PSRC Meeting
Present: Stu Austen (Chair), Jennifer Kaban, Nigel Lockyer, Niki Martin, Brenda Morrey, Colin Morton, Mike Mouat, and Doug Preddy
Absent: Curtis Ballard and John Drozdoff
Guest: Nigel Lockyer
1. Vacation Policy Process – PSRC objections
The committee felt there was not a good feeling regarding how the vacation policy was put forward to the PSRC and the process in which it was put forward. We wanted to know where the motivation came from for changing the vacation policy? The PSRC are very concerned about the “goodwill” between P&S Supervisors and the employees they supervise. The PSRC wrote a letter to Josie Farrell with their concerns and received a response back addressing each point but at the end it was suggested that the PSRC meet with Nigel.
2. Nigel’s Views on the Vacation Policy changes
The PSRC had a strong reaction to HR’s email and Nigel agrees that this is not an effective way to introduce changes to the employee group representative’s. NSL will speak with HR and ask them not the use email to circulate changes to policies or changes that are of a sensitive nature. NSL would like more control over HR Communications.
MOTIVATION – the motivation behind changing the vacation policy is first and foremost the attitudes of some of the BAE’s. NSL thinks that being a research scientist should be viewed as a privilege (opposed to a job). It is felt that some BAE’s at TRIUMF act as though being a research scientist is just a job rather than the privilege it is. NSL wants to change the way they view benefits. The proposed changes are even (mostly) across the board because NSL and HR thought it best that the benefit package is a flat package for all employee groups.
PROBLEM – when one (key) person takes off a month or two months it cripples 5 or 6 people from doing a project or completing tasks. BC Law requires that employees take vacation. BC Law also states that “the employer has the right to say when the vacation will be taken” (see link above). The problem NSL sees with carryover is that employees are carrying over 20 days per year and then when they retire they get their vacation paid out (sometimes up to 10 weeks of vacation). This comes down to a money issue and reducing the carryover from 20 to 10 days saves TRIUMF 2 weeks of paying out vacation pay at the end of employment (which is quite considerable when there are about 140 people that are around retirement age at TRIUMF right now). This is also bringing our carryover policy in-line with UBC’s. “Bonus Days” will become part of the “Paid Leave Policy” not the vacation policy. PostDocs vacation policy will be changed and PostDocs will receive a minimum of two weeks vacation and if they would like more they can ask their supervisors if they can take more vacation. This will reduce costs to TRIUMF as well for paying out PostDocs at the end of their term. A limited number of PostDocs take vacation (or record it). Mike Mouat – Can we change the vacation policy so that TRIUMF will not have to pay out vacation pay at retirement? No, it is the law that vacation pay is paid out at the end of employment.
3. Draft Policy
PSRC would like to see the draft policy for the vacation policy and future HR policy changes.
4. Post-Retirement Employment Policy
The PSRC would like to see a draft of the post-retirement policy. The PSRC looks favorably upon the proposed policy outline. It should be noted that not everyone at TRIUMF should expect to be able to have the option of post-retirement employment.