This is not the correct form to request PSAC’s Phoenix settlement of up to $2500.
This form is to request the financial equivalent of up to 5 days of leave, which was the settlement signed by all other federal bargaining agents, except PSAC.
Retired or former PSAC members who meet the eligibility criteria will receive financial compensation for Phoenix damages for each fiscal year for which they are eligible.
To receive compensation, retired or former employees will have to file a similar claim through Treasury Board. However, the details and the link to the claim form have not been made available by the federal government yet. We will share the link to the form once it becomes available.
Looking for more information on the Phoenix damages settlement? Check out our most frequently asked questions. Please keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to continue receiving information about the Phoenix settlement.
On National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, PSAC remembers the fourteen young women who were killed at l’École Polytechnique on December 6, 1989, only because they were women, and today, PSAC also recommits to ending all forms of gender-based violence.
On this day, we remember:
Geneviève Bergeron
Hélène Colgan
Nathalie Croteau
Barbara Daigneault
Anne-Marie Edward
Maud Haviernick
Barbara Klucznik Widajewicz
Maryse Laganière
Maryse Leclair
Anne-Marie Lemay
Sonia Pelletier
Michèle Richard
Annie St-Arneault
Annie Turcotte
In Canada today:
75,000 women and children seek shelter from violence and abuse each year;
Homicide rates are seven times higher for Indigenous women and girls than amongst non-Indigenous women and girls;
Immigrant women are more vulnerable due to economic dependence, language barriers and a lack of knowledge about community resources;
Trans women are almost twice as likely as cisgender women to experience gender-based violence in their lifetime;
Women with physical and cognitive impairments experience violence two to three times more often than women living without impairments.
COVID-19 makes it harder to fight gender-based violence. Job loss, food insecurity or the fear of contracting the virus can trigger domestic violence. Social isolation and quarantines make it harder to access shelters or sexual assault centres. Those living in rural, remote and northern regions, immigrants and refugees and Indigenous women continue to be the most vulnerable populations, and the pandemic is isolating them more than ever before.
The heightened risks caused by the pandemic require immediate action. PSAC calls on all levels of government to:
Provide increased emergency funding to women’s shelters and sexual assault support centres, and identify ways to make services accessible in the context of physical distancing measures;
Work with health facilities and community organizations to quickly identify available local resources;
Include essential services to address violence against women in their response plan for COVID-19.
PSAC’s work to prevent violence against women continues. Our union is proud to have negotiated 10 days of paid domestic violence leave in all new federal government collective agreements to ensure those facing domestic violence begin to get the support they need. We also continue to pressure governments to implement all recommendations from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls report, and to eliminate barriers to accessing legal and counselling support for women experiencing violence.
Treasury Board and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) have provided PSAC with a payment schedule for the implementation of monetary provisions now that the PA, EB, TC, SV and PSAC-UTE collective agreements have been signed.
Economic increase and adjustments pay cheque date
Retroactive pay cheque date
$500 lump sum (for late implementation) pay cheque date
$400 lump sum pay cheque date (only for UTE members)
PA
Nov. 25, 2020
Feb. 3, 2021
Apr. 14, 2021
TC
Dec. 23, 2020
Mar. 17, 2021
Apr. 14, 2021
SV
Dec. 23, 2020
Mar. 17, 2021
Apr. 28, 2021
EB
Feb. 17, 2021
Apr. 14, 2021
Apr. 28, 2021
UTE
Dec. 23, 2020
Spring 2021
Spring 2021
Dec. 23, 2020
This schedule is tentative and Treasury Board and CRA may still make changes.
Payment schedules for the Phoenix settlement have still not been finalized by Treasury Board and CRA. Please keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to continue receiving information about the implementation of collective agreements and the Phoenix settlement.
CFIA and Parks Canada units
PSAC is working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Parks Canada to finalize the text and pay grids of the new agreements – ratified in November – and expects to sign both new contracts shortly.
FB bargaining
The Border Services (FB) bargaining unit remains in talks with Treasury Board and the Canada Border Service Agency. Please check PSAC’s website for the latest developments.
As of January 1, 2021, the new Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations will come into force for all workers in the federal sector. These new regulations will help better prevent and actively address harassment and violence in the workplace.
