NEW POLICY: Disconnecting From Work Policy
NEW POLICY: Disconnecting From Work Policy
Effective June 2, 2022
TIKINAGAN CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICE
Disconnecting From Work Policy
Purpose
Tikinagan Child and Family Services (the “Agency”) understands that work-related pressure and the inability to disconnect from the job can lead to stress and deterioration of mental health and overall well-being. The Agency also understands that, due to the nature of the work performed, its employees must also be available to deal with work related issues when necessary. The Agency strives to ensure this balance is maintained in a way which respects its employees need to disconnect, as well as meets its clients’ needs to receive the critical services they rely on the Agency to perform, when they need them.
This policy has been established to support employee wellness, minimize sources of stress to the extent possible, and clarify the Agency’s expectations regarding disconnecting from their work outside their regularly scheduled hours.
This policy does not alter any provision of the Agency’s Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual (the “Policy Manual”).
This policy applies to all Agency employees.
Disconnecting From Work
Disconnecting from work means not engaging on work-related communications, including emails, telephone calls, video calls, or sending or reviewing other messages—essentially to be free from the performance of work.
Unless operationally necessary, employees may disconnect from work by:
• stopping performing their job duties and work-related tasks while off work
• not taking work home with them to complete it outside of regular working hours;
• not responding to work-related communication while off work, on break, or during any paid or unpaid time off; and
• using all of their scheduled breaks and time off entitlements for non-work related activities
Operationally necessary means an unforeseen and potentially critical situation, and that other reasonable alternatives have been considered given the particular circumstances. Example: Tikinagan may call you in to work in the event someone is unable to work their shift.
Employees must also be respectful of others’ right to disconnect, and should not expect their co-workers to respond, communicate, or complete work when not working unless it is operationally necessary.
The Policy Manual
The Agency follows the provisions of the Policy Manual, and further ensures that all terms and conditions of employment for all Agency employees, is in full compliance with the Act.
Summaries of some relevant provisions of the Policy Manual include:
Section 1.35—-Employees must provide the Agency with their emergency contact information, which is treated as confidential, and will be used only for business purposes.
Section 2.14—The Agency is entitled to call an employee back to work outside their normal hours of work when necessary. If actually called back to work, employees will receive a minimum of 3 hrs call back pay. Where the employees answers a call etc., but is not actually called back to work, the time actually spent dealing with the work issue is working time and will be compensated under the Overtime/Compensating Time Off (CTO) provisions of the Policy Manual.
Section 2.15—The Agency is entitled to require employees to work in excess of their normal hours of work (Overtime). This must be pre-authorized, except in emergency situations where pre-authorization is not possible, and normally compensated for by CTO. Individuals occupying management positions (Sr. Management, Managers, Assistant Managers) are not eligible to receive Overtime pay or CTO, and receive management days. Case Aides, Casual, and Term/Contract employees are not eligible to receive CTO, and receive Overtime pay.
For further detailed information regarding the administration of the above Sections, please refer to the Finance & Personnel Policy Manual, or contact Selina Vincent, Acting HR Manager at SelinaV@tikinagan.org