Policy Minutes - April 16, 2008

Policy & Procedures Committee

Minutes

April 16, 2008

1. = Wage Survey results reviewed. Most employees voted for across the board increases. The second most popular option was higher wages for the top wage levels of each position – the 4,500 ho= ur levels. Last year, the 4% in= crease was applied across age levels of each position. This resulted in a 0.35 increase = to sleep night rates and a 0.60 increase to CSW rates. This year, with a 2% increase to = apply to wage rates, the Policy Representatives suggested that the average 0.30 increase that CSW’s would get be applied to all positions. The resulting wage grids will be reviewed by the board of directors of Spectrum Society and be implemented = for the pay period ending April 23, 2008.

(See Wage Equity Update #22 for the wage grids that w= ere implemented - http://www.spectrumsociety.org/WageEquity/Bulletins/WageEquity22.pdf )

2.<= /span> Information on retirement planning options: Spectrum employees curr= ently participate in a Group RRSP – contributions from employees are matched up to 3% by Spectrum. When employees reach 10 years of service, then Spectrum will match up to 4%. For unionized employees, the plan= is to introduce a Defined Benefit Pension Plan in April 2010. This plan will cost employees 7% = of their gross wages and it will cost employers 9% of gross wages.

a. There is a summary of retirement planning options posted on the Spectrum Policy and P= rocedures website:

= ; &= nbsp; &nb= sp; = ; &= nbsp; i. http://www.spectrumsociety.org/policy/Docu= ment%20Library11/1/Spectrum_RetirementIntroduction.pdf

b. CSSEA has= also posted three bulletins on the process for unionized agencies to begin implementing the pension plans.

= ; &= nbsp; &nb= sp; = ; &= nbsp; i. http://www.spectrumsociety.org/policy/Document%20Library= 11/1/CSSEA_Pensions_V1.pdf

= ; &= nbsp; &nb= sp; = ; &= nbsp; ii. http://www.spectrumsociety.org/policy/Document%20Library= 11/1/CSSEA_Pensions_V2.pdf

= ; &= nbsp; &nb= sp; = ; &= nbsp; iii. http://www.spectrumsociety.org/policy/Document%20Library= 11/1/CSSEA_Pensions_V3.pdf

c. Spe= ctrum’s intention is to work over the next two years to get similar funding for re= tirement plans for our employees. We = will have the flexibility to choose a retirement option that best meets the nee= ds of our employees. The CSSEA plan includes the termination of the Group RRSP plan, so employees either join = the pension or get nothing.

d. Spectrum = will be hosting an information Session with London Life – Group Retirement Services in the next few months. Watch for a bulletin.

3.<= /span> Vacation Accruals: Full-time and Part-time staff can accrue their vacation pay and then take paid time off.= Relief staff cannot. = They get their vacation pay paid out on each paystub.

4. Sick Pay – Can = the accrued sick time be displayed on the paystub? Yes, it can. We haven’t made that change= because the theory is people will start to micromanage their sick time – Oh,= I have 8 hours – now I can take a sick day, rather than taking sick days wh= en they are sick and coming to work when they are able to. This is admittedly a bit of a patronizing position, but one that is held across the human resources sector. We could try the = 220;display sick hours on paystubs” option for the next six months and see if th= ere is any noticeable change in the use of sick time. Right now, people have to ask the= ir managers to look up on ComVida how many sick h= ours the employee has accrued. &nbs= p; With more awareness of the hours available, people may also use the= “transfer to RRSP” option. Emplo= yees with more than 80 hours in the sick pool can transfer hours to their RRSP = at the rate of 50% of those hours. For example: If an employee has 100 hours in their bank, then 80 hours must be saved for actual sick time. = This covers a two week waiting period if an employee is very ill and applies fo= r EI coverage for an extended sick leave. EI requires a two week waiting period, so it is important for emplo= yees to have some time in their sick pool.&nbs= p; The 20 hour excess can be transferred to their RRSP at a 50% rate &= #8211; so 10 hours X their current rate of pay would be transferred to their RRSP. Their new total in the= ir sick hours bank would be 80 hours.

5. Benefits Reimbursement= : Policy Representatives gave feedba= ck on the new benefits plan – expenses are re-imburse= d very quickly. The direct pay= card is helpful for prescription medications.&= nbsp; Some people have also found vision care places that will take the c= ard and have the vision portion of our benefits deducted from their bill.

6. Wellness: The newest trend in benefits is w= ellness programs. Programs are estab= lished that provide employees with information on good habits for healthy living = and provide incentives or rewards when good habits are established. We will look for more information= on these programs.

Next Mee= ting: June 18, 2008 – Wednesday – 4pm at the office.