The regulations outline the essential elements of a workplace harassment and violence prevention policy, as well as the procedures that must be in place to respond to incidents of harassment and violence when they do occur. This includes:
timeframes for resolutions to better support the complainant and respondent;
confidentiality of all parties involved, including witnesses, throughout the investigation;
protection for employees victimized by a third party (for example, an employee harassed by a client);
qualifications of a competent person to investigate and provide recommendations;
employer obligations to implement corrective measures in response to the investigation report of a competent person;
a clear outline of existing and new roles of the joint health and safety committee; and
support to be provided for employees who have experienced workplace harassment and violence.
With those new regulations, employers are encouraged to take a more proactive approach to prevent and resolve incidents of workplace harassment and violence. They are also required to conduct workplace assessments to preemptively identify risks and incorporate the results of these assessments into their human resource policies, procedures, and training.
“These new workplace harassment and violence prevention regulations have been long overdue,” said PSAC National President, Chris Aylward. “We welcome them and believe they will help provide much greater protection for workers.”
Persons with disabilities are some of the most resilient and strong-willed people that I know. They seem to take bumps and hiccups all in stride; something of a challenge, yet still achievable. Not insurmountable. To some, those bumps and hiccups look all-consuming, or even life-crippling. But to a person with a disability, there is a way to manage.
There has to be.
There is no other choice.
It just needs to be found.
And find it we do.
But for some, that strength and resilience is only a façade that is held tightly as if a display for the public. In some strange way they believe that that strength and resilience is what the public wants to see, even needs to see so that they can go about their day and their business without giving a second thought, and for some without giving even an initial thought, as to the actual well-being of another.
Because, let’s face it, why would they?
Everything seems ok.
Everything looks ok.
What do you mean “Things may not be as they seem?”
Out of some sense of self preservation, some insular sense of self-protectionism, the public gets the façade while behind the façade is not what the public would be lead to believe.
The truth of the matter is that living with a disability is exhausting and isolating. It’s those little things that seem so insignificant that add up to a mountain of extra load. It’s those missed opportunities or the avoidance of situations that further deepens the sense of isolation. Persons with disabilities sometimes do things for all the right reasons yet achieve all the wrong results.
Don’t forget to remember.
Check in with people, all people; persons with a disability or not.
Establish, or deepen a connection on a heart-to-heart level.
Respect the façade but also look through it; let wellness be your guide.
Be a part of the lives of the exhausted and isolated. Help them to remain resilient and strong.
By Michael Freeman
UNE National Equity Representative for Persons with Disabilities
PSAC welcomes new research from the Centre for Future Work that spells out how universal, affordable and accessible child care can drive Canada’s economic recovery from COVID-19. The study shows that the economic benefits of building a national early learning and child care (ELCC) system far outweigh the costs.
The study bolsters PSAC’s calls for a Canada-wide ELCC system and strongly supports the Trudeau government’s recent commitment to “make a significant, long-term, sustained investment” towards a Canada-wide ELCC as part of a post-pandemic economic recovery plan.
The study shows that a universal ELCC program phased in over 10 years would:
create over 200,000 jobs in regulated child care centres;
produce an additional 80,000 jobs in industries that would support expanded child care, such as construction and renovation;
increase Canadian GDP by between $63 and $107 billion;
generate an additional $17 to $29 billion in tax revenues for federal and provincial governments—more than enough to cover the costs of publicly-funded universal child care.
Expanded child care would realize these massive economic benefits in part by creating a ramp for up to 725,000 more women to join the paid labour force.
The report also notes the lifetime health and economic well-being of children who participate in ELCC programs. There is significant evidence that high quality early childhood education can improve cognitive and social skills, and lead to better health, which in turn can reduce government spending on health care and social support systems. Research shows that access to high quality child care is particularly beneficial for children from lower-income and racialized families who now have less access to programs.
“Our union has been at the forefront of the struggle for a universal child care system for decades, and it’s encouraging to see that the stars finally seem to be lining up,” said Chris Aylward, PSAC national president. “In short, what we’ve always said — and what this new study confirms — is that a national early learning and child care system will more than pay for itself.”
