Wednesday, June 28, 2023
With the recent introduction by the OPS Employer of an onsite attendance attestation process, AMAPCEO is once again encouraging all our members who want an alternative working arrangement (AWA) to get one in writing.
Under the Collective Agreement, there is no prescribed maximum number of remote workdays, and the Employer must consider your request in good faith subject to operational viability.
Below, we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions about submitting and pursuing your alternative working arrangement. You can find more information about AWAs on our fact sheet.
How do I submit an AWA request?
AMAPCEO created a tool on our website that automatically generates your required alternative work arrangement agreement and sends it to your manager.
If you want an alternative work arrangement, you can go to AMAPCEO’s website, read the instructions there, and use tool to generate your request. Once you submit your request, you are responsible for following up with your manager to discuss the request.
Do I have to give a reason for why I want an alternate working arrangement?
No. Your Collective Agreement does not require you to provide a rationale, and you do not need to justify your request in advance. In fact, the onus is on your manager to evaluate your request in good faith and consider whether any legitimate operational impairment might result from your working remotely.
I am already working some days remotely each week, but I would like to move to additional or different remote working days. What should I do?
If you already have an AWA and would like to change it, you can use our online tool to submit a new request and draft agreement with the revised details. This can include additional remote days, or different days of the week.
If you are working remotely but do not have an AWA and would like to formalize your agreement or change some aspect of your remote work schedule, we encourage you to use our online tool to submit an AWA agreement request.
What kind of Alternative Working Arrangement can I request?
An alternative work arrangement (AWA) can must follow one of the standardized templates from your Collective Agreement. It can include a compressed work week, (CWW), flexible hours, telecommuting, or a combination of all three.
In a CWW, you work additional time each day, which will accumulate to earn you a day off work on a regular cycle. Flexible hours refers to an alternative daily schedule, with alternative start and end times that are either consistent across each workday or vary for different days of the week. Finally, telecommuting allows for you to work from alternative worksite for an agreed-upon number of days or hours per week, with the most common location for telecommuting being your home.
What happens if my manager rejects my AWA request?
If your manager rejects your request, you can approach them informally to try and resolve the issue. Ask what their specific objections are, try to address those objections, and explain how you believe your request is operationally viable. If you want to pursue this option, you can ask an AMAPCEO Workplace Representative for advice and support.
If your request is still denied, request the denial and rationale in writing from your manager. If you believe the denial is not reasonable, you can work with a Workplace Representative to:
- request to file a formal dispute (a grievance); and/or
- ask the AMAPCEO-Ministry Employee Relations Committee to discuss your denial.