Associated Ambulance & Services (Whitecourt) Ltd., Collective Agreement 2020-2025

Article 13: Promotions, Transfers and Vacancies

1. Vacancies
   1. The Employer shall post all vacancies, including Temporary Positions as defined in Article 2.18, in a manner that is accessible to all Employees for not less than eight (8) calendar days, and not more than twelve (12) calendar days.
   2. When circumstances require the Employer to fill a vacancy before the expiration of eight (8) calendar days, the appointment shall always be made on a relief basis only.
   3. Vacancies shall be filled through a single competition, and selection shall be made whenever possible from within the bargaining unit.
   4. The notice of posting referred to in Article 13.01 (a) shall contain the following information:
      1. relevant duties of the position;
      2. relevant qualifications required;
      3. hours of work;
      4. status of position, and expected term if a temporary position;
      5. station location.
   5. The Employer shall forward to the Local Unit Chair copies of the posting of vacancies of all positions within the bargaining unit as outlined in Article 13.01 (a) within three (3) calendar days of the posting.
   6. The name of the successful applicant shall be given to the Local Unit Chair in writing within three (3) calendar days of the appointment.
2. All applications for transfer or promotion shall be made to the Employer in accordance with established practices.
3. Applicants for transfer and/or promotion shall be informed in writing of their acceptance or rejection within ten (10) calendar days of the date of the appointment.
4. In making promotions and filling vacancies seniority within the Bargaining Unit shall be the determining factor providing that the following conditions are met:
   1. the applicant has an employment record free of any discipline and;
   2. has an acceptable attendance record as per the Employer policy;
   3. has all the required and mandatory clinical competencies related to the position;
   4. has an acceptable driving record as per the Employer policy; and
   5. the applicant’s performance for the previous 12 months has been adjudged satisfactory by the Employer.
5. Upon request, the Employer shall provide unsuccessful candidates the reasons why they were not successful.
6.  
   1. All transfers and promotions shall be on a trial basis.  The transferred or promoted Employee will be given a trial period equivalent to three (3) months of regular hours of work in which to demonstrate their ability to perform the new task to the satisfaction of the Employer.  Should such Employee fail to succeed during the above-mentioned trial period, or choose to leave the new task, the Employer will make a sincere effort to reinstate the Employee in their former position without loss of seniority or, if such reinstatement is not possible, place the Employee in another suitable position at the same location, where possible, without loss of seniority and at a rate of pay equivalent to that of their former position.
   2. When a permanent Full-time Employee is awarded a permanent full-time position in another station, the vacant position may be posted as a Temporary-to-Permanent position, for three (3) months, to provide the ability of the vacating Employee to revert to their original position during the trial period, in accordance with Article 13.06(a). Should the vacating Employee not return to the original position within the Trial Period, then the Employee in the Temporary-to-Permanent position will have the right to accept the position as a permanent position without further posting.
7. When an Employee is promoted to a classification to which is assigned a higher salary scale, the salary of such promoted Employee shall be advanced to that step in the new scale which is next higher than their current rate or to the step which is next higher again, if such salary increase is less than the Employee’s next normal increment on the former salary scale, with a minimum move to Step 1.  In the event that a promoted Employee is at the last increment in the scale for the classification held prior to the promotion, their salary shall be advanced to that step in the scale which is next higher than their current rate or, if such salary increase is less than the Employee’s last normal annual increase, they shall be advanced to the step which is next higher again in the scale.
8. An Employee’s anniversary date for the purpose of an annual increment shall not be changed as a result of a promotion.
9. When, because of inability to perform the functions of a position, or by request, an Employee is transferred to a lower-rated classification, their rate will be adjusted immediately to that step in the scale where they would have been positioned had they been retained in the lower-rated classification from commencement of employment.
10. When, because of inability to perform the functions of a position due to illness or injury, an Employee accommodated into a classification to which is assigned a lower salary scale, they shall move to the pay step of the lower salary scale that is closest to but not higher than their present Basic Rate of Pay.
11. Temporary Positions
    1. When a full-time Employee accepts a temporary position, they will be eligible to return to their former position upon completion of the term appointment.
    2. Temporary positions may end before their initial anticipated end date.  In such case, the incumbent will be eligible to return to their former position upon completion of the term appointment.
    3. Temporary positions may be extended by mutual agreement between the Employer and the Union. Such agreement shall not be unreasonably withheld.
    4. During the term of the temporary position, the incumbent Employee shall not be eligible to apply for other temporary positions that commence before the current temporary position ends unless otherwise mutually agreed between the Employee and the Employer.
    5. Where a full-time or casual Employee is in a temporary position of twelve (12) months or greater and should this position become permanent, the permanent position shall be offered to the current incumbent without requirements under Article 13.01. If the incumbent refuses the position, it shall be posted and the incumbent shall return to their former position.
12. Notwithstanding Article 27.02(c), permanent Employees who resign their position in accordance with Article 24.01 shall be granted casual status upon written request.  PCP’s will remain at their current step, notwithstanding 27.02(b). ACPs shall be placed on the Casual ACP Salary Scale; should they already be above that pay step, their wage shall be Red Circled.  
13. Notwithstanding Article 13.06, permanent Employees must remain a minimum of twelve (12) months in their current permanent position before they can obtain a lateral transfer into another position within the Bargaining Unit, unless mutually agreed.
14. Where a vacancy for a temporary position has been filled by the appointment of a Casual Employee, and, where, at the completion of the expected term of the temporary position, the Employer decides that the Employee is no longer required in that position, they shall be reinstated to casual status and shall remain at their current step on the Salary Scale in accordance with Article 13.11 and 13.12.
15. Where a casual Advanced Care Paramedic accepts a Temporary position, they shall be put on the appropriate step of the Advanced Care Paramedic salary scale in accordance with Articles 27.02(b) and 27.04, for the duration of the temporary position.