Reduction of Working Time
Work and Family Provisions in Canadian Collective Agreements
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D. Reduction of Working Time
One of the main challenges facing working parents, and in particular those in the "sandwich generation,"1 is the lack of disposable time for family responsibilities, leisure activities and personal development. Various types of workplace practices covered by collective agreement clauses allow employees to reduce the amount of time they spend at work. The most common is of course part-time work. But more innovative provisions such as partial leave, gradual retirement and job sharing also exist in a number of agreements.
Part-time Work
Many employees prefer part-time work to regular full-time positions. Indeed, part-time arrangements, including "reduced time appointments," can help employees balance their work and family responsibilities. They can also allow people with health problems, disabilities or limited disposable time (e.g. students) to participate in the labour force, develop their skills and obtain work experience. Finally, they can facilitate re-entry into the workforce for those who have had career breaks - particularly mothers (or fathers) who have stayed at home to raise their children - or provide a gradual exit for employees nearing retirement.
From the employer's point of view, the use of part-time workers, where feasible, can help maximize the use of human resources and increase operational flexibility, by providing additional coverage during peak periods.
On the other hand, an increased proportion of part-time jobs may be contrary to unions’ objectives for maintaining or increasing the number of full-time positions. Part-time employment can also be considered unsatisfactory for those employees who would prefer working longer hours to increase their income, thereby ensuring a higher standard of living for their families. In this sense, part-time work, when it is analogous to "underemployment," should not be considered a family-friendly practice. One method of assuaging these concerns is to include ratio clauses limiting the proportion of part-time jobs compared to the overall level of employment.
| (09069) | The total number of employees scheduled to work reduced-time shifts under the provisions of this Article shall not exceed thirty percent (30%) of the total number of employees covered by this Agreement... |
Of particular interest are agreements that facilitate a voluntary transfer from full-time to part-time status, sometimes termed a "reduced time appointment."
| (10839) | After reaching an agreement with his/her immediate superior and subject to operational requirements, a professional may work a part-time schedule. [translation] |
Generally speaking, better part-time work provisions from an employee’s perspective are those that give prorated pay, offer continued access to benefits and allow an employee’s seniority ranking and service to be maintained.
| (04411) | When a full time employee changes his status to a part time employee, he shall receive credits of two times (2x) his previous level on the full time wage progression schedule solely for the purpose of determining his level on the part time wage progression schedule. |
| (04085) | An employee will receive a full year credit for seniority purposes regardless of the number of hours worked during the year. |
| (10344) | All part-time employees who have eighteen (18) months or more of service and who are regularly scheduled for more than twenty (20) hours per week, shall be eligible for the benefits program. |
| (10460) | [Clerical regular part-time] employees are entitled to receive the same or pro-rated benefits of a regular Full-time employee. |
| (05254) | A member granted a reduced-time appointment who is a participant in the Employer benefit plans shall continue to participate in the plans. The Employer's contributions shall be based on the nominal salary. Coverage in the university pension plan, the life insurance plan, and the long term disability plan shall be based on the nominal salary of the member. Should the member be a contributing member of the pension plan, the member's contributions shall be based on the member's nominal salary. For the purposes of computing credited service in pension calculations, a member on reduced-time appointment shall receive credit as if employed on a full-time basis. |
Some agreements also make it possible to revert to a full-time position, although this may be subject to a number of conditions.
| (05254) | A member granted reduced-time appointment may return to full-time service within the first five (5) years following the effective starting date of the member's reduced-time appointment provided the member gives twelve (12) months prior notice to the appropriate Vice-Rector of the intention to do so. |
| (10839) | The professional or his/her immediate superior may terminate the part-time work arrangement on thirty (30) days’ notice. In this case, the professional must return to the regular schedule (...), unless the parties reach an agreement on any other schedule. [translation] |
| (04276) | If hours up to the stated restriction are not available, the employee shall have the option of returning to full-time status, commencing with the next posted work schedule. This option shall also apply to members who after their reduction are faced with serious unforeseen circumstances such as the death of a spouse, financial difficulty, etc. |
Partial Leave (Leave for Less than Full-Time Work)
A few agreements contain clauses and letters of understanding providing employees with the opportunity to request partial leave whereby they can work a reduced time schedule. These provisions are known under a variety of names, depending on the contract: "partial leave," "leave for less than full-time work," "variable working hours," etc. These provisions differ from transfers to part-time positions in that they are temporary, with a defined duration, and that employees maintain their full-time status. Conditions usually include a minimum length of service and management acquiescence.
