Canadian Blood Services (Technical) Collective Agreement 2021-2024

Article 13: Vacations With Pay

1. The vacation year is April 1st to March 31st of the following year.
2. Vacation entitlement is earned during each vacation year of continuous service, and taken during the same vacation year, subject to 13.06, 13.07 and 13.08.
3. Vacation entitlement for regular full-time Employees shall be as follows:
   1. during the first year of employment, an Employee shall earn vacation at the rate of one and one-quarter (1.25) working days for each complete month of service from April 1st to March 31st.  This provides for a maximum of fifteen (15) working days of vacation per vacation year;
   2. following completion of one (1) year of continuous service, an Employee shall earn vacation at the rate of one and two-thirds (1 2/3) working days for each completed month of service.  This provides for a maximum of twenty (20) working days of vacation per vacation year;
   3. following completion of nine (9) years of continuous service, an Employee shall earn vacation at the rate of two and one-twelfth (2 1/12) working days for each complete month of service.  This provides for a maximum of twenty-five (25) working days of vacation per vacation year;
   4. following completion of nineteen (19) years of continuous service, an Employee shall earn vacation at the rate of two and one-half (2 1/2) working days for each completed month of service.  This provides for a maximum of thirty (30) working days of vacation per vacation year.

   5. The supplementary vacations as set out below are to be banked on the outlined supplementary vacation employment anniversary date and taken at the employee's option at any time subsequent to the current supplementary vacation employment anniversary date but prior to the next supplementary vacation employment anniversary date.  Supplementary vacation requests shall be submitted in accordance with Article 13.06.

      1. Upon reaching the employment anniversary of twenty-five (25) years of continuous service, employees shall have earned an additional five (5) work days’ vacation with pay
      2. Upon reaching the employment anniversary of thirty (30) years of continuous service, employees shall have earned an additional five (5) work days’ vacation with pay.
      3. Upon reaching the employment anniversary of thirty-five (35) years of continuous service, employees shall have earned an additional five (5) work days’ vacation with pay.
      4. Upon reaching the employment anniversary of forty (40) years of continuous service, employees shall have earned an additional five (5) work days’ vacation with pay.
      5. Upon reaching the employment anniversary of forty-five (45) years of continuous service, employees shall have earned an additional five (5) work days’ vacation with pay.

      For purposes of calculating the inclusive dates of annual vacation period, one (1) week of annual vacation will be reported as five (5) working days.

4. Annual Vacation for Other than Regular Full-time
   (A)Vacation With Pay For Regular Part-Time and Temporary Employees.
   Regular Part-Time and Temporary Employees shall earn vacation with pay calculated in hours in accordance with the following formula:
   
   Regular                 The applicable                   Number of hours
   hours as       X      percentage as        =         of paid vacation
   defined in             outlined below                   time to be taken
    

   1. six percent (6%) during the first (1st) year of employment; or
   2. eight percent (8%) following completion of one (1) year of continuous service; or
   3. ten percent (10%) following completion of nine (9) years of continuous service; or
   4. twelve percent (12%) following completion of nineteen (19) years of continuous service; or
   5. Regular Part-Time and Temporary Employees shall earn supplementary vacation with pay calculated in hours in accordance with the following formula: 
      
      Regular               The applicable                Number of hours
      hours as      X      percentage as      =       of paid supplementary
      defined in            outlined below               vacation time to be
      this Article                                                   taken in the current
                                                                          supplementary vacation period     
       
      1. upon reaching the employment anniversary of twenty-five (25) years of continuous service, employees shall have earned an additional two percent (2%);
      2. upon reaching the employment anniversary of thirty (30) years of continuous service, employees shall have earned an additional two percent (2%);
      3. upon reaching the employment anniversary of thirty-five (35) years of continuous service, employees shall have earned an additional two percent (2%).
      4. upon reaching the employment anniversary of forty (40) years of continuous service, employees shall have earned an additional two percent (2%);

   (B) Regular hours, for the purposes of Article 13.04(A), shall mean all hours worked by the Employee at the basic rate of pay, vacation, paid sick leave, paid leaves of absence, and hours worked on a Named Holiday up to 7.5 hours per occasion.

