Recognition of Prior Service in the Canadian Forces for Vacation Purposes

Date: June 20, 2012

To: Heads of Human Resources, Directors/Chiefs of Labour, Relations and Compensation

Prior service with the Canadian Forces is not currently recognized for the calculation of vacation leave entitlement in the core public administration. Following an announcement in Budget 2012, the Directive on Terms and Conditions of Employment has been amended to allow for recognition of this service.

Effective April 1, 2012, the Directive on Terms and Conditions of Employment has been amended to include service with the Canadian Forces in the definition of ’service’ for vacation leave purposes. This will allow prior service as a member of the Canadian Forces to be taken into account in the calculation of vacation leave credits for employees of the core public administration.

Any former service in the Canadian Forces for a continuous period of six months or more, either as a member of the Regular Force or of the Reserve Force while on Class B or C service, will be included in the calculation of vacation leave credits. The change is forward-looking and there shall be no recalculation of entitlements for vacation years before April 1, 2012.

Organizations are to ask their employees to contact their Compensation Advisor or the Public Service Pay Centre with a record of service if they have eligible prior service as a member of the Canadian Forces. Compensation staff will review each file and make adjustments as required. Here are examples of what may be used as a record of qualifying service in the Canadian Forces:

1. service as a contributor under the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act;
2. service that has been elected as pensionable service under sub-subparagraph 6.(1)(b)(iii)(C) of the Public Service Superannuation Act; or
3. service as Reserve Force Class B or C for which (a) and (b) do not apply, that can be validated to the satisfaction of the Employer.

Eligible employees who come forward will be credited with the appropriate vacation leave credits as per the provisions of the relevant collective agreement or terms and conditions of employment.

Qualifying service will count retroactively from April 1, 2012, for the calculation of additional leave credits of former Canadian Forces members. However, for those employees whose collective agreement is currently being negotiated, while the start date of the former service qualification will also be April 1, 2012, this calculation will not take effect until after the new collective agreement has been signed.

Canadian Forces members do not receive severance or payment in lieu of severance from the public service when they leave the military, consequently their eligible service is not impacted.

There will be no transfer of entitlements or carry-over of accumulated unused vacation leave credits from the Canadian Forces to the core public administration.

All questions from employees are to be directed to their appropriate corporate officials.

In accordance with the Interpretation Requests bulletin, Corporate Departmental Labour Relations and Corporate Compensation Managers and Officers can send any questions regarding this change to the following email address: Contact Interpretations by E-mail Interpretations@tbs-sct.gc.ca.

Michael Holt
A/Senior Director
Core Public Administration
Compensation Management
Compensation and Labour Relations
Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer