Work Force Adjustment Glossary
Affected employee - an indeterminate employee who has been informed in writing that his or her services may no longer be required because of a work force adjustment situation.
Alternation - occurs when an opting employee exchanges positions with a non-affected employee willing to leave the CRA with a Transition Support Measure or with an Education Allowance. This process is not available to surplus or laid off employees.
Alternative service delivery initiative - is the transfer of any work, undertaking or business of the CRA to any body or corporation outside the CRA.
Education allowance - one of the options available to opting employees. The education allowance is a cash payment, equivalent to the transitional support measure, plus a reimbursement of tuition from a recognized learning institution, book and mandatory equipment costs, up to a maximum of $10,000.
Guarantee of a reasonable job offer - a guarantee the surplus employee will get an offer of indeterminate employment within the CRA. The Commissioner gives this guarantee when employment for the surplus employee is expected to be available.
Laid off person - a person who has been laid off and who still retains a reappointment preferred status for 15 months from the date of the lay-off.
Lay-off notice - a written notice of lay-off given to a surplus employee at least one month before the scheduled lay-off date. This month is included in the surplus period.
Lay-off preferred status – a laid off person can be appointed to a position in the CRA for which they are qualified with no right for others to challenge this appointment. This preferred status is accorded for 15 months following the lay-off date.
Opting employee - an indeterminate employee whose services will no longer be required because of a work force adjustment situation and who has not received a guarantee of a reasonable job offer.
Preferred status for Reinstatement – a preferred status in appointments accorded to certain salary-protected individuals for the purpose of assisting them to regain an appointment level equivalent to that from which they were declared surplus.
Reasonable job offer - an offer of indeterminate employment within the CRA, normally at an equivalent level but could include lower levels. Where practicable, a reasonable job offer shall be within the employee’s headquarters as defined in the CRA Travel Policy. In Alternative Delivery situations, a reasonable offer is one that meets the criteria set out in Type 1 and Type 2. A reasonable job offer is also one from a government department or agency for an equivalent position with a seamless transfer of all benefits.
Relocation - a geographic move beyond what, according to local custom, is a normal commuting distance.
Retention payment – a sum paid when a facility closes, work unit(s) are relocated or there is an alternate service delivery (ASD) initiative to obtain an employee’s agreement to remain until the closure, relocation or transfer. This payment cannot be combined with other ASD payments.
Retraining - on-the-job training or other training intended to enable affected employees, surplus employees and laid off persons to qualify for known or anticipated vacancies within the CRA.
Surplus employee - an indeterminate employee who has been formally declared surplus, in writing, by the Commissioner. This refers to employees who have been given a guarantee of a reasonable job offer or who, as opting employees, have selected option A.
Surplus preferred status – permits surplus employees and opting employees choosing option A. to be appointed to other positions in the CRA without having to compete or be concerned about the appointment being challenged.
Transition support measure - one of the options provided to an opting employee. The Transition Support Measure is a cash payment based on the employee’s years of service in the CRA (see Annex B of the WFAA in your collective agreement).
Work force adjustment - a situation that occurs when the Commissioner decides the services of one or more indeterminate employees will no longer be required beyond a specified date because of a lack of work, the discontinuance of a function, a relocation in which the employee does not wish to relocate or an alternative delivery initiative.