Question on information for Training for Reserves

[N8O1]

Hi all, I am not in the reserves, army or any part of the Canadian Armed Forces. I am Union representative that is preparing for an Arbitration next week. This is an issue where one of our members (an army reserve) was denied military leave from work to attend a training excise. What I am looking for is information on how reservists would receive information/reporting instructions for these training exercises. The corporation is saying reservists always receive this information in writing.  Is it possibly they would receive this information verbally? I tried calling our local garrison and also some nation 800 numbers but have not been able to talk to anyone who could help me with this.

Thank you

Nathan

 

[blackberet17]

Nathan, you may need to be a little more specific. If you can't, understandable, and feel free to pm me.

A training exercise for a Reservist could be a weekend exercise during the training year (September to April/May for Reservists), for which the information is pretty much verbal. It is quite possible all he/she was given is a verbal instruction - i.e., "be here Friday at 1900 to draw weapons and get on the bus. And don't forget your sleeping kit."

If it was a longer-term exercise, such as a week-long event, there should be joining instructions made available to the member. However, often even the initial warning of an impending exercise is simply verbal. The member would then receive his/her travel docs upon reporting to their respective admin office, prior to departure for the exercise location.

If it's a formal course, such as a career or trades course the member must attend...well...often it's a verbal "heads-up, you're on course and you leave tomorrow", but you would receive your travel docs, etc., prior to departure.

This is from my experience, and my experience only, lived and seen. The best would be to talk to the union member's unit, if the questions need to be more specific in nature.

The corporation saying "always" is ill-informed, at best.

 

[mariomike]

I am Union representative that is preparing for an Arbitration next week. This is an issue where one of our members (an army reserve) was denied military leave from work to attend a training excise.

Does the corporation have a Military Leave policy?

I was a Reservist, and full-time union member with a municipality. Our Military Leave policy was,

"Employees can take a leave of absence with pay, for the two week period of absence, to attend the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve Training Program.

The maximum period of absence is two weeks in a calendar year.

Employees applying for leave must provide their executive director/general manager/division head or designate with a letter of support from their commanding officer.

Employees are paid their regular pay provided they submit any compensation received for military service to the city treasurer, unless this compensation is paid for days they are not scheduled to work.

Compensation received for travelling expenses and meal allowance does not have to be returned to the city.

All benefits continue during the leave.

An employee's service is not affected by the leave. An employee's vacation entitlement, and pension credit do not change."
http://wx.toronto.ca/intra/hr/policies.nsf/0/58a35e5368beb69e852567bd006d7e4b?OpenDocument

That two weeks of Reserve training costs the City 80 hours in wages at double time and a half. ( The Reservists salary, plus the 80 hours at time and a half overtime they had to pay co-workers to cover their shifts. )

There was also this,  "unless this compensation is paid for days they are not scheduled to work."

We worked ten 12-hour shifts every three weeks. You would pocket the Reserve pay for days you were not scheduled to work ( in addition to your two weeks  City pay. )

See also,

Reservists Job Protection Superthread 
http://army.ca/forums/threads/2552.0
20 pages.

Reservists + Work 
http://army.ca/forums/threads/107451.25
2 pages.

time off work: for reserve training 
http://army.ca/forums/threads/1444.0/nowap.html

etc...