Raises and benefits spelled out in new policy for CBS managers

By Craig Westcott

CBS council has approved a new benefits policy for the Town’s managers and staff who are not unionized, but also not part of management.
Under the policy, responsibility for all hiring resides with Chief Administrative Officer Brian Crawley, with a probationary period of 12 months for all new hires, unless otherwise specified in the employment contract. Employees who are promoted are subject to a three-month probation.
Management salaries are set at least 10 per cent higher than the base salary of the highest paid worker being supervised by the manager. The salary of non-union workers who don’t have supervisory duties, will also be at least 10 per cent higher than the base salary of the highest paid union worker in each respective department.
Directors and senior managers will be entitled to a salary increase of up to 2.5 per cent per year at the CAO’s discretion. Directors and senior managers will also receive an annual cash payout of up to five per cent of their salary as incentive pay “based on achievement of work defined objectives.” The CAO may also, at his discretion, grant a one-time payment of up to $2,000 to managers and non-union employees other than directors, “who exceed expectations in their position in terms of time or effort.”
When it comes to severance, an employee with at least five years of service who retires, quits or is terminated – not including for just cause – will be eligible for one week’s salary multiplied by the number of years of service to a maximum of 20 weeks pay, unless otherwise negotiated.
Employees are expected to give 30 days notice before resigning unless that period is reduced or eliminated by mutual agreement with the Town.
Permanent employees who are let go due to redundancies, or for other reasons than just cause, are eligible for up to 65 weeks pay in lieu of notice. The number of weeks depend on a sliding scale that computes the worker’s age and completed years of continuous service. 
Other stipulations of note include that no manager shall be paid overtime except for Public Works employees who are called in after hours. Management and other employees covered by the agreement will instead be credited with or paid for five extra days to cover any overtime hours. The CAO and directors get seven such extra days. 
Managers in the Public Works Department are also entitled to a maximum $18 a day meal allowance if called in for unscheduled overtime. They will also be paid for 1.75 hours at their hourly wage rate for every eight hours on call. If actually called in, they will be paid time and a half for all time worked after hours. 
As for managers’ sick leave, it will accumulate at the rate of 21 days for each completed year of service, except for those who started working for the Town after November 1, 2011, in which case their sick leave will accumulate at the rate of 12 days per year. There is no cap on the number of days that can be accumulated. 
The updated policy was tabled by Ward 3 councillor Gerard Tilley, who co-chairs council’s finance committee. 
“The policy itself requires that compensation matters be reviewed every few years,” Tilley noted. “So, we’re proud to say we now have that done for the Management Benefits Policy.”