Letter to Secretary of the Treasury Board Graham Flack about hazard pay and Code 699

Graham Flack
Secretary of the Treasury Board
90 Elgin Street
Ottawa Ontario K1A 0R5
By email: graham.flack@tbs-sct.gc.ca

February 1, 2022

Dear Mr. Flack,

I am writing regarding the inequitable treatment of thousands of front line federal health care workers represented by the Institute’s Health Services (SH) Group. These nurses, physicians, dentists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and psychologists, to name but a few of the professions involved, all perform work which cannot be done from home. This directly increases their chances of contracting Covid, yet the federal Employer refuses to recognize this basic fact and shows no willingness to provide them with “hazard pay” similar to those received by their provincial counterparts.

To compound the problem, our members unfortunate enough to contract the virus are required to use their sick leave for a 10 day isolation period even if they are asymptomatic. This is thoroughly unfair compared to the situation faced by our members working from home, who may be able to return to their duties much quicker or may even be able to continue working throughout their illness and isolation. To be clear, we are in no way suggesting that public service employees should work if they are ill. We are simply asking the Employer to allow the use of Code 699 Leave for our asymptomatic members prevented from attending their workplace.

Please be aware that this latter issue affects not only the front line health workers we represent, but also many of our professional members across the public service who find themselves in similar circumstances. This is not a trivial matter to our membership.

I wish to discuss this issue with you as soon as possible and I have asked my staff to communicate with your office in this regard shortly.

I thank you for your immediate attention to these critical points.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Carr
President,
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada

Published on 7 February 2022

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