Alberta Health Services Collective Agreement 2024-2028

LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING #28

BETWEEN

ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES
(hereinafter referred to as the Employer)

- and -

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

RE: EDUCATIONAL ALLOWANCE FOR MENTAL HEALTH THERAPISTS 

1. Effective June 29, 2015, in addition to their hourly rate, Employees in the Main Body Salaries Appendix, the Supplementary Salary Schedule, Former Chinook Health Region, the Supplementary Salary Schedule, Former Aspen Regional Health, the Supplementary Salary Schedule and the Former Northern Lights Health Region of classification Mental Health Therapist with the following qualifications:

   1. Master's Degree in Social Work

   2. Master's Degree in Psychology

   3. Master's Degree in Nursing

   4. Masters Degree In Occupational Therapy

2. will be paid an Educational Allowance of $1.00/hour.

   (i) The Educational Allowance shall be payable only upon the Employee providing the Employer with satisfactory proof of the Master's Degree and that the Degree is from an accredited and recognized University.

   (ii)  Existing Employees who hold a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy shall have ninety (90) days from the date of ratification of the Collective Agreement to provide satisfactory proof as per 2(i) above in order to have the allowance retroactive to date of ratification. If satisfactory proof is not received within ninety (90) days of the date of ratification, the Educational Allowance shall be payable from the date it is received by the Employer.

3. New Employees shall have ninety (90) days from their date of hire to provide satisfactory proof as per 2(i) above in order to have the allowance retroactive to their date of hire. If satisfactory proof is not received within ninety (90) days of their date of hire, the Educational Allowance shall be payable from the date it is received by the Employer.

4. Basic Rate of Pay shall be deemed to be inclusive of Educational Allowance paid in accordance with this Letter of Understanding.

5. Those Employees who were classified as Psychologist I or Social Worker III's prior to the introduction of the new classification of Mental Health Therapist will continue to be paid at the Pay Grade 8 level and receive any economic adjustments as long as they continue to occupy their current Mental Health Therapist position.

6. This Letter of Understanding shall not apply to those Employees listed in Item 2 Local Conditions Applicable to South Zone.

This Letter of Understanding will expire March 31, 2028, or upon the date of ratification of the next Collective Agreement, whichever is later.