Each employee plays a valuable role in supporting our schools and students. Before considering any staff reductions, superintendents looked first at reducing other costs in the organization. We found significant savings from dollars that will no longer be spent due to the cancellation of classes. School decentralized budgets were also decreased, and service units were able to reallocate funds due to projects being stopped or delayed.

Although we found enough savings to avoid about 1,000 layoffs, about 1,900 part and full-time CBE staff members will still receive temporary layoff notices.

About 1,030 of these are part-time breakfast and lunch supervisors. The other 870 positions include part-time cleaners, library assistants, CTS instructors, psychologists and speech language pathologists as well as other administrative and support staff.

Contract staff like substitute teachers will not receive layoff notices, but there will be limited work for them between now and the end of the school year.

Because of other budget savings, all 880 of our education assistants will keep their positions through to the end of June. We know this is very important to our schools and families.

Also important to our staff and families is that we will be retaining the majority of our cleaning and facilities staff. Although classes are cancelled, our schools are open, and learning is continuing for students. Cleaning protocols have been enhanced to ensure the health and safety of our staff, families and others who may be in our schools.

Please note that the regular layoff and recall process has temporarily been modified to respond to the budget reduction.  The CBE has signed Letters of Understanding with Staff Association and CUPE as temporary layoffs related to COVID-19 are not covered in respective collective agreements. The regular spring staffing process will be used to determine staffing levels for 2020-21.

If you are affected by the temporary layoffs, please take the following actions as soon as possible:

• Check the Letter of Understanding that covers your situation.
• Know about your benefits. A comprehensive employee FAQ is posted on this page.

• Consider contacting Homewood Health at 1-800-663-1142 for support if you feel anxious or upset. Homewood Health has numerous supports available.

• Read the resource list on Insite to take advantage of the information, resources, and support that is available to you.

Applying for financial support through the federal government

• To determine if you are eligible to apply for the new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and for further details about the application process please consult the CERB page.
• To determine if you are eligible to apply for employment insurance (EI) and for further details about the application process please consult the EI page.

 If you have other questions related to your temporary layoff, please contact temporarylayoffs@cbe.ab.ca

Employee FAQ

Please note: The following FAQs will continue to be updated as new information becomes available. Please click here for the CBE page

What is a temporary layoff?

On April 9, the CBE issued temporary layoff notices to about 1,900 employees. These layoffs are effective as of May 1, and are directly related to a budget reduction from the provincial government. This layoff is temporary and is expected to last until in-person classes resume in the 2020-21 school year.

What to expect, next steps?

CBE next steps:

• Your leader will connect with you to discuss any outstanding work and a plan to complete the work during the working notice period

• Make a list of CBE property in your possession and plan to return them at the end of your notice period. A process for handling the return of CBE property is being developed and more information will be available before the end of your working notice period.

  Applying for financial support through the federal government:

• To determine if you are eligible to apply for the new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and for further details about the application process please refer to the CERB page.
• A Record of Employment will be issued electronically to Service Canada. To determine if you are eligible to apply for employment insurance (EI) and for further details about the application process please refer to the EI page.

When will my ROE be available?

The CBE will send your electronic ROE information to Service Canada after pay has been issued for your last day worked. You will be notified by email once this process has been completed.

For further information on how to claim Employment Insurance (EI), please refer to the main Service Canada website at www.servicecanada.gc.ca. The contact number is 1-800-622-6232 or visit Canada.ca

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) have also created a website specifically related to COVID-19. It provides information about how to apply for benefits for employees who are directly affected by COVID-19 because they are sick or quarantined. If this applies to you, please refer to the website for up to date information.

How does the recall process work?

Once the CBE is notified by the Government of Alberta that in-person classes will resume, the recall process will proceed according to the provisions of the Letter of Understanding Temporary Layoff RE: Pandemic between the Calgary Board of Education and the Staff Association

I am a Staff Association – Main body employee. Can I use my displacement rights?

The temporary layoffs are administered under the new Letter of Understanding Temporary Layoff RE: Pandemic between the Calgary Board of Education and the Staff Association. Displacement rights are not included in the Letter of Understanding.

I am a Staff Association – Main body employee. Can I be placed on the casual roster?

No. Currently there is no work available through the casual roster.

Is this process different from the regular spring staffing process?

Yes. The temporary layoff process is due to the reduction in funding from the Government of Alberta while in-person classes are cancelled.

The regular spring staffing process will continue, and employees will be notified of staffing decisions that will take effect at the beginning of the 2020-21 school year.

What happens if my position is eliminated through the spring staffing process?

Employees whose positions are eliminated during the regular spring staffing process will be notified in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 – Layoff and Recall of the Staff Association -Main Body, Staff Association – Professional Support Staff and CUPE Collective Agreements.

