The Government of Canada has announced an official global travel advisory: avoid non-essential travel outside Canada until further notice. This impacts your travel insurance coverage.

Travel benefits may be void if you decide to leave the country after these advisories have been announced.

The federal government has recommended Canadians currently outside of Canada to return as soon as possible and requires returning travelers to self-isolate for fourteen days. Government loans are available to pay for return travel arrangements. It is your responsibility to protect the health of your community. If you are not able to safely return to Canada, the government is urging Canadians to minimize contact with other people.

Most PIPSC members are covered by the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) or another private healthcare plan. These plans generally offer emergency travel benefits including out-of-country emergency healthcare and travel assistance. For travellers currently unable to return to Canada, the travel insurance has been extended. If you are:

• currently unable to return to Canada
• covered by PSHCP
• departed Canada between January 18 and March 16

Your PSHCP travel insurance is extended until further notice.  If you cannot safety return to Canada and you departed between January 18 and March 16, you will remain covered. 

Many credit card providers also offer emergency travel medical coverage, trip cancellation, and trip delay insurance when the trip is purchased with the credit card. These benefits may cover the cost of returning to Canada in the event of a travel advisory. More information on these benefits can be found by contacting your credit card provider or by checking their website. The PSHCP and most private healthcare plans do not offer this coverage.

Carriers of the virus may never have any symptoms, but may still be a danger to others. Members returning to Canada from overseas, including the United States of America, should self-quarantine for fourteen days. This is critical to preventing the spread of the virus and protecting our healthcare system.

For more information on COVID-19 for PIPSC members visit our FAQs.
 

As the government has moved to address the COVID-19 pandemic, the Treasury Board has repeated that some “critical” services must be delivered from the workplace. 

Government employers and media are using the term “essential” alongside “critical.” This has created confusion for members looking to understand how their managers are making decisions and how it will impact working conditions. 

Telework directives have not been applied universally or at the same speed across departments and agencies in the public service. This is extremely worrying for many since this will impact their health and safety, family life and overall well-being. Along with putting the greater community at risk.

PIPSC and other federal unions have asked the Treasury Board to clarify the definitions of the terms “critical services” and “critical staff.”

We’ve asked for clarification on how managers are to make staffing decisions based on these designations. The Treasury Board has agreed to address this in their upcoming directives. We will share this information with you as soon as it is available.

“Essential” and “critical” are not the same thing

The term essential service is used to describe the employees that must continue their work in the context of collective bargaining and potential labour disruptions. If a worker has been designated as essential in the past, it has no part in determining whether they must work from home or the workplace during this global pandemic.

What if I disagree with my manager’s decision to continue working in the workplace?

Some members have reported that they have been asked to continue their operations from their workplace but they think they could easily do the work from home. In other cases, members have been asked to go into the workplace to continue work they don’t think is necessary for critical government operations.

In these cases, if you cannot reach a resolution with your manager or supervisor please fill out our help form to be directed to our Labour Relations team.

COVID-19 HELP FORM

If you are asked to physically go into work and feel that the appropriate precautions aren’t being taken by the employer, you have the right to refuse dangerous work. The nature of the pandemic is different across regions and workplaces so the risk varies and some members provide essential services. Each case must be assessed individually, please contact us now for assistance with this evaluation: https://pipsc.ca/news-issues/information-members-regarding-covid-19-coronavirus/coronavirus-covid-19-help-form

Along with the Canadian labour movement, PIPSC is calling on federal and provincial governments to provide immediate income support for workers impacted by the crisis.

“This is a time for solidarity and leadership,” said PIPSC President Debi Daviau. “We have to take care of each other through this pandemic and economic downturn.”

We are calling on the federal government to immediately increase EI to support all workers and families to cope with the COVID-19 crises:

• Increase EI support to 80% of weekly wages under the current income cap.
• Implement a $300/week minimum EI benefit.
• Provide EI support to claimants immediately, as soon as the claims process begins, so they don’t go without funds.

