Alberta Health Services is implementing a measure requiring certain 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 senior vice-president of finance and shared services, specified that non-unionized exempt employees (referred to as NUEEs) would be affected, with some exceptions in specific salary groups.
The memo emphasized that the decision was made after exploring various options and deemed necessary to fulfill financial obligations amidst continued budgetary challenges. A spokesperson for AHS confirmed the initiative as a one-time measure affecting non-unionized staff members, without specifying the exact number of employees required to take 15.5 hours of unpaid leave.
In response to inquiries, AHS spokesperson Kristi Bland stated that the organization is actively seeking efficiencies and cost savings to meet financial commitments while safeguarding patient care. The spokesperson clarified that frontline staff would not be impacted, and health-care services would remain unaffected by the measure. Additionally, certain positions have been exempted to shield those earning below a specific threshold from the directive.
Bland acknowledged the difficulty of the financial impact on employees and highlighted that AHS had already implemented various cost-saving strategies, such as managing vacancies and vacations, to minimize the effects on its workforce. Notably, AHS did not provide details to CBC News regarding the types of positions included in the measure or the anticipated cost savings.
Dr. Braden Manns, a professor specializing in medicine and health economics at the University of Calgary, expressed little surprise at the decision, citing historical budget constraints faced by Alberta Health Services. Manns, who previously served as an interim AHS vice-president, highlighted the mismatch between budget increments and population growth during his tenure.
Before the recent health care restructuring in the province, NUEEs constituted approximately 10 percent of the AHS workforce, totaling around 11,000 employees, according to Manns. He estimated that the mandated unpaid leave could result in cost savings ranging from $8 million to $15 million for AHS. Despite the measure, Manns suggested that the impact would be minimal in the broader financial context but underscored its symbolic value in recognizing the contributions of affected managers.
The initiative occurs amid ongoing health system restructuring by the Alberta government, with Acute Care Alberta noting that it does not affect employees who have transitioned to the province’s new health agencies. Manns opined that the actual number of impacted individuals might be lower due to the dismantling of AHS. AHS assured that impacted staff would be involved in scheduling their unpaid days off to accommodate their preferences.