News and Events, Resources
Hours Averaging Agreement FAQ
•  Posted on  November 4, 2019  

The following FAQs have been put together by the CMG to help members understand the Hours Averaging Agreement that was reached with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as part of the new Collective Agreement from 2019-2024.

Why did CMG make an hours averaging agreement with the Corporation?

The Canada Labour Code limits the number of hours that a worker in federal jurisdiction can work to 48 in any given week, unless an averaging agreement is in place. The hours of work limit helps protect worker safety and prevents employers from simply using excessive hours of work to avoid hiring additional workers. The CMG and the Corporation signed an averaging agreement to allow for employees to work beyond the 48-hour weekly maximum, in recognition that our work sometimes requires us to do so, and also in recognition that many employees seek the kinds of assignments that sometimes require excess hours of work. We agreed to a 26-week averaging period.

Who does the HAA (Hours Averaging Agreement) effect? 

All CMG-represented employees, except short-term temporary employees. The data CMG received from the Corporation during bargaining indicated that fewer than 80 employees had recorded more than 1248 hours worked in the two previous 26-week periods.  That represents less than 2% of all CMG members. Because short-term temporary employees do not have a work term, they cannot be averaged and are subject to the 48-hour weekly maximum in the Canada Labour Code.

Will it affect my OT pay? 

No. All of the overtime provisions in the collective agreement remain in force. The fact that the Corporation is making every effort to adhere to Canada Labour Code by preventing employees from exceeding the maximum hours in the period could affect how you are scheduled and assigned. You can now track your hours worked in MySource for the averaging period. If you believe you could reach the maximum during the period, we recommend you talk to your manager about how to plan your assignments in the time period so you don’t exceed the maximum while still having the opportunities to do the assignments you want to do. 

What is the term? 

Each averaging period is 26 weeks. The current period started August 5 and runs to February 3, 2020,  

How do I know how many hours I worked so far this term? 

Check on My Source under the “My Leave & Attendance”  tab for a running tally. It shows the number of hours worked and remaining based on timecards submitted, so the more prompt you are in filing your work hours, the more accurate your count will be.

Who is responsible for keeping track of hours? 

All employees – including self-assigned and those with an overtime buyout – are expected to file their actual hours worked on a weekly basis. It is management’s responsibility to track hours worked and plan accordingly. We urge employees to talk to their managers about work and assignment planning, especially if you hear from a scheduler that you are being denied an assignment because of the agreement. The purpose of the agreement is not to deny employees overtime.

Can I personally agree to work more than the maximum hours?

No – the law is the law. 

What happens if I accidentally work more than the maximum?

It stands to reason your manager will want to plan more carefully in the following period. You could track your own hours more closely as well.

Tags: ,