Master Agreement Between the Government of the Province of Alberta and the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees
54.01
Preamble
(a)
The Parties recognize the importance of discussions regarding workload. Employees are encouraged to regularly discuss the manageability of their workloads with their direct supervisors. Excessive workloads are of concern to Employees, the Union and the Employer.
(b)
Workload may be impacted by numerous factors, which may include seasonality, surge periods, staff shortages, increased demands, process improvements and efficiencies, or shifting priorities. Fluctuations in workload are normal and acceptable as long as they do not become excessive.
(c)
The Workload Review Process is intended to address excessive work assigned by the Employer. Excessive workloads are systemic and unmanageable workloads that span extended periods of at least 30 days.
(d)
The Workload Review Process is not intended to prevent the Employer from addressing performance management issues.
(e)
Throughout the Workload Review Process, the parties involved will look for ways to improve processes, create efficiencies, and assess resources available to respond to workload issues.
54.02
Workload Review Process
Stage 1 - ManagerWhere an Employee or group of Employees is concerned they cannot meet their direct supervisor’s workload expectations and believe their workloads are excessive as per Article 54.01(c), the Employee or group of Employees may raise the concern to the Manager, equivalent position, or designate in writing. The Manager, equivalent position, or designate shall meet with the Employee or group of Employees within fourteen (14) days of the concern being raised to discuss and resolve the concern. The Manager shall provide a reply in writing.
Where the Manager has provided a proposed resolution and implementation schedule to assess the effectiveness of the plan, and where such resolution and implementation scheduled is acceptable to the Employee or group of Employees, the workload concern shall not be advanced during the assessment period. Where there is no mutual agreement, the assessment period shall be up to thirty (30) days.
Stage 2 - Director
If the Manager and the Employee or group of Employees are unable to resolve the concern at Stage 1, the Union may submit the matter in writing to the appropriate Director, equivalent position, or designate within seven (7) days of receipt of the reply at Stage 1 or, where an assessment period in Stage 1 has been established, at the conclusion of the assessment period. If satisfied that the concern meets the definition of excessive in Article 54.01(c), the Director, equivalent position, or designate shall meet with the Employee or group of Employees within fourteen (14) days of the concern being raised to discuss and resolve the concern. The Director shall provide a reply in writing within fourteen (14) days of the Stage 2 meeting.
Where the Director has provided a proposed resolution and implementation schedule to assess the effectiveness of the plan and where such resolution and implementation schedule is acceptable to the Employee or group of Employees, the workload concern shall not be advanced during the assessment period. Where there is no mutual agreement, the assessment period shall be up to thirty (30) days.
Stage 3 - Workload Review Committee
(i)
Each Department will establish at least one (1) Workload Review Committee. At the Deputy Minister’s discretion, additional Workload Review Committees may be established. Workload Review Committees shall be made up of two members: one (1) Employer representative, appointed by the Employer; and one (1) Union representative, appointed by the Union.
(ii)
If the Employee or group of Employees is not satisfied at the conclusion of the assessment period at Stage 2 the Union may, within seven (7) days of the conclusion of that assessment period at Stage 2, submit the workload concern in writing to the Office of the appropriate Deputy Minister, who shall assign the review to the appropriate Workload Review Committee.
(iii)
The Workload Review Committee shall meet and attempt to reach a consensus recommendation. In the event that the Committee is unable to reach consensus on all items, the Committee shall make a joint recommendation on the items on which consensus has been reached; each Committee member will make separate recommendations on any items where consensus was not reached, all to be provided to the Deputy Minister within thirty (30) days.
(iv)
The Deputy Minister, after considering the recommendations, shall make a final and binding decision regarding the workload concern, and convey the decision and rationale, in writing, to the Employee or group of Employees within fourteen (14) days of receipt of the recommendations of the Workload Review Committee.
54.03
General
The time limits in the Workload Review Process may be adjusted by mutual agreement of the Parties.
A representative of the Union may assist an Employee or group of Employees during the Workload Review Process.
The application of the processes in this Article are subject to the Grievance Procedure in Article 29. The outcome of the Workload Review Process is not subject to the Grievance Procedure set out in Article 29.
This Article does not apply to Employees of Subsidiary Agreement #006 who attend Subsidiary 006’s Letter of Understanding 001’s Provincial Advisory Program Committees.