Provincial Health Officer order restricting certain health care workers to working at a single site during the COVID-19 pandemic coming to an end

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR HSA MEMBERS AFFECTED BY THE ORDER

HEABC has announced that a Provincial Health Officer order from April 2020 restricting health care workers from working at multiple sites will be lifted effective January 1, 2023.

The order affects health care workers at long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, and provincial mental health facilities, and had an impact on provisions of the HSPBA collective agreement. An estimated 800 HSA members were affected.

Reverting to the collective agreement provisions in January 1, 2023 means that any health care worker who previous to the Provincial Health Order worked at more than one worksite, and was required to choose a single worksite, will be contacted by their employer to declare their interest in returning to the jobs they were required to leave in order to work at a single site.

The lifting of the order could have significant impact on members’ hours of work at the facility they currently work at. Under the order, employees’ work hours were consolidated to a single site – to a maximum of 1.3 FTE. Once the order is removed, employers may revert to the original FTEs at their worksite. For example, if you previously held a .25 FTE position at the site you are currently working at, the position at that site may revert to .25 FTE position. As you were placed on leave from the other sites you worked at, you have a right to return to those positions. Employers may also decide to continue with the staffing arrangements made under the order.

All jobs posted since the implementation of the single site order will be required to be reposted as permanent positions. These postings are expected to start coming up in the coming weeks.

** EVEN IF YOUR EMPLOYER MAINTAINS THE JOB YOU ARE IN, YOU MUST APPLY FOR THE PERMANENT POSITION.

Please note that temporary postings that did not arise from the order (eg: temporary jobs to cover maternity and other leaves) will not be reposted.

If you believe you were affected by the order, and your employer does not contact you by the end of October to discuss your situation and options, please contact your employer to discuss what the changes may mean for you.

If you require union support through the process, please contact Sheila Vataiki at the union office at @email
 
Printer-friendly version.