Uniform Collective Agreement – Article 13 Vacations and Vacation Credits

13.01

An employee is entitled to a vacation leave-of-absence after completing no less than six (6) months’ service which shall be limited to the period covered by the employee’s accumulated vacation credits.

13.02

An employee who leaves the service after serving more than a month but less than six (6) months shall receive vacation pay at the rate of four percent (4%) of salary paid to the employee during this period.

13.03

Pay in lieu of vacation credits is payable on separation or on death of an employee from the service when an employee has been in the service for six (6) months or more.

13.04

Vacation leave-of-absence must be taken at such time as is designated by the Commissioner or the Commissioner’s designee. It is understood that, where practicable, the rescheduling of a previously assigned vacation period will be avoided unless such rescheduling is by mutual agreement.

13.05

An employee may accumulate vacation to a maximum of twice the employee’s annual credits but shall be required to reduce this accumulation to a maximum of one (1) year’s credits by December 31st of each year.

13.06

Where an employee is unable to reduce the vacation accumulation before the end of the year because of:

(i) sickness,
(ii) total disability,
(iii) an injury resulting in an award under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997,
(iv) an extraordinary requirement of the Employer,

the Commissioner may extend the time limit in 13.05 above.

A request in writing for carry over of excess leave must be made prior to 31 December of each year. Failure to make a request will result in the loss of any excess vacation credits.

13.07

(a) Effective January 1, 2009, employees who have completed six (6) months of service are entitled to annual vacation as follows:

(i) One and one-quarter (1-1/4) days per month during the first eight (8) years of continuous service.

(ii) One and two-thirds (1-2/3) days per month upon completion of eight (8) years of continuous service.

(iii) Two and one-twelfth (2-1/12) days per month upon completion of fifteen (15) years of continuous service.

(iv) Two and one-half (2-1/2) days per month upon completion of twenty-four (24) years of continuous service.

(v) Two and eleven-twelfths (2-11/12) days per month upon completion of thirty (30) years of service.

13.07

(b) An employee who has completed one (1) year of service will be credited at the beginning of the vacation year with all the days of vacation to which the employee becomes entitled during the year.

(c) Notwithstanding sub-section (b) above, where an employee separates from the OPP prior to the end of the vacation year, vacation entitlement will be reduced, pro rata, by the number of whole months remaining in the vacation year.

(d) Where an employee separates from the OPP with a deficit of vacation credits, the value of this deficit will be deducted from any monies owing to the employee.

(e) For the purpose of this Section “vacation year” shall be the calendar year.

13.08

Vacation credits do not accumulate during any month in which an employee is absent from duty for the entire month for any reason other than vacation leave-of-absence or leave-of-absence with pay.

13.09

An employee is entitled to vacation credits in respect of a month or part thereof in which the employee is at work or on leave-of-absence with pay.

13.10

For the purpose of Article 13.07, an employee’s length of “continuous service” will accumulate upon completion of a probationary period of not more than one (1) year and shall commence from the date on which an employee commences a period of unbroken, full-time service (Civilian and Uniform) in:

(a) the Ontario Public Service;

(b) a Police force which is amalgamated with the OPP;

(c) the Canadian Forces Military Police;

(d) the OPP Administered First Nations Police;

(e) any other Canadian Police Service; and

(f) Effective January 1, 2025, Ontario Public Bodies and Commission Public Bodies.

(g) Within sixty (60) days of January 1, 2025, employees hired prior to January 1, 2025 and who remain employed will have a one (1) time opportunity to submit in writing a claim for previous service in an Ontario Public Bodies and Commission Public Bodies for the purposes of vacation entitlement only. The employee shall cooperate with the Employer by providing verification of previous service. These claims shall be reviewed by the Employer and employees shall be provided with the appropriate credit for years of service, for vacation entitlement purposes, commensurate with their years of service on a go-forward basis. For clarity, any change to the vacation entitlement shall become effective on January 1, 2025 and there shall be no retroactivity.

For clarity, vacation entitlement (the amount of annual vacation) is based on “continuous service” in (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g).

Vacation selection (the choosing of when to take vacation) is based on “seniority”. “Seniority” is continuous service with (a) and/or (b) only.

13.11

No employees shall exceed the maximum vacation entitlement as set out in Article 13.07.

13.12

An employee with less than 14 years of service may elect to designate one (1) vacation leave period per year whereby the Employer will protect the rest day(s) which occur immediately before and after the vacation leave period. Employees who elect to protect their rest days during a specific vacation leave period shall identify the designated leave period during their respective annual vacation selection.

13.13

An employee with more than 14 years of service may elect to designate two (2) vacation leave periods per year whereby the Employer will protect the rest day(s) which occur immediately before and after the vacation leave period. Employees who elect to protect their rest days during a specific vacation leave period shall identify the designated leave period during their respective annual vacation selection.

13.14

Where an employee is required to report for any period of work on or during the vacation leave period, including rest day(s) that occur immediately before and immediately after the vacation leave period, the employee shall receive payment in accordance with Article 6.02(c) of the collective agreement.