WCB – Alberta (Millard Health) Collective Agreement 2021-2024

Article 1: Definitions

In this Collective Agreement:

1. “Act” means The Public Service Employee Relations Act, R.S.A. 2000, c. P-43 as amended.
2. "Compulsory Interest Arbitration" and "Collective Agreement Arbitration" shall be determined and take meaning from the sections of the Act dealing with the resolution of a difference or dispute.
3. “Anniversary Date”, unless otherwise changed by the operation of the terms of this Collective Agreement, means the date that an Employee commenced employment as an Employee of the Workers’ Compensation Board.
4. “Basic Rate of Pay” means the rate specified in the salary scales set out in Article 28 to which an Employee is entitled as compensation for services rendered exclusive of all allowances and premium payments.
5. "Business Quarter" means a period of time as determined by the Employer equal to three (3) calendar months.
6. “Millard Health” means the facility located at:
   
   131 Airport Road
   Edmonton, AB
   T5G 0W6
   
   and any other location at which work is performed within the scope of Bargaining Certificate No. 1-81, issued by the Public Service Employee Relations Board.
    
7. “Employer” means the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) and its designate as required.
8. “Employee” means a person hired to perform functions of a paramedical technical and/or paramedical professional nature in a classification included herein, or who is included in the bargaining unit defined as “All Employees when employed in a paramedical technical and/or paramedical professional capacity” as certified by the Public Service Employee Relations Board, and whose employment is designated as:
   1. “Permanent Full-Time Employee”, one who has or will be required to complete the specified probation period in Article 11 and who is continuously employed on a regularly scheduled basis in accordance with Article 21; or
   2. “Permanent Part-Time Employee”, one who has or will be required to complete the specified probation period under Article 11 and who is continuously employed on a regularly scheduled basis. Permanent part-time Employees work fourteen (14) hours or more per week.
   3. “Long Term Temporary Employee” means one who is hired for a term longer than six (6) months as relief or for a special project of limited duration to a maximum of twenty four (24) months. Long Term Temporary Employee’s may be extended by mutual agreement between the Employer and the Union. Where possible, such extension requests shall be submitted to the Union in writing thirty (30) days prior to expiry. Such agreement shall not be unreasonably withheld. A Long Term Temporary Employee shall be covered by the terms and conditions of this Collective Agreement, except for the following:
      
              Article 18 (Layoff and Recall);
              Article 19 (Position Abolishment);
              Article 35 (Professional Development and Education Leave);
              Article 43 (Long Term Disability Plan);
              Article 45 (Group Life Insurance), except after completion of one (1) year of continuous service; and
              Article 46 (Pension Plan), except as required under the Public Service Pension Act.
       
   4. “Short Term Temporary Employee” means one who is hired for six (6) months or less as relief or for a special project of limited duration. A Short Term Temporary Employee shall be covered by the terms and conditions of this Collective Agreement, except for the following:
      
              Article 18 (Layoff and Recall);
              Article 19 (Position Abolishment);
              Article 28 (Salaries), except that 28.04 and 28.07 are applicable;
              Article 31 (Vacations), except that Article 31.09 is applicable;
              Article 33 (General Policies Covering Leaves of Absence), except that 
              Article 36 (Bereavement Leave) is applicable;
              Article 35 (Professional Development and Education Leave);
              Article 41 (Health Benefits);
              Article 42 (Sick Leave);
              Article 43 (Long Term Disability);
              Article 45 (Group Life Insurance);
              Article 46 (Pension Plan); and
              Article 51 (Seniority).
       

   5. “Casual Employee” means one who:

      1. is regularly scheduled for a period of three (3) months or less for a specific job, or
      2. relieves for absences the duration of which is three (3) months or less, or
      3. works on a call-in basis and is not regularly scheduled.

      No casual Employee shall be scheduled without their consent. A Casual Employee shall be covered by the terms and conditions of this Collective Agreement, except for the following:
      
              Article 11 (Probationary Period);
              Article 14 (Permanent Part-Time Employees);
              Article 18 (Layoff and Recall);
              Article 19 (Position Abolishment);
              Article 21 (Hours of Work for Full-Time Employees), except that Articles 21.03, 21.04, and 21.05 are applicable;
              Article 28 (Salaries), except that 28.04 and 28.07 are applicable;
              Article 31 (Vacations), except that Article 31.09 is applicable;
              Article 32 (Named Holidays), except that Article 32.06 is applicable;
              Article 33 (General Policies Covering Leaves of Absence);
              Article 35 (Professional Development and Education Leave);
              Article 41 (Health Benefits);
              Article 42 (Sick Leave);
              Article 43 (Long Term Disability Plan);
              Article 45 (Group Life Insurance);
              Article 46 (Pension Plan); and
              Article 51 (Seniority).

9. “Employer” shall also mean and include such Officers as may, from time to time, be appointed or designated by the Workers’ Compensation Board to carry out its administrative duties.
10. “Layoff" means a separation from employment with the potential for future recall.
11. “Month” is the period of time between the date in one month and the preceding date in the following month.
12. “Position Abolishment” means the permanent abolishment of an employment position.
13. “Red-Circling” means the Employee shall continue to receive his current salary in the higher paid classification until the salary of the lower paid classification passes his current salary.
14. “Seniority” is the measurement of the length of the period of employment and begins to accrue from the date the current period of continuous employment within the bargaining unit commenced.
15. “Gross Earnings” shall mean all monies earned by an Employee under the terms of this Collective Agreement.
16. “Shift” means a daily tour of duty exclusive of overtime hours.
17. “Vacation” means annual vacation with pay.
18. Throughout this Collective Agreement, a pronoun used applies to the gender spectrum. A word used in the singular applies also in the plural and vice versa.
19. “Time Periods” means periods of time referred to in days shall be deemed to mean such periods of time calculated on consecutive calendar days exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and Named Holidays specified in Article 32.
20. “Preceptor” shall mean an employee who is supervising, educating, or evaluating students.
21. “Union” means Health Sciences Association of Alberta.
22. “Local Unit Representative” means a Union Member and Employee of the Employer who has been appointed by the Local Unit.   
23. “Steward” means an Employee of the Employer designated by the Union to act as an Employee Representative in the administration of the Collective Agreement.