I am a Staff Association – Main body employee.  What happens if my hours are adjusted through the spring staffing process?

Employees whose hours are changed during the regular spring staffing process will be notified in accordance with the provisions of Article 11.6 – Adjustment of weekly hours of the Staff Association – Main Body.

I am a Staff Association – Main Body or Staff Association – PSS term-specific employee, am I being laid off as well?

Term-specific employees are not subject to layoff provisions. Term-specific employees will receive two weeks’ notice and their contract will be terminated.

I was in a probationary/trial period in my position. Does this continue when I return?

Yes, your probationary period will be extended by the duration of your temporary layoff and will resume when you are recalled.

What happens to my benefits during the temporary layoff period?

Your will remain enrolled in the Group Benefit Plans and the Health Spending Account which you are currently eligible for prior to your temporary layoff.

For additional questions related to specific claims and coverage, please contact the Sun Life Customer Care Centre at 1-800-361-6212. Questions related to eligibility and enrolment in the benefit plans may be directed to the Employee Contact Centre at 403-817-7333 or ecc@cbe.ab.ca.

How will my Long Term Disability/ Extended Disability Premium be deducted?

Staff Association Main Body and Staff Association Professional Support Staff – Long term disability deductions for the temporary layoff period will be made on the last two pay dates prior to the date of the temporary layoff.

CUPE – Extended Disability premiums will be 100 per cent CBE paid for the duration of your temporary layoff.

What happens to my pension during the temporary layoff period?

Based on information received from LAPP, your pension plan enrolment will be terminated during your temporary layoff. LAPP will send you a termination statement that details your options related to your LAPP benefit. The LAPP termination statement will be provided to you within 30 days of receiving the temporary layoff details from the CBE.

If you choose to keep your pension benefit in LAPP following temporary layoff and you recommence participation in LAPP upon recall, you will continue to earn pensionable service, which will be added to any pensionable service from previous periods of LAPP participation.

What happens to my seniority during the temporary layoff period?

Staff Association – Main Body and Staff Association – PSS: Employees will continue to accrue seniority while on temporary layoff

CUPE: General and Department seniority will continue to accrue during your temporary layoff period.

What happens to my personal leave days?

Staff Association – Main Body and Staff Association – PSS: Personal leave days must be used before June 30 of each year. If you have any personal leave days left, you are encouraged to use them before the end of your working notice period. Please connect with your leader to discuss accessing personal leave days.

CUPE: Personal leave days must be used during the calendar year. Please connect with your leader to discuss accessing personal leave days.

What happens to my sick leave bank?

Staff Association – Main Body and Staff Association – PSS: Your sick bank will remain at the same level as on the effective date of the temporary layoff. Upon recall, your sick bank will continue to accrue from the level it was at prior on the effective date of your temporary layoff.

CUPE: Employees in their first year – Your sick bank will remain at the same level as on the effective date of the temporary layoff. Upon recall, your sick bank will continue to accrue from the level it was at prior on the effective date of your temporary layoff.

Employees with more than one year – upon your return to active duties, you will have access to 90 calendar days of sick leave

What happens to my vacation bank?

Your vacation bank will remain at the same level as on the effective date of the temporary layoff. Upon recall, your vacation bank will continue to accrue from the level it was at prior on the effective date of your layoff.

Can I use my vacation bank to extend my layoff date?

No, your layoff is effective at the end of the working notice period indicated in your temporary layoff letter.

Can I still take vacation time during the working notice period?

Yes. Please connect with your leader to discuss accessing vacation during the working notice period.

What happens to any future dated timesheet information such as planned vacation, medical, dental or personal leave time?

If you have entered planned leave time in your timesheet and these entries occur after your lay-off date, this information will be deleted.

During my temporary layoff do I still have access to the EFAP program through Homewood health?

Yes, during this time you can access the resources offered through Homewood Health by visiting the EFAP page on Insite or calling Homewood Health at 1-800-663-1142.

How will I continue to receive updates from the CBE?

All CBE employees who received temporary layoff notices will continue to have access to Insite and their CBE email address. Please monitor both Insite and your CBE email address regularly for updates.

I have time in lieu accumulated, what happens to this time?

Lieu time must be used before June 30 of each year. If you have lieu time left, you are encouraged to use this before the end of your working notice period. Please connect with your leader to discuss accessing lieu time. If this can not be used, any additional hours worked during the school year should be reported through PeopleSoft Timesheet (or Time Reporting over 60 days form”) for the dates extra or overtime was worked.

Can I use the time in lieu I have accumulated to extend my temporary layoff date?

No, your temporary layoff is effective at the end of the working notice period indicated in your temporary layoff letter.