Each month, the Advocacy Committee answers your questions about the AD 10 policies (aka, your terms and conditions of employment.)
Hello, I’m Tracey Ferris, APSA’s Members Services Officer and an advocate on our Advocacy Committee. I’m answering your questions related to our AD 10 policies. Questions? Submit them anonymously here. These questions will be answered in a monthly issue of Advocacy Corner. For an immediate response, please contact us.
I saw that as of March 21st, BC’s Shared Recovery Mandate triggered the 3% Cost of Living Adjustment. Are we, therefore, expecting a 3% increase to the APSA salary scale in July 2024? I’m having trouble understanding the wording of the 2023 MOA. Thanks!
Yes! APSA members can expect a 3% increase in their salary scale in July 2024.
As the Shared Recovery Mandate Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was agreed upon in August 2023, it was based on the potential for the salary scale to increase to a maximum of 3% in July 2024 - the third year of the Shared Recovery Mandate of 2022. This 3% maximum was based on a guaranteed 2% General Wage Increase and the potential for a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) of up to 1% maximum, based on the BC Consumer Price Index. According to PSEC, on March 19, 2024, the maximum of 3% was triggered, so you can expect a 3% salary increase in July 2024.
Is there a place where overtime compensation rules for APSA staff are stated? In particular, when is overtime counted as time-and-a-half and when is it doubled time?
Following APSA’s lengthy grievance with SFU regarding policy AD 10.13 on work schedules, including hours of work and overtime, SFU acknowledged that the policy was in contravention of the Employment Standards Act (ESA). This policy is yet to be renegotiated with SFU and will be updated accordingly. SFU, however, has agreed to comply with the ESA.
Regarding overtime pay, the APSA members’ standard work hours are 7.2 hours a day and 36 hours a week.
Daily Overtime Pay:
- Daily OT is paid at time and a half if an employee works more than 7.2 hours in a day, up to and including 12 hours a day.
- Daily OT is paid at double if an employee works more than 12 hours a day.
- This applies even if the employee works less than 36 hours a week.
Weekly Overtime Pay:
- Weekly OT is paid at time and a half if an employee works more than 36 hours a week
Pay on Stat Holidays:
- Work scheduled on a stat holiday should be calculated as an average day’s pay plus time and a half. This is called premium pay, and overtime pay is not accrued over and above this.
Rest:
- Employees should have 32 hours of continuous rest each week. In rare circumstances, if an employee is scheduled to work during their rest hours, this should be paid at time and a half. This is premium pay, and overtime pay is not paid over and above this for the same hours worked.
Note: Managers with significant managerial authority are excluded from certain sections of the ESA regarding work hours, overtime pay, and stat holiday pay. For the purposes of the ESA, an employee’s status as a manager is not determined by title, wage, or the perception of other employees of the individual’s status. In this instance, a manager is someone who has the authority to independently make decisions about an organization’s resources (including financial, human, and operational resources). More information can be found here. If you’re unclear about your status as a manager for the purposes of overtime pay, contact APSA for clarification.
For tuition waivers for credit courses at SFU, do I have to pay student services fees as a continuing SFU staff? If so, can I use my professional development fund to cover the cost of the student services fees? If not, could you provide an estimated amount I would have to pay out of my own pocket for each term?
You will need to pay student services fees as a continuing SFU employee. The tuition waiver covers the tuition fees for SFU academic and credit courses but does not apply to student activity fees, athletic and recreation fees, student services fees, field activity or laboratory fees, re-admission fees, graduation fees, or other miscellaneous charges. The full tuition waiver policy can be accessed here.
Professional Development funds are intended to cover the costs of off-campus job-related courses and are not considered a top-up to the tuition waiver policy. HR would not likely approve professional development funds to cover the cost of student services fees. The professional development policy can be accessed here.
The cost of student services fees can be found here.
If you have any specific questions or concerns about your terms and conditions of employment, please contact APSA. Your call or email is confidential.