“Canada has a lot of ground to make up when it comes to child care,” added Aylward. “Investing in a universal, affordable child care system is the best way to ensure an equitable economic recovery after the pandemic.”
November 25, 2020 is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Why is this important, many will ask? Here are just a few facts provided by the United Nations.
Alarming Figures 1 in 3 women and girls experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, most frequently by an intimate partner
Only 52% of women married or in a union freely make their own decisions about sexual relations, contraceptive use, and health care
Worldwide, almost 750 million women and girls alive today were married before their 18th birthday, while 200 million women and girls have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM)
1 in 2 women killed worldwide were killed by their partners or family in 2017, while only 1 out of 20 men were killed under similar circumstances
71% of all human trafficking victims worldwide are women and girls, and 3 out of 4 of these women and girls are sexually exploited
Violence against women is as serious a cause of death and incapacity among women of reproductive age as cancer, and a greater cause of ill health than traffic accidents and malaria combined
We are in 2020 and these are facts that women are still facing daily. We all have a role to play in ending gender-based violence against women, girls and LGBTQ2+ individuals. It is time to join the uncomfortable conversations around what is violence towards women and how to be part of the solution.
Becoming an Ally to Women!
Listening: be open to learning from the experiences of others
Believing: support survivors and those affected by violence
Speaking out: add your voice to call out violence
Intervening: find a safe way to help when you see acts of gender-based violence
Acting: give your time to organizations working to end violence
We need to start somewhere, and this is the one place I am passionate about – Not only because I am a woman, BECAUSE I am a woman. No woman should feel powerless, EVER! We are not the weaker sex. We are just as powerful as men in different ways!
EMPOWERED WOMEN EMPOWER WOMEN!
No woman should ever feel powerless! I grew up being told I was strong, smart, beautiful and I could be anything I wanted, and I only owned my body. Listen to your gut, it never lies to you. I have been lucky. I am sure I have put myself in places I should not have. I have never been a survivor of violence; here I have been blessed.
I have, like all other women, had attention and things said to me that should never have been said to me growing up. Not knowing how to handle it or what to say or do. Being told it is just the times or just part of the job. I worked as a waitress in bar, all was part of getting tips.
Awhile ago, a friend of mine showed me a picture of a woman holding a sign and on it was a sentence crossed out and below was another. The one below was powerful and true!
She was raped.
He raped her.
This sign changed how I looked at the words we say and how we view them. What they say are powerful tools to fight against violence towards women. I went searching for more examples and found many others.
We have all heard the saying” Stick and stones can break your bones, but words can never hurt you.” This is so not true. When these statements are what you see and what you hear, society believes them and passed on and it becomes the norm. Let us start by breaking that cycle.
Here are a few more things we need to change:
Educate our sons
Will fight for our safety until we get it!
No such thing, an underage woman is a child. Children cannot give consent. They are RAPED, rape victims, sexual assault victims, sexual assault SURVIVORS!
This is a polite weasel word for RAPE and rapists do not deserve politeness. Victims deserve validations for what they have been through.
Will be held accountable for their actions. This is not an excuse! (Just like girls are).
Clothes are just clothes; they do not talk! No girl, woman or LGBTQ2+ individuals asks to be RAPED!
I am not naïve to know that violence towards women, girls and LGBTQ2+ individuals will stop over night just by changing a few sentences though it is a great first conversation. It is a step forward in understanding how we look at women, blame them for the violence against them, and how we usually victimize the victim in the crime. This is a necessary element to highlight in the elimination process of violence against women. It is a step in the right direction to stop this preventable epidemic.
Today, we mourn trans, two-spirit, non-binary and gender non-conforming people who have lost their lives to transphobia. November 20th is Trans Day of Remembrance (TDOR) which began in 1999 by trans advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a trans woman who was murdered in 1998. On this day, PSAC mourns the loss of those who were loving partners, parents, family members, friends and community members.
Although there have been many recent gains in trans inclusion in Canada, trans people, especially racialized trans feminine people, continue to be disproportionality affected by gender-based violence. COVID-19 has only exacerbated the discrimination and inequities these individuals face.
