Covenant Health Collective Agreement 2020-2024

LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING #10

BETWEEN

COVENANT HEALTH 
(hereinafter referred to as the Employer)

- and -

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

RE: FLEX HOURS

WHEREAS the Parties agree that for Employees in some disciplines, day-to-day flexibility around their start and end time provides the Employee with more control of the way their work is done and also increases their ability to provide responsive services to clients.

NOW THEREFORE the Parties agree as follows:

1. Employees may make a request to the Employer to implement flex-time arrangements. Such arrangement will be implemented by mutual agreement of the Employer and the Employee.

2. Flex-time arrangements are appropriate only where operations do not require routine and standardized hours of work.

3. Employees working flex-time are not expected to waive their overtime rights under the Collective Agreement.

4. Each Employee is responsible for monitoring their own hours to ensure they are not in an overtime situation.

5. When an Employee approaches their manager to request a flex-time arrangement, the Employee and the manager must develop a flex-time agreement that includes the following components, where applicable:

   1. Who is covered by the Collective Agreement;

   2. The threshold that will be in effect with respect to payment of overtime. Options for thresholds are as follows:

      1. daily thresholds whereby hours worked between seven point seven five (7.75) and _____ hours are paid at straight time; or

      2. weekly thresholds whereby hours worked between thirty-eight point seven five (38.75) and _____ hours in a week are paid at straight time; or

      3. an alternate time period not exceeding six (6) weeks;

   3. The maximum flex-time bank that can be accumulated under the arrangement;

   4. The application of shift differential and weekend premium;

   5. The process for scheduling time off in lieu for banked time and the payout of remaining banked time when the flex-time arrangement is terminated;

   6. How the flex-time agreement is terminated; and

   7. The notice time required for the agreement to be terminated by either Party.

6. Flex-time agreements shall be provided to the Employer and to the Union prior to implementation.

7. Flex-time arrangements should be periodically reviewed by the Parties.

8. Evaluation
   The Joint Committee agrees to review and amend the Joint Guidelines on Staffing Initiatives no later than one hundred and twenty (120) days following ratification of the Collective Agreement.

This Letter of Understanding will expire March 31, 2024, or upon the date of ratification of the next Collective Agreement, whichever is later.