Each month, our Advocacy Committee answers your questions about the AD 10 policies (aka, your terms and conditions of employment.)

Hello. I'm Mike Peragine, chair of APSA's Advocacy Committee. I'm answering your question about the workload issues on behalf of the committee.

Questions? Submit them anonymously here. We will answer them in a future monthly advocacy corner issue. For an immediate answer, please contact us.

Is there a standardized process for exceptions to hiring during the hiring freeze? It seems arbitrary, as some departments have been allowed to hire and others cannot.

As an SFU employee, you have the right to clarity and fairness in workplace decisions, including hiring practices during a freeze. SFU has established a process for exceptions, as outlined in their Hiring Freeze FAQs. All exception requests go through a standardized review by the Vice-President, Finance and Administration, alongside senior leadership. This was put in place to try to ensure fairness and consistency across departments.

If you think the process is not being applied fairly or openly, you can ask for explanations and documentation. Employees should expect that exception decisions follow clear and consistent rules, not be made at random. If you have concerns, you can ask your department for more information, talk to APSA, or get advice on how to make sure things stay fair and accountable at work.

I’m a part-time employee, and I am short 2 vacation days. Can my manager and I work out a way to make up the hours informally, or should I request leave without pay for those days?

We're answering with the understanding that being “short two vacation days” means you need more time off than your part-time vacation allows. If this isn’t what you meant, please reach out to our team.

You can either make up the hours or take leave without pay. If you decide to request leave without pay, the steps are explained in AD policy 10.08 Leaves With and Without Pay.

If you and your supervisor agree that you can make up the hours, it’s a good idea to get that agreement in writing by email. If you feel pressured to do something else or have questions about your rights, please contact the APSA office. We are here to help.

 

You can always contact APSA to discuss your situation. Talking to APSA is 100% confidential.

Need an APSA advocate?  Call us at 778-782-4319.