July 6, 1998

 To:Corporate Services Committee

 From:Brenda Glover, Executive Director of Human Resources

 Subject:Separation Program - Breaks in Service

 Recommendation:

 That this report be received for information.

 Background:

 Councillor David Miller requested a staff report to Committee regarding severance policies of the Corporation with respect to employees who have service with more than one prior council, particularly if there are breaks in service and/or prior service was not recognized by the second municipality.

 Comments:

 A number of factors were considered in establishing the separation formula. These included: service, salary level, position/level of responsibility and common law precedents.

 Service is calculated in fully completed years for the purposes of the separation program. In general, service indicates actual time worked, including paid, legislated levels of absence which do not break service, but excluding periods of unpaid leaves where service is broken.

 Eligible Service

The following are eligible to be included in the calculation of service:

• Ill With Pay

• Long Term Disability:

Periods in which an employee is in receipt of LTD benefits.

• Maternity and Parental Leave:

The 17 weeks of maternity leave and the 18 weeks of parental leave are protected under the Employment Standards Act and count towards service.

 A period of leave extending beyond 35 weeks is not eligible to be counted as service.

• Move from Contract to Temporary or Permanent Status:

Employees who move from contract to temporary or permanent status without a break in service will have the contract period count as service for purposes of this calculation.

• Part Time Employees:

Permanent employees who are working part time are eligible to participate in the separation program. Service as a part time employee is pro-rated based on actual number of hours worked.

• Workplace Safety and Insurance Benefit:

Periods in which an employee is in receipt of WSI benefits.

• Predecessor Service:

Length of service refers to the duration of continuous employment. Service for employees who have worked for more than one municipality will be considered continuous if:

• There was no break in service between jobs, and

• The employees' service was formally recognized when he/she went to work for another municipality.

 Conclusion:

 That this report be received for information.

 Contact Name:

 Alison Anderson, Director of Employment Services, 397-4144.

 Brenda Glover

Executive Director of Human Resources

 Margaret Rodrigues

Commissioner of Corporate Services