| (09277) | With the deputy minister’s agreement, employees can also obtain partial leave without pay in order to reduce their work week temporarily, to a minimum of fourteen (14) hours (...). The maximum duration of such leave shall be two (2) years, unless a new agreement is reached before the first agreement expires. [translation] |
| (06587) | An employee with a minimum of five (5) years of service may, once every ten years, apply to work less than full-time for up to two consecutive years. (...) Consideration of any requests will be subject to operational demands, including but not limited to, training and field programs. (...) The employee must work a minimum of forty (40) hours during a two-week averaging period, scheduled at the local level and will be eligible for benefits [on a pro-rata basis] (...) Should the employee wish to return to full-time work prior to the agreed upon date the employer will endeavor to accommodate this request. |
| (06122) | The parties agree that upon written application from a permanent employee, through his/her local union representative, an employee may be allowed to reduce his/her hours of work by any variation between 20% and 50% and continue to retain and accrue the rights available to Part 1 employees on a pro rata basis(...). These assignments are subject to the approval of the permanent head or his designate. (...) The variable hours of work will be for a minimum of three (3) months, to a maximum of twelve (12) months, subject to an approved renewal between the three (3) parties. The employee, through his union, or the employer, by notice to the union and the employee, may cancel the variable hours of work arrangement by providing thirty (30) days notice. At the conclusion of the variable hours of work assignment, the employee will return to his normal full-time pattern. |
Gradual Retirement
An increasing number of collective agreements now include provisions regarding phased or gradual retirement. These allow older employees, usually with long service records, to progressively reduce their working time and workload over a period of time instead of abruptly shifting from full-time employment to retirement.
From the employer's point of view, phased retirement programs can be useful in retaining skilled older employees who would otherwise retire (especially in sectors where there is a shortage of entry-level job applicants), in reducing labour costs, or in arranging the training of replacement employees. Gradual retirement also allows employers to plan attrition and to a certain extent maintain employee morale when a company restructures its operations.
Gradual retirement can also be beneficial for older workers, not only in easing the transition to retirement, but also in balancing their work and family responsibilities, particularly if they must care for an ageing spouse or elderly relative(s).
| (05254) | A member who is at least fifty-five (55) years of age may choose to retire gradually over a period not to exceed three (3) years, such that full retirement will occur no later than the June 1st following age sixty-five (65). (...) At the start of gradual retirement, the Employer shall reduce the member’s workload normally on the basis of seventy-five percent (75%) of a full workload in the first year, to fifty percent (50%) of a full workload in the second year, and to twenty-five percent (25%) of a full workload in the third and final year, without reduction in salary. In the third year only, the member may request to have no workload assigned for a fifty percent (50%) reduction in nominal salary. In this latter case, a member who is a participant in the university benefit plans shall continue to participate in the plans. The Employer’s contributions shall be based on full nominal salary and coverage in the university pension plan, the life insurance plan and the long term disability plan shall be based on the full nominal salary of the member. Should the member be a contributing member, the member’s contributions shall be based on full nominal salary. |
| (05254) | Any member aged fifty-five (55) years or over with ten (10) or more years of service shall be eligible for a special reduced-time arrangement whereby the member's duties and responsibilities are reduced up to fifty percent (50%) each year for a maximum of five (5) years leading to retirement. The annual workload reduction agreed to at the time the arrangement is approved shall be a percentage reduction from the annual workload assignment. (...) A member who enters into a special reduced-time arrangement shall have a nominal salary computed as if the member were continuing on full-time status. All relevant salary increments shall be applied to the nominal salary. The actual salary paid to the member shall be pro-rated from the nominal salary in direct relation to the approved percentage of reduced duties for the reduced-time arrangement. Should the reduction in duties be fifty percent (50%) the member shall be paid an additional one and one-half percent (1.5%) of the said nominal salary for each year of full-time service at the university in excess of ten (10) years up to twenty (20) years of full-time service, to produce an actual salary not exceeding sixty-five percent (65%) of the nominal salary. |
| (06704) | Subject to the deputy minister’s approval, [an employee can opt for] gradual retirement. Gradual retirement is characterized by the fact that, for a maximum of three (3) years immediately before the employee’s full and permanent retirement, the employee can work part-time, with a preset schedule and working conditions applicable to part-time employees. It is agreed that gradual retirement may involve a decreasing number of hours worked per week, to a minimum of fourteen (14). During this period, the number of hours in the employee’s new work week becomes his/her guaranteed work week. For pension purposes, there is full recognition of service for the duration of the gradual retirement.
