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

Article 9: Hours of Work and Shift Schedules

1. Regular hours of work for full-time Employees shall be one of the following options as determined by the Employer, however, any changes to an Employee’s annual or daily hours of work must be agreed upon by the Employer and the Union:
   1. Core Flex Shift shall be one of the following:
      1. Employees shall work a ten (10) hour shift consisting of a minimum one (1) core hour, nine (9) flex hours, and fourteen (14) on-call hours, with the Employee being available for immediate response from within the community during core, flex and on-call hours. An Employee shall be compensated for ten (10) hours at their basic rate of pay plus fourteen (14) hours on-call if less than ten (10) hours of active duty including the core hours in a twenty-four (24) hour period with annual hours of work for full-time Employees will be one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five (1825) hours; or,
      2. Employees shall work a twelve (12) hour shift consisting of a minimum one (1) core hour, eleven (11) flex hours, and twelve (12) on-call hours, with the Employee being available for immediate response from within the community during core, flex and on-call hours. An Employee shall be compensated for twelve (12) hours at their basic rate of pay plus twelve (12) hours on-call if less than twelve (12) hours of active duty including the core hours in a twenty-four (24) hour period with annual hours of work for full-time Employees will be two thousand one hundred and ninety (2190) hours
      3. Employees shall work a four (4) day on four (4) day off shift rotation
   2. Regular Shift shall consist of the following:
      1. Employees will work a twelve (12) hour, four (4) day on four (4) day off shift schedule that will be two thousand one hundred and ninety (2,190) hours per year;
   3. Peak Hour Shifts consists of one of the following:
      1. Forty (40) hours per week averaged over one (1) complete cycle of the shift schedule of two thousand and eighty (2,080) hours per year;
      2. Forty-two (42) hours per week averaged over one (1) complete cycle of the shift schedule of two thousand one hundred and ninety (2,190) hours per year;
   4. Applicable overtime rates will be determined by the provisions outlined in Article 10.
2. Core duty hour shall mean the hours of duty in which the Employee is required to be on-duty at the work place in a twenty-four (24) hour period.  Core hours shall be a minimum of one (1) hour and may be negated if it directly incurs overtime or will interfere with fatigue management.
3. Flex hours shall mean the hours on duty in excess of the core duty hour.
4. Paid hours of work will be compensated as set out in the Article 27 (Salaries) and the Salaries Appendix.
5. Employees may exchange shifts, and/or days off, providing that such Employees are qualified to do each other’s duties; and
   1. Employees submit the request, giving reasonable notice; and
   2. the Employer approves the exchange; and
   3. operational efficiency is not disrupted; and
   4. there is no increased cost to the Employer; and
   5. the shift schedule shall be amended by the Employer to reflect the shifts being exchanged; and
   6. such requests are not open ended; and
   7. the exchange is completed within three (3) pay periods.

Such requests shall not be unreasonably denied, as mutually agreed. Should such request be denied, reasons in writing shall be provided upon request.

6. For the purpose of managing fatigue, where an Employee, in the act of responding to, caring for, transporting a patient, or performing routine duties required by the Employer, works fourteen (14) hours or more of Active Duty in a twenty-four (24) hour period, and is timed out by the Employer, they shall be entitled to a minimum of eight (8) consecutive hours of rest, before recommencing Active Duty, without loss of earnings. A request for more than eight (8) consecutive hours of rest shall not be unreasonably denied provided discussion with Supervisor has occurred. After a minimum of eight (8) consecutive hours of rest, the twenty-four (24) hour period is reset. All hours worked above fourteen (14) hours of Active Duty, not already paid at the overtime rate, within that same twenty-four (24) hours period shall be paid at two times (2X) their basic rate of pay.

    If an Employee is fatigued and away from their home base, the Employer will supply reasonable accommodation for a minimum of eight (8) hours if requested by the Employee.

    In any event, the Employer shall endeavor to manage fatigue once an Employee has worked twelve (12) hours and has identified issues with their supervisor. The Employee shall actively participate in their fatigue management.

7. Schedule Posting and Schedule
   1. Unless otherwise agreed between the Employer and the Union, shift schedules shall be posted a minimum of twelve (12) weeks in advance. If a shift schedule is changed after being posted, the affected Employees shall be provided with fourteen (14) calendar days’ notice of the new schedule. The Employer shall provide the Union with a copy of a shift schedule upon request.
   2. Except in cases of emergency or by mutual agreement between the Employer and the Employee:
      1. Unless an Employee is given at least fourteen (14) calendar days’ notice of a change of their scheduled day(s) off, they shall be paid two times (2X) their basic rate of pay for all hours worked on such day(s) unless the change is at the Employee's request.
      2. If, in the course of a posted schedule, the Employer changes the Employee's shift start time by two (2) hours or more, they shall be paid at the rate of two times (2X) their basic rate of pay for all hours worked on this shift unless fourteen (14) calendar days’ notice has been given.
8.  
   1. In the event that a casual Employee reports for work as scheduled and is required by the Employer not to commence work, they shall be compensated for that inconvenience by receiving three (3) hours pay at their basic rate of pay.
   2. Such Employee shall be reimbursed for the cost of reasonable, necessary and substantiated transportation expenses for a one-way trip of greater than fifty (50) kilometers paid in accordance with Article 31.02, to a maximum of one hundred dollars ($100) per occurrence.
9. Shift Giveaways
   1. Shift giveaways initiated by full time Employees may be approved provided that:
      1. There is no overtime cost to the Employer; and
      2. The shift giveaway is within the same classification.
   2. The Employee requesting the shift giveaway will provide the Employer with a minimum of forty-eight (48) hours’ notice prior to the requested shift give away.
   3. Employees shall be allowed two (2) shift giveaways per month and up to a maximum of twelve (12) shifts in a calendar year.
   4. Shift giveaway can only be done once all vacation has been allocated or used and in compliance with Article 15.08.
   5. Management reserves the right to approve or deny any request for shift giveaway based on operational requirements. Such request shall not be unreasonably denied. Should such request be denied, reasons in writing shall be provided upon request.
   6. In the event of illness of the Employee who picks up the giveaway shift, Article 17.03 shall not apply.