Steps to follow for submitting leave with pay for labour relations matters (PIPSC - SH, RE, AV, NR, SP)

  1. The Institute National Office provides an electronic letter to the member authorizing his/her participation in a union activity for which leave with pay must be requested under the following clauses of the collective agreements:

    • SH : 30.02, 30.10, 30.11, 30.13, 30.14(a),
    • RE : 32.02, 32.10, 32.11, 32.13, 32.14(a),
    • AV : 30.02, 30.10, 30.11, 30.13, 30.14(a),
    • NR : 31.02, 31.10, 31.11, 31.13, 31.14(a),
    • SP : 31.02, 31.10, 31.11, 31.13, 31.14(a).

    The union authorization letter must contain:

    • full contact coordinate and invoicing information from the Institute,
    • some letters will indicate a union identifier code for invoicing purposes.

  2. The employee enters the leave request in the system myEMS (PeopleSoft) using code Other Paid - Union Cost-Recovery (641) and submits the electronic copy of the union authorization letter to his/her delegated manager.

    Warning

    Do not use the code Other Paid-Union (640), but use the code Other Paid - Union Cost-Recovery (641).

    In the comments box, the employee indicates:

    • the union activity for which the leave is requested,
    • the applicable clause of the collective agreement, being the above cited clauses,
    • if there is one, the union identifier code provided by the Institute on the union authorization letter.

  3. The delegated manager reviews for accuracy and eligibility of the leave request and the union authorization letter by verifying:

    • he/she holds the required level of delegation for approving the leave as per the Table of Human Resources Authorities (DOCX, 439 KB),
    • the activity is in accordance with the parameters of the collective agreement (some of these clauses remain subject to operational requirements).

    Important

    As stipulated in the collective agreements (SH, RE, NR and SP), Article 2, “leave” means authorized absence from duty (« congé »).

    In the collective agreement (AV), Article 2, “leave” means authorized absence from duty by an employee during his or her regular or normal hours of work.

    It is therefore important to verify that the dates and number of hours of the leave correspond to the union authorization letter, but also to the employee’s working hours.

    Also, ensure that the Other Paid-Union Cost-Recovery (641) code is used when entering leave in PeopleSoft.

  4. The delegated manager approves or refuses leave in the leave system.

    If the leave request is approved, the manager sends the union authorization letter to Labour Relations via the Human Resources Service Centre using the “General HR Enquiry Form”. Choose the category “Leave” and the subcategory “Union business”.

    Warning

    The letter must be sent at the same time as the approval of the leave.

    Important

    Employee on Secondment: When an employee is on secondment with ESDC, the form GC-178 must be used. The same information that is included in the comment box of the myEMS (PeopleSoft) (see item 2) must be entered on the form. Once completed and approved, the manager sends the union authorization letter and the form GC-178 to Labour Relations via the Human Resources Service Centre. The employee will be required to have his leave request entered by his/her home department.

    Other situations: In other cases where the employee cannot enter the leave request into the system, such as a transfer of an employment file from another department that has not yet been completed, form GC-178 must be used. The same information included in the comment box of the maSGE system (see item 2) must be entered in the form. Once completed and approved, the manager sends the union authorization letter and the form GC-178 to Labour Relations via the Human Resources Service Centre. The employee will be required to enter its leave request into the myEMS system when he/she has access.

New: Leave request in excess of three (3) months

Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between PIPSC and the Treasury Board Secretariat on August 30, 2019:

  • The recoverable paid leave for union business is for a total cumulative maximum period of three (3) months per fiscal year.
  • Leave with pay in excess of the total cumulative maximum period of three (3) months per fiscal year may be granted under the above-noted clauses and paragraph in reasonably limited circumstances. Under no circumstances will leave with pay under the above-noted clause and paragraph be granted for any single consecutive period exceeding three (3) months; or for cumulative periods exceeding six (6) months in a twelve (12) month period.

    Procedure to request leave in excess of three (3) months

    • Should a leave with pay in excess of three (3) months be approved, form GC-178 must be used and the same information included in the comment box of the maSGE system (see item 2) must be entered in the form. Once completed and approved, the manager sends the union authorization letter and the form GC-178 to Labour Relations via the Human Resources Service Center as stipulated in item 4 above.
  • Should an employee be denied extended leave with pay exceeding three (3) cumulative months or a single consecutive three (3) month period within a fiscal year and the employee’s leave is otherwise approved pursuant to the relevant clauses and paragraph in Article 30, they shall take the leave as leave without pay.

If you have questions or need advice from Labour Relations, please submit a request for services to the Human Resources Service Centre.