Voluntary Reduced Work Week (VRWW) Program2018/2019

Employee Guidelines

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
1:01 / The VRWW Program provides employees with an opportunity to request up to 20 days of leave of absence without pay (VRWW days) during the 2018/2019 fiscal year, while spreading out the pay reduction for the VRWW days over 26 pay periods between March 31, 2018 to March 29, 2019.
PROGRAM PARAMETERS
2:01 / The Voluntary Reduced Work Week (VRWW) Program applies to the fiscal year ending March 29, 2019.
2:02 / Where operational requirements and services to the public permit, Departments may operate with reduced staffing levels by allowing employees who are scheduled to work to take up to 20 days of leave of absence without pay. However, no closures of College offices will be permitted.
2:03 / Pay reductions will be implemented to assist employees by spreading out the financial impact of the VRWW days over as long a period as possible rather than having individual pay cheques reduced when the VRWW days are taken.
2:04 / No increased overtime costs shall be incurred as a result of approving VRWW days.
2:05 / Where VRWW days could otherwise result in unacceptable backlogs being created and excessive delays in turnaround times (which may occur in operations involved with processing of documents for example) and/or a requirement to work staff on an overtime basis, departments are expected to retain sufficient staff at work to avoid these problems.
2:06 / Under this voluntary program, eligible employees may request up to 20days of leave of absence without pay (VRWW days).
2:07 / The VRWW program allows employees to request a VRWW “day” off. A “day”, for the purposes of the VRWW request, is considered to be an employee’s regular work day.
2:08 / Employees may request days to be taken at any time during the current fiscal year up toMarch 29, 2019. However, employees will be approved to take their leaves of absence on days only when operational requirements permit.
2:09 / An approved VRWW day will be treated as a regular working day for the purposes of pension, group life insurance, and accumulated service calculations.
2:11 / Employees who are approved VRWW days will not be permitted to carry-over vacation as a result, other than for retirement or extenuating circumstances.
2:12 / Once an employee has requested and been approved to take up to 20VRWW days, the employee must take the time off. There will not be a carryover or extension granted.
ELIGIBILITY
3:01 / The VRWW Program applies to employees of the College,with the exception of Instructors,part-time arrears (as if and when), casual employees and employees that are normally subject to seasonal lay-off.
Non-instructional staff, who become Instructional staff, in the course of the subject year, are no longer eligible to remain in the program. Deductions will cease and monies deducted for time not yet taken will be refunded. Please be advised there may be tax implications as a result of the reimbursement of income.
APPROVAL PROCESS
4:01 / Employees may apply for up to 20 days leave of absence without pay (VRWW days) to be used before March 29, 2019.
4:02 / Applications specifying the number of days requested and the date of each VRWW day must be submitted on the designated electronic application form to the Manager/Director no later than February 16, 2018. An employee may take up to 5 days without defining dates.
4:03 / The Manager/Director will review each Maestro application and will approve all or part of the request subject to operational requirements and service to the public.
4:04 / Applications received after February 16, 2018may be considered by department management subject to scheduling and operational requirements at the time of the request.
4:05 / Departments will advise employees of their approved and/or denied VRWW days by March 2, 2018via Maestro email.
4:06 / Once an employee has requested and been approved to take up to 20VRWW days, the employee is required to take the time off. The employee cannot change the total number of approved VRWW days. Subject to the approval of the Manager/Director, the specific dates of the approved leave may be varied.
4:07 / With appropriate notice, the Department may require an employee to work on a scheduled VRWW day. An alternate VRWW day may be scheduled within the fiscal year with the agreement of the employee and the Manager/Director.
PAY
5:01 / Where an employee has been approved for between 1 - 20VRWW days, Human Resource Services will determine the appropriate pay reduction for each pay period during the period ofMarch 31, 2018 to March 29, 2019. This allows the financial impact of the VRWW days to be spread out.
5:02 / The pay reduction for the VRWW program will be calculated based on an employee’s rate of pay as of March 31, 2018.
5:03 / Pay reductions will begin on payday April 13, 2018and will continue for 26bi-weekly pay periods up to and including March 29, 2019.
5:04 / If an employee’s pay is reduced on a bi-weekly basis due to participation in the VRWW program, and the employee subsequently leaves the College or is laid off, any VRWW-related overpayment or underpayment will be adjusted by Human Resource Services.
5:05 / To determine the approximate decrease in net pay that an employee may experience for each of the 26bi-weekly pay periods between March 31, 2018 and March 29, 2019 see the Approximate Net Pay Reduction Chart.
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
6:01 / In accordance with the provisions of The Civil Service Superannuation Act, approved VRWW days will not have an impact on employee’s pension or group life insurance. Employee contributions will continue to be made for approved VRWW days based on regular gross bi-weekly salary.
6:02 / Approved VRWW days will be treated as regular working days for the purpose of accumulated service calculations.
6:03 / For the purpose of producing a Record of Employment, Human Resources and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) requires that hours be reported as actual hours worked in the bi-weekly pay period and earnings be reported as earnings associated with the hours actually worked in the bi-weekly pay period.
6:04 / Human Resources and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) advises that when applying for Employment Insurance (EI):
  • Insurable hours will be the actual hours worked in the bi-weekly pay period; and
  • Insurable earnings will be the earnings associated with the hours actually worked in the bi-weekly pay period.

6:05 / Should employees have specific questions about eligibility for and calculation of Employment Insurance they should contact their local ESDC office.
OTHER LEAVES OF ABSENCE
7:01 / Notwithstanding the VRWW program, an employee may apply for a leave of absence without pay according to the existing Leaves of Absence Policy. If you require further information regarding the Leaves of Absence Policy please contact your Manager/Director.