The S1A salary structures increased from P1+4% to P1+7.6%
• The S2A salary structures increased from P1+8% to P1+11.7%
• All radiological technologist and nuclear medicine technologist salary structures increased, moving from Wage Schedule D to Wage Schedule E

What do I do if the employer has miscalculated? 

If you believe that the employer has miscalculated your 2025 or 2026 rate, please reach out to payroll with your concerns. If they are unwilling or unable to correct the error, please contact a steward to file a grievance.