Quebec is axing a series of measures taken in recent months to deal with absenteeism and pressure in the health network, including the “COVID bonus”. Several other incentives will also be discontinued as of April 16.
Updated yesterday at 3:33 p.m.
In a press release, the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) affirms that this decision goes “in continuity” with the gradual lifting of health measures, which must indeed end for the most part this Saturday. Wearing a mask should however remain compulsory until at least the end of March, or even until mid-April, in public places.
Thus, as of April 16, the “COVID premium” of 4% and 8% will end for all employees of the health network. On the same day, the authorities will also lift several measures taken in the wake of the fifth wave of the pandemic, including double pay for employees working overtime and the granting of a sum of $100. additional for part-time workers working more than 30 hours per week.
Many direct incentives, such as reimbursement of taxi fares or free overtime meals, 150% compensation for replacement executives or reimbursement of parking fees, will also be abandoned as of mid-April.
The Legault government will also end the $1,000 payment that was offered over four weeks to certain employees, in order to encourage their presence at work. Ditto for the “attendance bonus” in the vaccination and screening centers, which was around $1,800 per month for a service of at least one day per week.
Several financial supports will also end on April 16 in intermediate or family-type resources (RI-RTF). In private residences for seniors (RPA), a “salary transition program” will come into effect “at the end of the state of health emergency” for establishments with less than 250 housing units, in order to maintain salaries “ competitive” for nurses.
What stays in place?
Certain measures will nevertheless remain in place, including bonuses to reward nurses who have not left the network, ranging from $12,000 to $18,000 depending on the situation, as well as incentives for settling in the regions or the temporary allowance for managers working with nursing personnel.
The Je Contribue platform will also continue its activities, with the aim of recruiting more “arms” in the health network. Bonuses for adding a weekend shift, or for changing a day shift to evening or night, will also be maintained “for the time being”, but should be withdrawn “when the situation allows”. .
According to figures provided Friday by the MSSS, more than 5.3 billion have been paid in various bonuses and financial measures taken within the framework of the state of health emergency. The authorities also recall that several measures which had been implemented in January, in the wake of the fifth wave, were already “planned for a period of 12 weeks, i.e. until April 9, 2022”.
Unions worried
Several national unions representing health care employees said they feared on Friday that by acting too quickly, “the government is accentuating a wave of departures in the network and causing a new multiplication of service failures”.
“Before moving forward and ending the incentives, the government needs to think about the effect this will have on staff. Workers are at their wit’s end after battling the pandemic for two years. We are already having a hard time attracting and retaining staff in the network”, castigated the Federation of Health and Social Services (FSSS-CSN), the Quebec Health Federation (FSQ-CSQ), the Interprofessional Federation de la santé du Québec (FIQ), the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and many others.
The president of the FIQ, Julie Bouchard, also deplored the absence of “negotiated transitional or permanent measures to retain caregivers and attract the next generation to the network”.
“It is imperative that the sums invested during the pandemic remain in the network and be reinvested in working conditions and the implementation of structuring measures, including the implementation of safety ratios. If the government really wants to rebuild the health network, it has an opportunity to do things differently by listening to us,” she added.