A survey conducted prior to COVID-19 indicated that 12% of respondents avoided going to the emergency room because they were trans or non-binary. Discrimination and these pre-existing health barriers have been heightened due to COVID-19.
Trans and non-binary people have also faced an increase in the impacts of domestic violence in their homes in times of isolation. Furthermore, social distancing measures have had a detrimental impact on the mental health of many.
Racialized Trans & Non-Binary People
Reports show that racialized trans and non-binary people in Canada experience additional challenges and discrimination. In 2019, Trans Pulse Canada conducted a survey with 2873 trans and non-binary people across the country. Racialized respondents reported higher levels of discrimination, violence and assault than their non-racialized counterparts. 73% of respondents expressed fear towards police and expected unfair treatment by the legal system. Nearly 3 in 4 respondents reported being verbally harassed within the last 5 years.
Many Black trans people report feeling disproportionately targeted and harassed by police. The recent death of Coco, a 30-year-old Black trans woman living in Toronto, while she was in the custody of the Toronto Police Services, is another stark reminder of the dangers racialized trans women face regularly.
What can you do commemorate TDOR?
You can participate in TDOR by attending and/or organizing a vigil on November 20th to honor trans and gender non-conforming people whose lives were lost due to transphobia. We encourage you to participate in a digital vigil taking place online. If you are attending a vigil in person, we remind all members to take appropriate COVID-19 safety precautions (wear a mask, physical distancing, wash hands, etc.)
You can also encourage your Member of Parliament to pass the Conversion Therapy Bill (Bill C-6) once and for all. Conversion therapy is the damaging practice of denying LGBTQ2+ people their dignity and trying to coerce individuals to change their identity. It hurts children, adults and tears families apart. You can read more information on the legislative action against conversion therapy, endorsed by PSAC.
What can you do beyond TDOR?
There are ways you can support trans and gender non-conforming people every day:
Demonstrate your trans allyship through respecting the trans people in your life.
Never assume another person’s pronouns, and always use the ones you are asked to.
Upon meeting someone new, share your pronouns with them to demonstrate your solidarity.
Include your pronouns in your email signature, business cards or in your displayed name during video conference calls.
The Public Service Pay Center has restarted its work to recover new overpayments caused by the Phoenix pay system. Back in April, due to the pandemic, the Pay Centre announced it would pause the recovery process for new overpayment cases to help alleviate financial hardship caused by the spread of COVID-19. Members who already had a repayment plan in place were unaffected.
In addition to restarting the recovery of new overpayments, the government will also start collecting pension arrears. When the Phoenix pay system first launched in 2016, it delayed pension plan enrolment for numerous employees. The Pay Centre was unable to process pension arrears until spring 2020, however the spread of COVID-19 delayed the recovery process until now.
PSAC has fought for a clear and fair policy that determines when the government can recover any overpayments from public service workers. The government can only recover payments when all three of the following conditions are met:
all monies owed to the member have been paid;
the member has received 3 consecutive correct pay cheques;
a recovery agreement has been established with the member.
All public service workers have the option to pay the outstanding amount in one lump sum if they do not wish to implement a payment plan. Any member experiencing financial hardship can also request an overpayment recovery plan that is less than 10% of their gross bi-weekly pay.
All overpayments will continue to be taxable, therefore members who have an overpayment identified by the Phoenix pay system will be issued a new tax slip for the corresponding year. Please note, PSAC’s victory to ensure that members only have to reimburse the net pay, rather than the gross amount, still stands.
If you are experiencing Phoenix pay issues, please follow our step-by-step guide to access help available to you from both the union and your employer.
In light of the election turmoil that has been unfolding south of the border, it is legitimate to ask ourselves if a similar situation could happen here. The simple answer is no or very unlikely because of the way the Canadian electoral system works and because of the Westminster parliamentary system.
Elections Canada, an independent and non-partisan federal agency, created a century ago, oversees federal elections in all provinces and territories. All Canadian voters gets the same experience at the polling station wherever they reside.
Tweet from Elections Canada
We are fortunate that all of Canada has Elections Canada, as an organization, as compared to state-run voting organizations in the United States that are prone to political partisan influences.
Our union is proud to represent Elections Canada workers with their unbiased professionalism, and their total respect for the Canada Elections Act.
