HSPBA: Update on the Classifications Transition

We know that job classifications, and the systems that help determine them, aren’t always the easiest thing to understand.

However, they are a tool that has the potential to determine a lot about your job and your career.

For this reason, we want to ensure that all health science professionals know the broad strokes of what’s going on with the transition to the new profile-based classification system (if you’d like to know more details, please read this).

Here’s what you need to know:

What is there to be excited about?
 

•    Equity: the new classification system contains improvements that will, for the first time, recognize advanced practice work and supervisory/leadership work in the same manner for all 70 health science professions.

•    Pay: the salary structures of this new system – for example, the at least 3.8% pay increase (in addition to the general wage increase) that results from increasing Grade I/Staff level pay to Grade II/Sole Charge rates – mean higher pay for most health science professionals.

•    Comprehensibility: the new classification system is more streamlined, with the same seven profiles applying to every profession, which should make it easier for everyone to understand how their job is classified. The profile-based system uses the principle of “best fit”, which means that your job should be matched based on your overall work duties and responsibilities.

What is “implementation”?

When the new profile-based classification system is implemented, job classifications for HSPBA members will move from the current system (Grade I, Sole Charge, etc.) to the new profile-based system (P1, P2A, S2, etc.).

For the majority of HSA members implementation will not significantly change the way your job is classified, but it will change the way we refer to your classification. 

The new salary structures that correspond with the new profiles will go into effect on the implementation date. The new salary structures have not yet been determined. At this point, we know the P1 rates because they are the same as the pre-existing Grade II/Sole Charge rates and have been phasing in since 2022. The P2 and S1 – S4 salary structures will be finalized this year.

If your job is classified as P2 or S1 – S4 and your salary structure increases because of implementation, you will receive retro pay back to April 1, 2024.

Once the salary structures are confirmed, the implementation date will be determined and announced. Implementation will take place later this year or early in 2025 because, according to the 2022-2025 HSPBA collective agreement, the new classification system must be implemented by February 28, 2025.

Where is the classification review at?

If you are one of the thousands of HSA members who filed a profile match objection during last year’s classification review, you will hear about the outcome of your objection after April 12, 2024. The timeline has been extended to allow the classification referees adequate time to review all objections.

What about P2A special procedures/techniques?

If your job was matched to the P1 profile, and you perform work that requires specialized education, training, and experience above the base P1 level, please read the information here about P2A special procedures/techniques as it may apply to you.

I want more!

Fantastic! There’s more information on the new profile-based classification system here (that page will be updated as we move towards implementation). If you have questions that the website doesn’t answer, please send them to redesign [at] hsabc.org.