   (C) Casual Employees shall be paid on each pay cheque six percent (6%) of their gross regular earnings (excluding overtime and call-back hours) in lieu of vacation with pay.

5. When possible, the number of working days of vacation entitlement earned shall be consecutive when taken unless otherwise requested by the Employee.  Employees who have broken their vacation into more than one (1) period during the vacation year shall receive preference, on the basis of seniority within classification, department or section, for one (1) vacation period only.
6. 1. Employees shall be required to submit in writing to the Employer their annual vacation preferences, for the following vacation year (April 1st – March 31st) no later than February 1st of each year.  Approval or disapproval of such vacation will be given by February 28th of each year.  
      
      In case of conflict between two or more Employees in regard to their choice of a vacation period, seniority shall be the deciding factor. Employees shall only be entitled to exercise their seniority rights in one instance for the entire vacation year. The final annual vacation schedule shall be posted by the Employer no later than March 15th of each year.  After that date, no Employee shall be bumped by any senior Employee from the vacation period awarded to the former.  Unless deferment of annual vacation taken into the next calendar year has been expressly requested by the Employee and authorized in writing by the Employer under the conditions specified in Articles 13.07 and 13.08 hereof, vacation entitlement earned in any one (1) year must be taken before the end of that vacation year.
   2. All other requests for vacation shall be submitted in writing at least four (4) weeks in advance, unless mutually agreed otherwise, to the Employer and such request shall be dealt with on a first come, first serve basis.  Employees shall be informed in writing within two (2) weeks following their request as to whether or not the time requested has been granted or denied.
   3. Employees shall not be scheduled to work a weekend immediately prior to, immediately after their scheduled vacation period if such vacation commences immediately following a weekend or if it ends immediately prior to a weekend.
      
      Employees shall not be scheduled to work a weekend that falls during their vacation period.  
   4. Vacation outstanding as of November 1st shall be scheduled, deferred or paid out at the Employer's discretion.
7. Provision to request approval to defer annual vacation is made to meet the exigencies of the service only.  The only exceptions to this regulation are as follows:
   1. Employees appointed subsequent to December 31st in any year, annual vacation may not be granted during probation periods.
   2. Employees who have completed four (4) years or more of continuous service, Employees qualifying may request deferment at intervals of not less than four (4) years.  Deferral of annual vacation cannot exceed 10 days.  
8. Requests to defer annual vacation are to be submitted for review no later than December 31st in any year.  If approved, such leave is to be completed prior to June 30th of the following year and may be combined with annual vacation earned in that year with the approval of the Employer.
9. Pro rata vacation pay on termination of employment will be paid in accordance with service rendered if proper notification of termination is given.  If proper notice of termination is not given, the Employee will be paid in accordance with the Employment Standards Code of Alberta.
10. Employees may, apply for a period of five (5) working days’ leave of absence without pay, to be granted concurrent with their earned vacation period.  Such request, when made, may be granted at the discretion of the Employer.
11. Unless given four (4) weeks’ advance notice of an alteration to their scheduled vacation period, Employees required by the Employer to work in their vacation period will receive two (2) times their basic hourly rate for hours worked.  This premium payment will cease and the Employee’s basic rate of pay will apply at the start of their next regular working period.  The vacation day(s) worked may be rescheduled as vacation leave with pay at a mutually agreed upon time. Failing mutual agreement, the provisions of 13.06 (d) shall be applicable. In the event an Employee has paid for nonrefundable travel arrangements for an approved vacation leave, the Employer will reimburse the Employee for such costs upon submission of proof of non-refundable payment.
12. An employee who commences employment within six (6) months of the date that they voluntarily terminated employment with Employer shall retain to their benefit their vacation accrual rates, in accordance with the provisions of this Article.  The employee shall be provided with a written statement of such entitlement upon their termination.