Phoenix Damages: AJC members will see their Leave Banks credited next week

As your AJC President and co-chair the Subcommittee on Phoenix Damages, I am pleased to announce that leave banks for the first phase of the Phoenix Damages Settlement for LP's working at DOJ and PPSC should be credited next week.   We are told that AJC members will be the first public service employees to get the leave credited, on July 16th.

For most of you, this will mean 4 additional leave days in your bank.

The leave compensation breaks down as follows: 15 hours representing two (2) days of annual leave for anyone who worked in the public service in 2016-17 and additional 7.5 hours representing one (1) day of annual leave each for those employed in 2017-18 and 2018-19 for a possible total of 4 days for those employed since Phoenix was deployed, regardless of if or how they were affected by Phoenix. These credits will be available for you to use as of next week.

A reminder that these credits are only the starting point of compensation for damages caused by the Phoenix pay system. Out-of-pocket costs may still be claimed through the Claims Centre, and additional compensation for substantial harms is still to come.  And of course, you are still entitled to be paid what you are owed.

We recognize that no one would be getting any kind of compensation if it wasn't for the dedicated diligent work of your union representatives.

It is my firm belief that without unions, and without the AJC in particular, there would have been no compensation deal at all.  It was the AJC's policy grievance that got the whole damages ball rolling long before anyone else was even thinking about damages. It was our collective strength that got the employer to the table.

The AJC will continue the necessary work to ensure that each and every one of our members receives every dollar that is owed to them.  

If you have any questions, please consult our FAQs on Phoenix Damages and on Phoenix Pay Issues and contact your regional Governing Council representative.

Ursula Hendel, AJC President