The cost of this measure is shared equally by the employer and the employee participating in the program. [translation] |
Although employees must usually agree to retire at the end of a defined period of time as a condition for participating in a phased-in retirement program, one provision allows participants to effectively terminate their participation in the program. Thus, soon-to-be-retirees can opt out of the program to take advantage of a better employment opportunity within the firm, or to return to a regular position. This offers a form of protection to employees who may re-evaluate their decisions due to a change in their personal circumstances (e.g. financial hardship, loss of a spouse) or because they wish to benefit from a firm’s growth or increased profits (i.e. through profit sharing).
| (02135) | An employee who is eligible for pension or will be eligible within the next twenty-four months may request to participate on a voluntary basis in the pre-retirement program. After a period of twenty-four months, he shall proceed on a pension. The Company will not refuse such requests without valid reason and will inform the Union when employees proceed on this program.
The employee will be requested to work three (3) or more regular work days per week and will have such work days scheduled two (2) weeks in advance. For the duration of the program, continuous service will be accumulated as if the employee was working regular hours. An employee who is selected for a job vacancy must terminate his participation in the pre-retirement program. The employee must notify his immediate manager if he wishes to terminate his participation in the program. He will be re-instated within three (3) weeks of such request to his former job or exercise his bumping rights in accordance with article 12. |
Job Sharing
Job sharing is an arrangement which allows two (or sometimes more) employees to jointly fill one full-time job, with responsibilities and working time shared or divided between them. Job sharing may be appropriate where opportunities for part-time jobs or other arrangements are limited, or when a job needs to be filled on a full-time basis. They can also alleviate the concerns of some unions that may oppose the permanent conversion of regular full-time positions to part-time jobs.
The following graph reveals that the percentage (%) of major collective agreements containing job sharing clauses has increased slightly in the decade spanning 1988 to 1998.
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Some agreements include language explaining the specific purpose of job sharing arrangements:
| (07219) | The City of Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Police Association jointly affirm that programs that encourage employees to retain their employment with the City of Winnipeg, particularly during the periods of time associated with child bearing/child rearing years, are of mutual benefit. |
| (07213) | Job Sharing provides a systematic method of restructuring full-time work in order to accommodate the particular needs of employees (these include child care and further education) and provides the organization with an opportunity to retain skilled employees who might otherwise be forced to resign from their jobs. |
Apart from the obvious advantage of allowing employees more time for other commitments, including family responsibilities, job sharing also facilitates the development of partnerships, where job sharers can learn from each other while providing mutual support. It can benefit employers as well by improving staff retention, increasing productivity and combining a wider range of skills and experience in a single job. In some cases, such an arrangement can also provide additional coverage during busy periods, while ensuring continuity of coverage when one partner is on sick leave or holidays.
Moreover, compared to a transfer to part-time work or other measures to reduce working time, a number of job sharing agreements - albeit not all of them - allow employees to maintain their classification as full-time employees, thereby preserving their status and, sometimes, the associated employment benefits. The temporary nature of many job sharing arrangements also makes it easier for employees to revert to a full-time schedule, should they wish to do so at a later time.
