Alberta Precision Laboratories Collective Agreement 2024-2028

LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING #34

BETWEEN

ALBERTA PRECISION LABORATORIES
(hereinafter referred to as the Employer)

- and -

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

RE:  OPTIONAL PRIME TIME VACATION SELECTION PROCESS

The Parties agree that in an effort to give as many Employees as possible the ability to select vacation during prime times, an individual Patient Service Center (PSC), or department, as applicable, will conduct a vote in accordance with this Letter of Understanding.

Prior to the Employer posting a vacation planner in accordance with Article 21.05(e), a vote shall be conducted to implement this Letter of Understanding. Where a minimum of seventy-five percent (75%) of eligible Employees who cast a vote withing the PSC or department, as applicable, vote in favor, Article 21.05(c) will be modified for each prime-time period as follows:

1. Easter – fourteen (14) calendar day limit in the one (1) week before and one (1) week after Easter Sunday in each year.
2. Summer – twenty one (21) calendar day limit between June 15th and September 15th in each year.
3. Christmas – fourteen (14)  calendar day limit between December 15th in each year and January 2nd the following year. 
   1. If an Employee had their vacation request for any day off during the week encompassing Christmas Day approved in the previous year, then approval may not be granted in the current year.
   2. If an Employee had their vacation request for any day off during the week  encompassing New Year’s Day approved in the previous year, then approval may not be granted in the current year.
   3. For the purpose of (c)(i) and (ii) above, a week is defined as Sunday to Saturday.

The results of this vote shall be shared with the Employees and the Union within ten (10) days, exclusive of weekends and Named Holidays.

If there are more available time slots, as determined by the Employer, than there are requests for vacation during the defined prime times, the Employer may approve more than the maximums outlined above; otherwise, the maximums as outlined in 21.05(c) apply.
All other provisions of Article 21 remain in full effect.

This Letter of Understanding will expire September 30, 2028, or upon the date of ratification of the next Collective Agreement, whichever is later.