ATTENTION NURSES in the MNU bargaining unit in the following classifications
LPN, ORT I, ORT II, Nurse II, Nurse III and CRN/Charge Nurse

A reminder that the first qualifying period for the MNU Full Time Hours Salary Enhancement is coming to a close and ending on September 30, 2025.

The goal of the salary enhancement is to encourage nurses to work full-time hours across Employer Organizations (EOs) to meet the patient care needs of the patients that we serve, to reduce our reliance on Agency usage and on mandatory and regular overtime, and to provide greater scheduling stability for patient care.

The first qualifying period was May 1 to September 30, 2025, reduced from the original April 1 to September 30, 2025. April had been eliminated from the qualifying period and any April shortfall in hours will not disqualify a nurse from the FTSE. To qualify for the full FTSE amount for the first qualifying period, part-time and casual nurses in eligible classifications must accrue 839.58 qualifying hours between May 1, 2025 and September 30, 2025.

To confirm eligibility, you may wish to review your payroll statements for the qualifying time frame and ensure you have a combined total of hours across Employers within your Employer Organization (with the exception of combined total of hours between Winnipeg and Shared Health Geographic location, Shared Health nurses working within other EOs, Provincial Nurse Travel Team and Northern Regional Health Authority Nurses working in other EOs due to the Wildfires. For specifics on these, please refer to the respective MOU.)

Hours on your payroll statement that are included in calculation of the 839.58 qualifying hours include:
• Regular Hours
• Paid Sick
• Paid Leave
• Vacation
• Banked OT Taken
• STAT Taken
• Sick Family
• Wellness Days
• Standby

Nurses may qualify for exceptions to reduce the number of required hours. Some exceptions are automatic, however a select few must be applied for within a specific timeframe.

Automatic exceptions for part-time nurses include:
• An approved unpaid leave of absence of four weeks or less.
• An approved union leave of four weeks or less.
• The aforementioned leaves can be taken individually or in combination up to a maximum of four weeks in the eligibility period.
• Any period of approved WCB claim subject to the nurse working sufficient hours to qualify for the enhancement in the preceding eight weeks prior to the claim.

Exceptions that part-time nurses must apply for ( request form);

• Utilize accrued banked overtime to a maximum of 38.75 hours. This request must be made in writing within two pay periods prior to September 30, 2025.
• 38.75-hour exception if unable to pick up additional shifts due to extenuating circumstances. Must make request in writing within two (2) weeks after September 30, 2025.
• 50 hours exception to address STAT time off equivalent to full-time nurses. Must make request in writing within two (2) weeks after September 30, 2025.
• The above three exceptions may not exceed a combined total of 110 hours.
• All hours in receipt of standby premium qualify for the Full-time Salary Enhancement. Where a nurse is on standby on a day not scheduled for work they may make request to apply for an exception of hours for the time they were unable to pick up additional hours due to being on standby. The calculation of this request can be found on the request for exceptions form, and a detailed break down with examples can be found in the Full-Time Hours Salary Enhancement MOU. You must make this request in writing within two (2) weeks after September 30, 2025.
• Recognize a vacation block where a part-time nurse has not had excess vacation paid out to equal full-time hours.

If you are uncertain about your particular circumstance with respect to qualifying, applicable hours, multiple positions, etc., please contact your Employer for assistance. We want to ensure you are clear in your understanding of qualifying hours and eligibility for this enhancement.

Next Qualifying Period: October 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026

You may wish to increase your EFT prior to October 1, 2025.

How can I increase my EFT?
As per the Collective Agreement (CA), where a unit has significant reliance upon Agency or Casual nursing, the Employer must, upon request of a part-time nurse, take all reasonable measures to accommodate an EFT increase. Part-Time nurses may express interest in increasing their EFT, in writing, to their manager. The request should include the maximum EFT they wish to work.

• Once the Employer has undertaken the necessary considerations as per the CA, the nurse will be advised of the decision.

Once all part-time EFT increase requests have been considered, casual nurses may express interest in establishing an EFT, in writing, to their manager. Again, as per the CA the Employer must take all reasonable measures to transition casual nurses who make such a request to a part time EFT.

• Once the Employer has undertaken the necessary considerations as per the CA, the nurse will be advised of the decision.

Submitted by: Jennifer Frey, VP – Human Resources