Agreements on general job sharing frameworks
Some employers and unions have agreed to general frameworks regarding the establishment of job sharing arrangements, but have left specific details to be determined.
| (09133) | If the Hospital and the Association agree to a job sharing arrangement, the introduction or discontinuance of such job sharing arrangements will be determined locally. |
Eligibility
At least one agreement establishes a direct link between job sharing and the balancing of family responsibilities in determining eligibility.
| (07197) | The Board and the Association agree that Job Share provisions apply to full-time members with family care needs. |
In most cases, participation in job sharing arrangements is limited to qualified regular full-time employees with satisfactory job performance. However, part-time employees may sometimes also be eligible as partners of full-time employees initiating a job sharing arrangement.
| (04600) | All employees in full-time positions are eligible to request a job share arrangement for their position provided they have satisfactory job performance. |
| (05102) | Job sharing arrangements are available to regular Union members only. Casual employees and new applicants are not eligible to participate. |
| (04594) | All non-probationary Employees in permanent full-time positions are eligible to initiate a job-share arrangement of their position, provided they have satisfactory job performance. Part-time Employees may participate as partners in a job-share arrangement but cannot initiate the job share. Employees may voluntarily demote into a job-share arrangement provided they have completed a probationary period in the job-share position. |
| (06153) | The recommended partner(s) outlined in the job sharing proposal must be:
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Agreements can also include limits on the number of job sharing arrangements.
| (04597) | [J]ob sharing arrangements (...) shall not exceed 10% of the current full-time regular complement of employees in any given Department unless otherwise agreed to by the Union. |
| (04594) | At no time shall the total number of job-share arrangements exceed five (5%) percent of the total full-time positions in the Corporation. Departmental limits may be required to meet operational needs. |
| (06287) | Job sharing will be limited to one (1) bargaining unit position per team or supervisor unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. |
| (05102) | The number of participants in any one twelve month period is not to exceed twenty (20). |
All job sharing agreements studied are voluntary and are to be initiated by employees. They must nevertheless be approved by the employer (usually a supervisor and/or the head of a department) and often, but not always, by the union as well. Contract language is sometimes included to limit arbitrary refusals.
| (05102) | An employee who wishes to enter into a job sharing arrangement must request approval of the proposal from his supervisor. Such requests shall not be unreasonably withheld. |
| (04594) | Requests for job sharing will not be unreasonably denied by the department Supervisor or Manager. All job-sharing arrangements are subject to approval of both Management and Union. |
| (04129) | Subject to operational efficiency, requests for job sharing shall not be unreasonably declined by the employer. |
Selection of partners
Considering the need to foster a good working relationship between job sharing partners, particularly in the case of long-term arrangements, clauses have been added to some agreements to ensure the employee(s) initiating a job sharing request participate in the selection of their partner(s). This is most often done by stipulating that the employee initiating a job sharing request is responsible for finding a partner, or that a request must be jointly submitted by prospective partners.
| (04085) | An employee wishing to participate in the Program is responsible for finding a suitable partner who is willing to share the job. If a partner cannot be found internally, the Human Resources Division will provide assistance in finding a partner. |
| (08654) | Regular employees wanting to job share may request the supervisor to consider a proposal for a job sharing arrangement. In making a submission it is important that both employees realize they are entering a partnership. |
Where a job sharing partner is to be chosen by posting a position, the employee initiating the arrangement may in some instances be directly involved in the selection process. This may give the employee a chance to find a compatible partner or, at the very least, to veto the selection of an undesirable job sharer.
