Date Issued: 12/09/1986
Revision Date: 20/06/2018
Purpose
To lessen the burden of accessing medical and dental services for employees living in Northern locations.
Policy Statement
The Government of Saskatchewan provides additional vacation expenses once a year to eligible employees headquartered north of the Northern Administrative District Boundary.
Objectives
This policy aims to provide additional leaves and travel expenses for employees living in Northern communities who may have limited access to medical and dental services.
Principles
The Government of Saskatchewan recognizes that employees working in some Northern locations may encounter barriers/limitation in accessing medical and dental services. To promote health, wellness, and safety for all employees in the Government of Saskatchewan, additional leaves and travel expenses are provided.
Application
This policy applies to Government employees, their spouses and/or dependents who are headquartered north of the Northern Administration District Boundary.
Eligibility
- Permanent Full-Time employees;
- Permanent Part Time and Labour Service employees who have worked 40% or more in their first year of employment. If they have worked less than 40% in their first year of employment, they will become eligible once they complete their probationary period (24 calendar months);
- Term employees are eligible once they have completed the equivalent to a probationary period;
- All employees are eligible only when actively at work
Leave Benefit
Leave may be charged against the employee's accrued sick leave or vacation balances. If these accrued leave balances have been exhausted, leave shall be without pay.
Medical Leave Fly Out Locations
Ministry will provide a scheduled return air flight, charter flight, or air ambulance from place of work to the nearest available medical centre (Prince Albert, Edmonton or Flin Flon, whichever is closer).
- To be eligible the employee must:
- In centres where medical attention is available must provide referral from working location and of warranted medical attention at destination; or
- In centres where medical attention is not available, a proof of warranted medical attention at destination must be provided
Medical Leave for Locations Accessible by Road
Return mileage allowance to the nearest centre where full time service is available will be paid in accordance with the mileage allowance provided in the current Saskatchewan Government Employers' Union Agreement.
To be eligible, employees:
- In centres where medical attention is available must provide referral from working location and of warranted medical attention at destination; or
- In centres where medical attention is not available, a proof of warranted medical attention at destination must be provided.
This is applicable only to locations serviced by regular roads. Winter roads are not considered regular roads.
Dental Leave
The same travel benefits for medical leave apply for dental leave in communities where a full time practitioner is not available.
Administration
An employee who claims for a medical trip is not entitled to claim other benefits on the same trip.
Only single trip benefits will be paid when:
- Two or more employees are given time off for medical travel and they are travelling together; or
- An employee arranges to ride in a government vehicle or private vehicle for which the ministry is paying
The medical leave benefits are not intended to subsidize travel expense incurred by employees seeking medical and dental services in locations further south than Prince Albert.
Should the employee or family member wish to travel to a different location, expenses shall only be paid to the nearest available medical centre. If the service is available in the employees' location, no travel expenses shall be paid.
For example:
- If an employee located in La Ronge wishes to see an optometrist in Prince Albert, no travel expenses should be paid given that optometrist services are available in La Ronge. (If there would be significant delay in the employee's ability to access the optometrist service in La Ronge, consideration would be given to paying for travel expenses to Prince Albert).
- If an employee located in La Ronge sees a specialist in Saskatoon, and these specialist services may or may not be available in Prince Albert, travel expenses should be paid only to Prince Albert and return from Prince Albert.
Employees and/or spouses should be encouraged to use Central Vehicle Agency vehicles rather than utilizing private vehicles.
Definitions
- Spouse: Employee’s spouse (legal or common-law).
- Dependent: Unmarried children 18 years of age or under. Children who are incapable of supporting themselves because of physical or mental disorder are eligible without age limit.
Inquiries
For inquiries, please contact the Human Resource Service Centre.