Alberta Health Services is mandating some of its employees to take two unpaid days off by the end of March due to ongoing financial constraints, as per a memo obtained by CBC News. The memo, sent by Erin O’Neill, AHS’s senior vice-president of finance and shared services, mentioned that non-unionized exempt employees (referred to as NUEEs) will be affected, except those in specific salary groups. The memo emphasized that this measure was necessary to fulfill financial obligations amidst budgetary pressures.
A spokesperson from AHS confirmed that this “one-time measure” will impact certain non-unionized staff members, without specifying the exact number of employees required to take 15.5 hours of unpaid leave. The spokesperson, Kristi Bland, assured that frontline staff and patient care services will not be affected by this action. Positions below a certain pay threshold have been exempted to minimize the impact on employees.
AHS did not disclose details concerning the types of positions included in this measure or the expected cost savings. Dr. Braden Manns, a health economics professor at the University of Calgary, expressed his lack of surprise at the decision, citing the longstanding budget pressures faced by Alberta Health Services. Manns, who previously served as an interim AHS vice-president, highlighted the mismatch between budget allocations and population growth during his tenure.
Before the restructuring of the health care system in the province, NUEEs constituted approximately 10% of the AHS workforce, totaling around 11,000 employees, according to Manns. He estimated that the enforced time off could save AHS between $8 million and $15 million. Despite the modest impact of this measure, Manns acknowledged potential employee frustration, especially in light of significant government expenditures on other initiatives.
This move coincides with the ongoing restructuring of Alberta’s health system by the provincial government. Acute Care Alberta clarified that employees who have transitioned to Alberta’s new provincial health agencies are not affected by this directive. Manns suggested that the actual number of affected individuals may be lower due to the ongoing dismantling of AHS. AHS assured that impacted employees will have a say in scheduling their mandatory time off.