| (05102) | The sharer and the supervisor will have the opportunity to interview the senior qualified candidate of the job posting. The sharer will have the option of requesting a cancellation of the staffing process at any point up until the offer of employment is made to the candidate. |
| (04594) | Partnerships shall be mutually agreed and no partner appointed against the wishes of the initiating Employee. |
| (04600) | Job share partnerships must be mutually agreed to by the partners and the department manager. |
Duration
A number of provisions specify the minimum and maximum duration of job sharing arrangements. A minimum duration is usually included to ensure job sharing requests are seriously considered and that they involve a commitment by prospective sharers/partners. They can also help minimize operational problems that could result from frequent changes in employee status. A maximum duration, albeit usually renewable, is often negotiated by unions to guarantee that the position remains classified as full-time. A fixed duration, when accompanied by the right to return to a full-time job, can also encourage employees who only seek a temporary reduction in their hours of work (e.g. employees who wish to spend time with their preschool children) to take advantage of a job sharing arrangement.
| (05102) | Job sharing arrangements will normally not exceed a maximum of one twelve month period. |
| (04604) | Teachers whose applications for position sharing are approved by the School Board shall return to their full-time position at the expiry of the school year for which the sharing arrangement has been established unless:
(a) the parties involved agree that it continue (...) |
| (06287) | Job sharing request will only be considered if the employees who make the request commit to the job sharing position for a minimum of six (6) months. |
| (05126) | Each job sharing arrangement will be established for a specific period, subject to extension by mutual agreement, with the employees involved reverting to their previous hours, status and previous or equivalent position upon its conclusion. |
Many job sharing provisions found in major Canadian collective agreements are for an undefined/indeterminate period. However, this does not imply that they are permanent. The vast majority of agreements enable the employer, and usually the employees involved and/or their union, to cancel a job sharing arrangement, provided advance notice is given.
| (04594) | If either one of the partners or the Corporation wishes to terminate the job-share arrangement, the parties will be provided with thirty (30) days’ notice of termination. |
| (05126) | Either the Board or the Union may cancel the arrangement in writing, with a minimum of twenty (20) working days notice, provided that upon doing so the job sharing arrangement will continue until the end of the school year. |
| (04499) | Job sharing will be at the discretion of the Department Manager and the Human Resources Manager and if any problems arise, the Department Manager and the Human Resources Manager can take the necessary steps to alter or cease the arrangement in whole or in part. Thirty days notice of such termination will be given. |
| (04129) | If the job sharing arrangement is terminated by the employer, thirty (30) days written notice must be given to the affected employees with a copy to the union. |
An appeal mechanism that somewhat limits unilateral management termination of job sharing arrangements appears in one collective agreement. But in this example, the employer, who has representatives on the monitoring committee, can still ultimately decide whether or not a job sharing arrangement is to be terminated.
| (04594) | During the experiment phase, the Corporation can terminate a job-share arrangement on sixty (60) days’ notice for unsatisfactory performance. The Employees involved shall have the right to appeal the decision to the monitoring committee within fifteen (15) days of the notice being given. The monitoring committee will respond within ten (10) days and if they do not have a consensus decision, the Vice President, Human Resources shall make the final decision. |
In at least one case, the employer’s right to terminate a job sharing arrangement is circumscribed to bona fide operational reasons.
| (06153) | Ministries may terminate a job sharing arrangement with reference being given to relevant provisions of the collective agreement. Such action should be limited to bona fide operational reasons after prior consultation with Public Service Employee Relations Commission (PSERC). |
Termination of job sharing arrangements: impact on employees
An important issue is how to deal with the remaining employee(s) should a job sharing arrangement be terminated. This has been addressed in many collective agreements by establishing specific mechanisms, some of which provide better job protection than others.
From the point of view of employees, one of the best forms of protection is when they are guaranteed the same position or one equivalent to the position they held prior to the job sharing arrangement. But this is not always feasible, and some agreements explicitly state that job sharing employees must relinquish "any rights to any previous position held" (04600).
