BRUCEDALE – Guelph-Eramosa Township intends to update its employee on-call pay to $1.60 per hour.
The move in committee of the whole followed a report by CAO Ian Roger regarding an update to the township’s pay administration policy to include employee on-call pay.
In his report Roger noted the employee on-call pay rate was not reviewed at the time of the salary review undertaken in 2017, which it should have.
Since then, a review has been undertaken which compared the township to the following municipalities: Puslinch, Centre Wellington, Woolwich, Uxbridge and Scugog. Roger’s report stated, “Traditionally the local employee on-call pay rate increased annually to align with the annual approved cost of living adjustment.”
In 2018 and 2019 the employee on-call pay was not adjusted as the current rate and practice for the on-call pay rate increases have been under evaluation.
Roger’s report recommended that the employee on-call pay rate continues to be compensated at an hourly rate to accommodate the operating departments’ scheduling requirements, and for the rate to receive an increase annually to align with the approved cost of living allowance applied to the other salary rates.
Financial impact
The township’s employee on-call pay rate had an increase in 2017 from $1.37 per hour to $1.39 per hour and the rate has not been increased since this time.
Staff with on-call duties typically are on call for 128 hours per week on a rotating basis totalling $177.92 per week.
Roger added that the recommended changes are negligible as the costs associated with the recommended update to the Township of Guelph/Eramosa’s Pay Administration Policy and the employee on-call pay rates were included in the annual budget.
His report proposed increasing an increase to the current employee on-call pay rate to $1.60 per hour to more closely align with municipal comparators.
Roger’s report also recommended the current employee on-call pay be adjusted to align more closely to local comparators at a rate of $1.60 per hour, totalling $204.80 per week and to be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2020.
The township administration/human resources department will establish the practice of reviewing the pay administration policy annually to align policies with current legislation, common law, policies of other municipalities and best human resources practices.
On Feb. 24, Mayor Chris White stated the committee’s recommendation was essentially housekeeping and that it will be accepted as presented.
