CapitalCare Collective Agreement 2020-2024

LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING #7

BETWEEN

CapitalCare
(hereinafter referred to as the Employer)

-and-

HEALTH SCIENCES ASSOCIATION OF ALBERTA 
(hereinafter referred to as the Union)

RE:  ENHANCED BENEFIT SPENDING ACCOUNT (EBSA)
 

Eligibility

The EBSA applies to a Regular Employee who is eligible for benefits with the Employer on July 1 in accordance with Article 25.07(a)(i) and (ii). On June 1, a Regular Employee in a benefit eligible position shall be entitled to the EBSA based on the calculation section listed below.

A Regular Employee who is employed in more than one (1) position within the bargaining unit with the Employer will receive one (1) EBSA based upon the combined total of their Regular Full-Time equivalencies (FTE’s).

The EBSA year is from July 1 of one year to June 30 of the next year.  The amount a Regular Employee is entitled to is based on their Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) as of June 1 of the EBSA year. 

Calculation

The EBSA will be calculated as follows:

(a) One thousand two hundred and fifty dollars ($1250.00) to be allocated to each eligible Regular Employee, plus;
(b) One thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500.00) prorated for each eligible Regular Employee based on their FTE as of June 1st of each EBSA year.

Allocation

By June 1 of each EBSA year, Employees who are eligible for the EBSA will make an allocation for utilization of their EBSA for the subsequent EBSA year.  These allocations will apply for the entire EBSA year and cannot be changed during the year.

Only submissions for expenses incurred during the EBSA year the submission is being made shall be paid, with the exception of licensing fees, which allows for the claim of the unclaimed licensing fees from the year previous to the present EBSA year.

Utilization

This allocation may be used for the following eligible expenses during the entitlement year:

Professional Development on Behalf of the Eligible Employee 

• Time off, as approved by the Employer, without loss of pay to attend a course relevant to the Employee’s job duties. Deductions to the EBSA for time off will be based on the number of hours missed due to course attendance multiplied by the Employee’s Basic Rate of Pay at the time the course is taken.

• Reimbursement for the cost of professional licensing fees and additional insurance fees required as a condition of employment or practice. 

• Reimbursement of tuition costs or course registration fees for approved courses that are related to an Employee’s discipline.

• Reimbursement of travel costs associated with course attendance.

• Reimbursement for purchase of professional journals, books or publications.

• Computer software or hardware.
   

Health and Dental Expenses

• Reimbursement for health and dental expenses that are eligible medical expenses in accordance with the Income Tax Act and are not covered in whole by the benefit plans specified in Article 25.01 (b), (v) and (vi) of the Collective Agreement.

Enhanced Benefits

• Contribution to a Group Registered Retirement Savings Plan made available by the Employer or a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA).

• Wellness expenses on behalf of the Employee only, which may include fitness centre memberships, instructed fitness classes, sports club fees, and fitness/sports instruction, home fitness equipment, weight management program (excluding food or supplements), and alternative healing treatments/therapies which are not covered by the Extended Health Benefits or the Health portion of the EBSA.

• Family care including day care and elder care.

• Alternate transportation including transit passes and tickets.
   

Any unused allocation in an Employee’s EBSA as of June 30 of each EBSA year may be carried forward for a maximum of one (1) EBSA year only, providing the Employee remains in an eligible position.  Unused allocations at the end of the carry-forward period are forfeited.

The claims for purchases made within any given EBSA year must be received by the carrier no later than one (1) calendar month following the end of the EBSA year. EBSA in subsequent years will be based on the FTE a Regular Employee holds on June 1 of each succeeding year.

Employees who are laid off after July 1 of the EBSA year in which the funds are available to Employees shall maintain access to the fund for the balance of that EBSA year.  Employees who are on an approved leave of absence after July 1 of the EBSA year in which the funds are available to Employees shall maintain access to the fund for the balance of that EBSA year.

Reimbursement will be provided by the Employer upon submission of an original receipt from the appropriate organization that has provided the service to the Regular Employee.  Receipts for professional licensing, medical expenses, tuition costs, or registration fees should indicate the purpose of the payment, the person for whom the payment was made, and the name of the person/organization that provided the service.

A Regular Employee who terminates employment voluntarily with this Employer and who, within three (3) months of termination, commences employment within the bargaining unit with this Employer shall have their EBSA maintained from where it was when they left the employ of this Employer.

Time off requested by a Regular Employee for professional development shall be in accordance with the provisions of Article 33 (Leaves of Absence). 

The EBSA shall be implemented and administered in accordance with the Income Tax Act and applicable regulations in effect at the time of implementation of the EBSA.