Two possible scenarios are usually considered in contracts when dealing with the termination of a job sharing arrangement. The first scenario is when both (or all) partners still remain after an arrangement is cancelled.
| (05102) | At the end of the job sharing arrangement the shared position will revert back to the incumbent of the position. The sharee will return to his former position. |
| (03108) | If the partners wish to cancel the job sharing arrangement, the partner who is senior in service seniority shall take the position full-time: the other partner may apply for another position, elect casual status or resign. |
| (06153) | The Ministry will endeavour to find alternative employment for the job sharing partners if either wishes to terminate the agreement; however, the onus is on the employee to seek alternative employment if he/she no longer wishes to job share. |
| (04594) | If the job-share arrangement is terminated at the annual review, and both incumbents were previously full-time Employees, the position shall be offered to the most senior Employee on a full-time basis without posting the position.
The remaining partner shall be guaranteed the same hours, classification, and geographic location as the job-share arrangement for a period of six (6) months. Following this, the Employee may be placed in the first full-time vacancy, in the same classification, that occurs in the same geographic location. |
A second scenario is when one of the partners withdraws from a job sharing arrangement following a termination, promotion, transfer, demotion, retirement, resignation, long-term disability, etc. Such a situation is usually dealt with by offering the position to the remaining partner on a full-time basis or by finding a new partner. However, complications may arise if the remaining employee is unable or unwilling to fill the position on a full-time basis and no new partner can be found.
| (06153) | Upon termination of the job sharing arrangement by either partner, the remaining partner may request to fill the position on a full-time basis or may submit a new job sharing proposal. |
| (04597) | In the event that one of the employees in a job sharing arrangement can no longer fulfill their obligation as a job share employee and where the Corporation and the remaining job share employee wish the position to continue as a job share position the position will be dealt with in the following manner:
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Trial period
Considering the potential consequences of long-term job sharing arrangements on employees’ income, job satisfaction and sense of economic security, some agreements provide for a trial period. This helps employees make an informed decision before agreeing to a long-term commitment, while giving employers a chance to examine the impact on operations of specific arrangements.
| (03108) | Any agreement for job sharing shall be conducted on a trial basis for six months. During this period, the arrangement may be cancelled at any time and both employees shall revert to their former positions. |
| (04594) | The partners to a job-share arrangement shall have a minimum trial period of three (3) months. If either of the partners or the Corporation find the job-share arrangement is not satisfactory after the three (3) months, they shall give thirty (30) days’ notice of the termination of the job-share arrangement. Each partner would then revert to their former position. |
Distribution of time and workload
An important issue for both employees and employers is the distribution of working time and total workload between job sharers. Although this is usually determined by the employer, some unions have negotiated contract language stating that employees are to be involved in the decision-making process.
| (06287) | Hours and days of work and specifics of job duties will be as established by the Supervisor in accordance with service needs from time to time. |
| (05102) | The time distribution will be mutually determined by the supervisor and the sharer. |
| (05102) | The distribution of work load of the shared position will be mutually agreed to by the sharer, the sharee and the supervisor. |
| (04594) | The job-share partners shall determine their hours of work subject to the approval of Management. |
Nevertheless, there may be additional guidelines setting minimum conditions and requirements regarding working time for each partner.
| (04594) | (...) neither of the partners in a job-share arrangement shall work less than forty (40%) percent of the normal scheduled hours of work of the full time position.
Work time shall be scheduled from Monday to Friday with no more than a combined eight (8) hours in any one-day and a combined seventy-two (72) hours in a two (2) week period. Each partner shall receive at least three (3) consecutive days off in every two- (2) week period. |
Some agreements also stipulate that the total workload for a position is to be maintained, irrespective of whether it is filled by one employee or shared.
| (05102) | The Board agrees not to increase the work load of the position because of the introduction of job sharing. |
| (04595) | A Job Share (...) is not intended to increase or decrease work load in a position. In establishing an arrangement, it is expected that the regular workload for the position will be maintained. |
Impact on pay, seniority and benefits
Employees in job sharing arrangements are paid for the hours they work, either on the basis of hourly wages or by means of a prorated salary. However, the consequences of job sharing on seniority accrual and benefits vary depending on the collective agreement.