We know that Indigenous communities already face higher levels of contagious illness compared to the Canadian population as a whole. We call on all levels of government to take quick action to ensure Indigenous communities have all the resources necessary to combat COVID-19.

We join the Canadian Labour Congress in calling on all governments and employers to take every step necessary to protect workers. These measures include:

• Permitting flexible work arrangements, telecommuting, video and teleconferencing, ending non-essential travel, and postponing unnecessary meetings and events.
• Providing paid sick leave under short-term disability and sick leave plans while maintaining drug coverage.
• Providing 14 days paid sick leave for workers under prevailing federal, provincial and territorial labour standards to cover the quarantine period. 
• Waiving any requirement for a doctor’s note to permit sick leave.
• Prohibiting coronavirus testing as a condition of continued employment.
• Working with Service Canada to take full advantage of the improved EI Work-Sharing Program to minimize layoffs.
• Working closely with health and safety committees and unions to provide accurate and timely information to employees about accessing benefits and support.
• Providing compassionate care and bereavement leave support to employees, as well as mental health counselling and support.

Specific to healthcare workers, employers should, among other things:

1. Provide an adequate supply of appropriate N95 respirators on hand as well as PAPR (for aerosol-generating procedures, e.g. intubation) and other personal protective equipment.

2. Conduct a risk assessment to determine all points of potential entry (and how to restrict them) and other points of potential exposure for workers (e.g. screening, triage, isolation rooms).

“As this situation evolves, many of our members, especially the ones in the healthcare sector like our nurses in northern and indigenous communities, will bear the brunt of responding to this pandemic,” said Daviau. “We are proud to represent members who will do everything in their power to keep Canadians safe and healthy.”

Learn more

These are exceptional circumstances and they call for exceptional measures.
 

Update as of March 15 from the Treasury Board Secretariat: 

Managers are expected to consider telework for all their employees, at all worksites, and should work with them to identify an approach that is as flexible as possible while ensuring continued critical government operations and services to Canadians.  

Consistent with deputy head accountabilities, departments and agencies are asked to identify and determine how best to manage through exceptional situations (critical services requiring on-site presence; security limitations; or other operational imperatives for which no reasonable alternative to working on-site can be considered) that do not lend themselves to telework. 

Update as of March 14: 

PIPSC has been getting daily, sometimes hourly, updates from the employer and through our stewards and consultation teams.

President Daviau will continue to urge the Treasury Board to do everything in its power to ensure worksites are safe and the wellness of members is the top priority for those who are unable to telework at this time.

On March 13, Deputy Heads, Heads of Agencies (including separate employers), and Heads of Human Resources were asked to make arrangements to allow telework wherever possible. We expect this to take a number of days to arrange as this situation continues to evolve. It will likely be applied differently across departments and agencies due to the nature of their work.

Telework

The employer is striving to be as flexible as possible in leveraging all existing telework and alternative work arrangements in line with operational requirements.

President Daviau has raised concerns about access to VPN and the adequacy of IT infrastructure to support this change to work. We’ve been assured that the Treasury Board, Shared Services Canada and the Chief Information Officers are working to support remote work and prioritize network access tied to critical operations.

Leave

If you are in good health but are required by public health to self-isolate, please discuss telework with your manager. If telework is not possible, you will be granted leave with pay – under “other leave with pay (699 code)” as per your collective agreement.

Sick leave should be used in the case that you are ill. 

School closures

Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Manitoba have announced school closures, and more provinces might enact similar measures. If you are unable to arrange childcare, please discuss telework with your manager. If telework is not possible, you will be granted leave with pay -– under “other leave with pay (699 code).”

This provision will be available for the duration of any school closures and reassessed by the employer on April 10, 2020. 

Travel

You must declare your intent to travel to your manager and take all precautions advised by public health with regard to restrictions and self-quarantine. An official global travel advisory is in effect: avoid non-essential travel outside Canada until further notice.

