Preserving the dignity of OPS members with a disability

Since the introduction of the Attendance Support Management Program (ASMP), many AMAPCEO members have been required to make multiple, otherwise unnecessary trips to their doctor to obtain medical notes to certify that their disability was ongoing to justify work absences. This was an affront to our members’ dignity and a potential form of harassment.

After months of dogged negotiations with the OPS Employer, AMAPCEO is pleased to announce we have successfully won three major reforms to the ASMP affecting members with a disability.

• Members with disabilities are now no longer routinely required to provide medical notes for absences due to their disability, beyond the initial establishing note.
• When a manager does make a request for a subsequent medical note to substantiate a disability-related absence:
  • the Employer will now reimburse members for the costs of subsequent notes, and
  • managers can use their discretion in allowing for time off without any loss of credits where a member must attend an appointment during work hours to obtain subsequent notes.

With the elimination of the ASMP under the new OPS Collective Agreement in January 2018, it is AMAPCEO’s expectation that these hard-fought changes will continue in January 2018 and beyond when the Employer introduces its replacement for the ASMP.