Although seniority accrual is typically prorated for job sharers (i.e. based on hours/days worked instead of calendar years in the employer’s service), some agreements allow seniority accrual at the same rate as for full-time work. This is of course an incentive for young parents or other employees who may wish to reduce their hours of work but who would hesitate to do so if it could lead, in the long term, to a lower seniority ranking and, hence, to less job security.
| (04085) | An employee in the job share program will receive a full year credit for seniority purposes regardless of the number of hours worked during the year. |
In most job sharing agreements, benefits (including pensions and vacations) are either prorated, or are calculated on the basis of part-time employment status. In a few instances, full fringe benefits are available, but employees must agree to pay a portion of the employer’s premiums (once again, usually on a prorata basis). Other systems exist whereby job sharing employees have access to the same fringe benefits as full-time employees, but have upper limits placed on the amount of annual coverage, or additional deductibles. This is sometimes done by offering only singles’ benefits, with no coverage for family members.
| (04600) | [L]eave [with pay] will be on a prorated basis calculated by multiplying the number of days the employee would qualify for by the prorating factor. |
| (06153) | Benefits granted job sharing partners are in accordance with those approved for part-time employees. Most benefits are prorated based on the number of hours the employee works, except for the following benefits which are paid in full to both partners: basic medical insurance (MSP), extended health care plan, dental plan and air travel insurance. |
| (07197) | If a job share member elects to participate in the Extended Health Care and Dental Plans, then the member and the Board shall each pay 50% of the cost of the applicable monthly premium. |
| (04499) | [J]ob share employees who have reached (2000) hours of accumulated service shall be eligible for single coverage of basic dental services with no coverage for spouses or dependents. |
Although relatively uncommon, unions and employers have sometimes negotiated full fringe benefits for job sharing partners. Nonetheless, this usually does not apply to sick leave and vacations.
| (04085) | Benefits [Long Term Disability, Health Care and Dental Care benefits] will be the same as for full-time employees. Costs will not be pro-rated. |
| (03108) | Employees job sharing are entitled to coverage in the Dental Plan.2 |
| (05093) | Fringe benefits will be maintained at the current rate. |
Replacement of absent partner
One of the benefits of job sharing for a number of employers is the possibility of providing continuous coverage should one of the partners be absent for health or other reasons. Many agreements therefore require job sharing partners to extend their hours of work to fill the position on a full-time basis when necessary.
| (04499) | If required, at the discretion of the manager, an employee who is an incumbent in a job sharing arrangement will fill the position on a full-time basis at any time the other incumbent is to (sic) available, i.e. vacation, illness, leave of absence, injury. |
| (04085) | Where one partner is absent due to maternity/adoption leave or an extended period of short term sick leave, the remaining partner will fill the position on a full time basis for the duration of the absence. The Corporation agrees to provide the remaining partner with ten calendar days’ notice of the requirement to fill the position on a full time basis. |
In other agreements, a job sharing employee can be asked to replace an absent partner, but with the decision remaining voluntary. Such a clause is usually negotiated by unions to protect those members who could have difficulty increasing their hours of work, owing to family responsibilities or other obligations.
| (04597) | Where an employee in a job share arrangement is absent from work for any reason the Corporation shall first offer the work to the remaining job share employee during the period of said absence. In such instances the extra hours worked (up to the equivalent of a full-time position) will be paid at straight time rates. The job share employee will retain her/his status as a part-time regular employee for the duration of the partner’s absence. Where the remaining job share employee declines to accept the work so offered the Corporation may proceed to fill the vacancy with a part-time temporary employee. |
An innovative clause also allows multiple job share partners to cover each other’s absences. This can provide employees more flexibility while providing the employer with a pool of replacement employees for contingencies.
| (04129) | Multiple job share partners working in a department may elect to work additional hours to their normal job share scheduled, in order to cover off an absence from work of another job share employee. Such hours must be approved by the Department Manager and must not, when totaled with all other job share hours in the department, exceed the total number of job share hours allotted to job share arrangements working in that department. |
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1 The term "sandwich generation" refers to people (most often women) providing support to elderly family members while still having dependent children at home. resume
2 This also applies to the Medical Plan, Extended Health Plan, Group Life Insurance and Special Leaves. resume