Worksites

PIPSC is working closely with our stewards and consultation teams to ensure worksites are safe for members. If a possible or confirmed COVID-19 case occurs, our team is working quickly to ensure all members are safe and informed.

If you are working in a Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) building and may have a possible or confirmed COVID-19 case, please immediately contact PSPC’s National Service Call Centre. A response plan will be put in place immediately.

Mental health

The wellness of our members is always important, but at times like these, stress may become overwhelming. The employer is preparing extra resources to support teams across the government. 

Contact the 24-7 Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or your departmental coordinator, access care through the Public Service Healthcare Plan (PSHP), or use the nationwide Specialized Organizational Services (SOS).

Union support

This situation is evolving and changing rapidly. PIPSC staff and stewards are able to support you if you have any concerns. 

We encourage you to contact a steward by email or phone if you require support. 

This is an evolving situation

This situation is constantly evolving, PIPSC will cooperate with the Treasury Board, and all our group employers, to make sure that we are consulted and you are informed of any changes.

We expect to learn more over the next few hours, days and weeks. We are committed to informing you as soon as possible.

PIPSC members can find our latest updates on COVID-19: https://pipsc.ca/covid19

Government of Canada updates on COVID-19: https://www.canada.ca/covid-19

President of the Treasury Board, Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, announced on March 13 that federal employees will be allowed to telework as long as their job allows it. We are asking all PIPSC members to consult their respective managers to see how this new order applies to them.

For others whose presence at the workplace is vital to their job, we understand new directives will be sent out. Those still attending the work-site have been asked to self-monitor closely for any symptoms of the virus.

PIPSC and 14 other unions representing federal public servants called on the Treasury Board to take this action today. We are encouraged by today’s announcement. 

In a joint letter, the unions asked the Treasury Board to do its part to help “flatten the curve.” As per the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) guidelines, social distancing and proactive self-isolation are key components to mitigate the risks associated with a widespread viral outbreak.

We’ve asked for leadership from the Federal Government to make it clear to all departments and agencies that employees are encouraged to proactively self-isolate.

Furthermore, it must be clear that:

• Employees who self-isolate as per the PHAC guidelines and who are not able to telework are to be granted discretionary leave with pay in respect of circumstances not directly attributable to the employee. Such employees should not be forced to use personal leave, sick leave or go without pay if they are otherwise able to work.
• To facilitate telework, departments and agencies must provide for teleconference and other virtual meeting options.

PIPSC will be meeting with the President of the Treasury Board in the coming days. 

We have been getting daily updates from across the government. And we are concerned that potential and positive cases of COVID-19 have not been adequately communicated to public servants. We are asking that management be provided with the tools needed to quickly enact plans for these situations. 

With the increase in teleworking, we are raising our concerns regarding access to VPN and the adequacy of the IT infrastructure to support this change to work. 

For PIPSC members outside of the federal public service

PIPSC President Debi Daviau has sent a letter to all employers with PIPSC members on March 13 to clarify leave options and has strongly encouraged them to arrange remote work wherever possible. 

We expect to learn more over the coming days and will inform our members as soon as possible. 

PIPSC members can find our latest updates on COVID-19: https://pipsc.ca/covid19

Government of Canada updates on COVID-19: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html

Each year on March 20, we join with francophones around the world to celebrate the importance, beauty and diversity of the French language and cultures!

As an organization representing thousands of French-speaking public servants, we strongly support a worker’s right to work in their language of choice. And we continue to advocate for language training in the federal public service.

In our recent submission on the proposed changes to the Official Languages Act, we advocate for:

• the protection of both official languages, as well as indigenous languages
• the rights of all workers to work in their official language of choice
• the obligation to provide services in designated government offices in both official languages
• the reopening of the Bilingualism Bonus Directive to better support the use of both official languages amongst federal government employees

We are, however, concerned that:

• the federal government is failing to uphold bilingualism by not properly funding language training
• tools used for the daily activities are not always available in both official languages
• inequality in the evaluation of the second language abilities and language requirements on positions are leading to problems
• lack of a coordinated, well-funded language strategy for the federal public service is having a negative impact on our members’ career opportunities

We are committed to not only celebrating, but protecting and fighting for the French language in Canada! In its diversity and richness - On célèbre le français!

