Alberta Health Services Collective Agreement 2020-2024

LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING #41

BETWEEN

ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES
(hereinafter referred to as the Employer)

- and -

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

RE: RURAL CAPACITY INVESTMENT FUND

In addition to the provisions outlined in this Collective Agreement, effective the date of ratification, the Employer agrees to implement a Rural Capacity Investment Fund (“the Fund”). The Fund will allocate $5.7 million per fiscal year for recruitment and retention incentives and for relocation assistance.

The Fund will be used to support initiatives aimed at addressing recruitment and retention
challenges experienced by sites/programs/positions deemed by the Parties to be “difficult to recruit to” in the North, Central, and South Zones.

“Difficult to recruit to” may be determined by indicators such as:

∙ high vacancy rates;
∙ vacancies that remain unfilled for longer than ninety (90) days;
∙ high turnover; or
∙ mutual agreement of the Parties.

All initiatives approved under the Fund will focus on producing a stable workforce and sustaining
that stability over the longer term. Funded initiatives may target new Employees, may focus on
site/program-specific concerns, or may address broader recruitment and retention challenges for
the Employer. The Parties agree that payment of recruitment and retention incentives or
reimbursement for relocation expenses under this Fund will be conditional upon completion of a
return-for-service agreement as agreed by the Parties.

The Parties agree that the recruitment and retention initiatives may vary, depending on the
identified needs.

Operation of the Fund

A Rural Capacity Investment Fund Committee (“the Committee”) shall be established within thirty
(30) days of ratification.

The Committee shall be comprised of 7 Employer and eight (8) Union representatives, representing North, Central and South Zones. One of the  eight (8) Union representatives shall be a member of the current bargaining committee as selected by the current bargaining committee. The Parties may mutually agree to add additional representatives as necessary. 

The Committee shall meet within sixty (60) days of ratification and thereafter on a quarterly basis until the end of the term of the Collective Agreement.

The purpose of these meetings is as follows:

• to share information on the sites/programs/positions the Parties deem to be “difficult to recruit to" based on the indicators listed above;
• to bring forward for consideration and discussion recruitment and retention initiatives;
• to assess the effectiveness of previous allocations of the Fund.

The Employer will endeavour to use the entire Fund within each fiscal year. 

At the end of the fiscal year, the Employer will provide the Committee with a breakdown of how the funds have been allocated in that fiscal year to address rural and remote recruitment and retention challenges in North, Central and South Zone.  

Administration of the Fund shall be in compliance with AHS Finance and Audit requirements.

This Letter of Understanding shall expire on March 31, 2024.