Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority Collective Agreement 2024-2026

Article 9: Hours of Work and Shift Schedules

Hours of work shall consist of:

1. Regular Shift

   1. Operates on a compressed work week consisting of a 28 day rotation which will consist of:

      1. two (2) day shifts;

      2. two (2) night shifts;

      3. five (5) days off;

      4. two (2) day shifts; 

      5. three (3) night shifts;

      6. four (4) days off;

      7. three (3) day shifts; 

      8. two (2) night shifts;

      9. followed by five (5) days off.

   2. A shift shall consist of twelve (12) hours. 

   3. Overtime rates will be determined by the provisions outlined in Article 10.

   4. Annual hours of work for full-time Employees will be two thousand one hundred and ninety (2190) hours.

2. Core Flex Shift

   1. Employees shall be assigned a twelve (12) hour shift consisting of a minimum one (1) core work hours, and eleven (11) flex hours, followed by twelve (12) on-call hours, with the Employee being available for response within the Benchmark for chute times used by AHS and as set out by the Employer from time to time from within the community during 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 hours.  For the purposes of this Article, the following shall apply:

      1. “Core Hours” shall mean the hours during which an Employee     is required to be in uniform, on-duty, at the station (or identified     location) and ready for immediate response. 

      2. “Flex Hours” shall mean the hours remaining in the Employee’s     shift based on set core hours and calculated by subtracting the     core hours from the twelve (12) hour shift. Flex hours are     worked after core hours have been completed, over the     remainder of the twenty-four (24) hour period.

      3. “On-call Duty” shall make up the balance of the twenty-four (24)     hour period.

   2. Employees shall work on a compressed work week consisting of an eight day rotation of:

      1. four (4) days on;

      2. four (4) days off.

   3. Overtime rates will be determined by the provisions outlined in Article 10.

   4. Annual hours of work for full-time Employees will be two thousand one hundred and ninety (2190) hours.

   5. An Employee who works half of a Core Flex or twelve (12) hour shift shall be paid straight time for all twelve (12) hours at their Basic Rate of Pay unless such hours entitle the Employee to be paid overtime for which the applicable rate of pay will be paid.

3. SHIFT EXCHANGES
   Employees may exchange shifts, partial shifts, and/or days off, providing that such Employees are qualified to do each other’s duties; and

   1. Employees submit the request, giving forty-eight (48) hours notice; and

   2. the Employer approves and processes the exchange within one (1) business day of the request; and
   3. operational efficiency is not disrupted; and
   4. there is no increased cost to the Employer where possible; and
   5. the shift schedule shall be amended by the Employer within one (1)  business day of the request to reflect the shifts being exchanged; and
   6. such requests are not open ended;
   7. Shift Exchanges shall occur within a two (2) week period; and
   8. such requests shall not be unreasonably denied. Should the request be denied the brief basic reason shall be entered into the electronic shift scheduler.
4. SHIFT GIVEAWAYS
   1. Each Full-Time Employee is limited to a total of ten (10) shift giveaways (not tours) per calendar year. This is not an abandonment of the shifts but instead an Employee choosing to find a replacement for their shift without trading.
   2. Shift giveaways may be approved provided there is no overtime cost to the Employer.
   3. Management reserves the right to approve or deny any request for shift giveaway based on operational or administrative requirements. Such request shall not be unreasonably denied. Should the request be denied the brief basic reason shall be entered into the electronic shift scheduler; and
   4. Employees may only use Shift Giveaways once all vacation has been allocated or used.
5. Where an Employee, in the act of responding to, caring for, transporting a patient, or performing routine duties required by the Employer, works more than fourteen (14) hours of Active Duty in a twenty-four (24) hour period, they shall be entitled to eight (8) consecutive hours of rest, and up to two (2) additional hours for travel to and from the work site before commencing their next scheduled shift, without loss of earnings. 
   
   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.                     
6. DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME
   On the date fixed by proclamation, in accordance with the Daylight Saving Time Act, of conversion to Mountain Standard Time, for Employees on shift during the time change, regular hours of work shall be extended to include the resultant additional one (1) hour with additional payment due therefore at the applicable overtime rate.  On the date fixed by said Act for the resumption of Daylight Saving Time, the resultant reduction on one (1) hour in the shift involved shall be effected with the appropriate deduction in regular earnings.
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 day's notice of the new schedule.
   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. When any Employee’s schedule has been changed by the Employer, previously booked time off will be honoured with no loss to the Employee. 

8. In the event that an Employee reports for work as scheduled or requested and is required by the Employer not to commence work, or to return to duty at a later hour, they shall be compensated for that inconvenience by receiving six (6) hours pay at their basic rate of pay.

9. Should an Employee report and commence work as scheduled and be required to cease work prior to completion of their scheduled shift or return to duty at a later hour, they shall receive their basic hourly rate of pay for all hours worked with an addition of three (3) hours pay at their basic rate of pay for that inconvenience.

10. Shift pick up within one (1) month shall be approved or denied with an explanation within seven (7) calendar days.