Our Task Force on Official Languages leads this important work and they welcome any questions or comments at gtlo_tfol@pipsc.ca.

The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Our staff has been assessing the situation on a daily basis and following recommendations laid out by all levels of government. 

We are closing PIPSC offices across the country, allowing most of our employees to work from home from March 16 until April 4, 2020. For the time being, some staff will attend the office for specific tasks. Staff have been prepared for this closure and have everything they need to continue their work. We will continue to assess the situation daily and take any further precautions as necessary. 

We are doing our part to limit non-essential travel and exposure to reduce the spread of COVID-19. All PIPSC union-related activities are postponed until further notice. This includes meetings, trainings and social events. If possible, we will replace meetings with teleconferences or web-conferences. Any travel for PIPSC-related activities is being cancelled at this time.

During this time, our staff are committed to supporting members and will continue to be available by email and phone. Mailboxes will be monitored. We continue to work hard on behalf of all PIPSC members.

During this stressful time, we want to thank PIPSC members for their cooperation – especially those working in the healthcare sector who are taking care of Canadians across this country.

As you are well aware, Phoenix pay errors will impact many public servants this tax season. It is most important that you get the answers and compensation that you deserve.

You are entitled to $200 in compensation for tax advice if you have experienced a Phoenix pay issue in the last year. We encourage all eligible members to seek the professional support needed to deal with any Phoenix-related tax issues and claim that expense.

If you received a T4 that contains errors, the Canada Revenue Agency FAQs outline the actions to take.

If you have paid tax penalties that you believe are a direct result of Phoenix errors, you can submit a claim for compensation.

For more information on Phoenix, visit www.pipsc.ca/phoenix.

At this year’s Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) Convention, delegates will elect a new President to lead the labour movement. The PIPSC Board of Directors is proud to endorse Linda Silas, who has over 17 years of union leadership experience.

The Board is confident that she will be able to continue the high-impact work of Hassan Yussuff — current leader of the CLC — and is the best candidate to represent the interests of PIPSC members. Silas has been the President of the 200,000-strong Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) since 2003, was the President of the New Brunswick Nurses Union (NBNU) and is a graduate of l’Université de Moncton.

According to Silas, all workers need representation - from public servants to those in the gig economy. We couldn't agree more.

“Linda is exceptional in high-pressure environments, is a strong advocate of workers’ rights, and has the best understanding of public sector issues from her background as a nurse” says Debi Daviau, PIPSC President. “She is the leader we need to keep the labour movement pushing forward into a new decade of success.”

As an exceptional bilingual advocate who often comments on health, public service and labour issues, we recognize Linda as the foremost advocate on behalf of nurses and all workers across Canada.

At this time, all of our union meetings and events continue to take place. Any travel or meeting related to our union work is always voluntary. Please use your own discretion as to whether or not to adapt your activities.

We are in ongoing communication with the federal government on Coronavirus (COVID-19). A committee was created through the National Joint Council (NJC) to maintain a direct line of communication between the government and unions to ensure coordination and preparedness. 

This NJC committee had its first weekly meeting on March 6. The Treasury Board confirmed the development of an internal communication plan around the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Treasury Board had already sent instructions to heads of human resources and labour relations across departments to deal with the situation. You should be receiving clear direction from your employer.

We will continue to advocate for clear communication from the federal government. 

It is important that we share responsibility for workplace wellness. This may include working from home or taking sick time. Wellness of our membership is paramount and we encourage you to contact your steward if you require support to manage an absence from the workplace due to potential illness.

For information on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) visit www.canada.ca/coronavirus or the website for your local health authority.