If an employee receives an Opting letter from the department notifying them that their services are no longer required and that they are not guaranteed a position or continued employment, they have 120 days to pick one of three options:
- Option A: 12 Month Surplus Period to Secure a Reasonable Job Offer (RJO)
- Option B: Transitional Support Measure (TSM)
- Option C: Educational Allowance
Option A: What is the 12 Month Surplus Priority List?
An Opting employee who chooses Option A, will receive a letter giving them surplus priority rights for appointment to other positions in the Core Public Administration for 12 months; effectively allowing them to be considered ahead of unaffected employees for open positions. During this period, they have 12 months to find a reasonable job offer or else they will be laid-off. They would be entitled to the following:
- qualify for a pension Waiver if they are 55-59 years of age with at least 10 years of service;
- receive pay in lieu of unfulfilled surplus period for a surplus employee who offers to resign before the end of the 12-month surplus period;
- receive a lump-sum payment equal to the surplus regular pay for the balance of the surplus period, up to a maximum of 6 months (the amount cannot exceed the maximum that would have been received under Option B).
When choosing this option, the employee discontinues working as of the resignation day and is considered to have been laid-off for purposes of severance pay entitlement.
Option B: What is the Transition Support Measure (TSM)?
When choosing this option, the employee receives a taxable cash payment based on years of service in the Public Service.
Under this option, the Employee:
- resigns and receives a lump-sum amount ranging from 4 to 52 weeks salary.
- is considered laid-off for severance pay purposes;
- is entitled to $1,200 for financial and job placement counselling services;
- relinquishes any priority rights for reappointment;
- receives a pension waiver if 55-59 years of age with at least 10 years of service (not in receipt of a reasonable job offer (RJO) and is laid-off)
With this option, the employee receives a pension waiver allowing the employee to receive an unreduced pension provided they are at least 55 years old and have at least 10 years of service.
Information on exact TSM payments in weeks’ pay by year of service can be found in the WFAD (Appendix C).
Option C: What is the Educational Allowance?
When choosing this option, the employee receives a cash payment equivalent to Option B plus reimbursement of up to $17,000 as an Educational Allowance for receipted expenses for tuition fees, costs of books and relevant equipment.
The Employee effectively resigns and receives a lump-sum amount ranging from 4 to 52 weeks salary and $1,200 for financial and job placement counselling services in exchange for pursuing this option. In turn, the employee relinquishes any priority rights for reappointment and is considered to have been laid-off for purposes of severance pay entitlement.
When picking this option, the employee has the option of taking Leave Without Pay (LWOP) for up to two years to study.
If no proof of registration is provided within 12 months, resignation is assumed and considered a laid-off for severance pay purposes.
At the end of the 2 years, the employee is laid off unless alternate employment is found and during this time, the employee remains on the lay-off priority status for 12 months.