Time off to run or work in provincial election

HSA support available to run or work in May 9, 2017 provincial election

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HSA members throughout the province who are running for office or working in the upcoming provincial election may apply to HSA for financial support from HSA’s Political Action Fund.
 
1. Members who are candidates may apply for up to 30 days of wage replacement and/or up to $200 to cover approved personal expenses incurred to run for office.
 
2. Members who are working on a candidate’s or party’s election campaign may apply for up to 30 days of wage replacement, but must confirm that they are donating at least 20 hours of their own unpaid time to work on the campaign.  
 
Members may apply to take the time approved for election work as a single block of time, or in several blocks of time that total a maximum of 30 days.
 
Important note:  Elections BC treats the full amount paid by HSA for wage replacement and benefits for a member during the campaign period (usually a 29-day period from the date the writ issues to Election Day) as an election expense against the candidate’s/constituency’s campaign spending limit. 
 
It is therefore essential that the election campaign you wish to work with, agrees to accept the entire value of your wage replacement during this time period.  The campaign manager or financial agent MUST sign your application to indicate acceptance of this amount, or your application will not be approved.  If the campaign you wish to work for does not yet have a campaign manager or financial agent, then please contact Carol Rivière at the HSA office.
 
Members are also encouraged to apply for support to carry out campaign work before spending limits begin (expected to be Tuesday April 11, 2017).  Support may also be available for members carrying out campaign work after Election Day.  Members interested in this should contact Carol Rivière at the HSA office.  Spreading out your campaign work may also make it easier to book the time off work.
 
Criteria
                                                                                                        
HSA is not affiliated with any political party.  HSA provides financial support to members to run for office or to work on election campaigns, only where the candidate and the party or slate with which the candidate is running – if any – demonstrate support for all of the following:
 
a)       a positive role for the public sector;
b)       the principles of the Canada Health Act;
c)       free collective bargaining for public sector employees;
d)       progressive occupational health and safety legislation and
e)       progressive human rights.
 
Applications
 
Members applying for support to run or work in an election campaign must complete the “2017 Provincial Election” form. A form-fillable version is also available. Send completed applications by e-mail, fax or regular mail to Carol Riviere at the HSA office. 
 
Members are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, but no later than Wednesday January 18, 2017 for the initial round of funding. Applications received after this date may be considered, if funding is still available.  
 
Members should discuss booking time off with their supervisor, but should not finalize this until their application to HSA has been approved.
 
For further information, please contact Carol Rivière at the HSA office.