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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023.01152.Inzirillo.23-11-15 Decision Crown Employees Grievance Settlement Board Suite 600 180 Dundas St. West Toronto, Ontario M5G 1Z8 Tel. (416) 326-1388 Commission de règlement des griefs des employés de la Couronne Bureau 600 180, rue Dundas Ouest Toronto (Ontario) M5G 1Z8 Tél. : (416) 326-1388 GSB# 2023-01152 UNION# 2023-0234-0152 IN THE MATTER OF AN ARBITRATION Under THE CROWN EMPLOYEES COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ACT Before THE GRIEVANCE SETTLEMENT BOARD BETWEEN Ontario Public Service Employees Union (Inzirillo) Union - and - The Crown in Right of Ontario (Ministry of the Solicitor General) Employer BEFORE Brian P. Sheehan Arbitrator FOR THE UNION Richard Dionne Ontario Public Service Employees Union Grievance Officer FOR THE EMPLOYER Jennifer Charlton Treasury Board Secretariat Employee Relations Advisor HEARING November 8, 2023 -2 - Decision [1] The Employer and the Union at the Maplehurst Correctional Complex (Maplehurst) agreed to participate in the Expedited Mediation/Arbitration process in accordance with the negotiated Protocol. It is not necessary to reproduce the entire Protocol. Suffice to say, that the parties have agreed to a True Mediation/Arbitration process wherein each party provides the Arbitrator with their submissions setting out the facts and the authorities they respectively will rely upon. This decision is issued in accordance with the Protocol and with Article 22.16 of the collective agreement; and it is without prejudice or precedent. [2] Gabriela Inzirillo (the “grievor”) is a Fixed Term Correctional Officer employed at Maplehurst. [3] In May 2021, the grievor commenced a pregnancy leave pursuant to Article 31A.9. of the collective agreement. [4] A Fixed Term Correctional Officer is potentially entitled to receive attendance credits while on a pregnancy leave pursuant to Article 31A.8.1: Employees who work thirty-six and one-quarter (36¼) or forty (40) hours per week shall earn attendance credits of one and one quarter (1¼) days for each calendar month of full attendance or for each calendar month of leave of absence granted under Article 31A.9 (Pregnancy and Parental Leave). Attendance credits may be used for protection purposes only in the event that an employee is unable to attend to their official duties by reason of illness or injury. [5] The grievor was not granted attendance credits since she did not meet the accepted qualifying requirement of working an average of 40 hours per week over the 13 weeks prior to the commencement of the leave. Unfortunately for the -3 - grievor, her average weekly working hours over the 13-week period was 39.92 hours. [6] The reason the grievor did not reach the required 40-hour average was due to the fact that she was off one week due to COVID-19. Pursuant to the agreed to COVID-19 Fixed Term Top Up Memorandum of Agreement, the credited calculation of the COVID-19 Leave for her that week was 39 hours. [7] The frustration of the grievor is entirely understandable in the circumstances. Unfortunately for her, however, there was no violation of the collective agreement as the Employer applied the accepted methodology of determining the average weekly working hours; accordingly, the grievor did not qualify for attendance credits while on pregnancy leave. [8] In light of the above, the grievance is, hereby, dismissed. Dated at Toronto, Ontario this 15th day of November 2023. “Brian P. Sheehan” Brian P. Sheehan, Arbitrator