This memo is to advise staff on the parameters and process to track incremental expenses related to Wildfire efforts. Please note that costs will be recorded in a new and distinct functional centre code (8199025), and are to be incremental to the normal health care operations of the facility, easily isolated from on-going operations and directly related to Wildfire efforts.

Any number of cost elements such as salaries (including additional shifts & premiums), medical/surgical supplies, equipment, communications, and other related incremental expenses related to the Wildfire efforts need to be accurately recorded including supporting documentation.

At this time, no operating funding is available for the relief of these costs. Supporting documentation must be available for financial forecasting and other purposes.

Please use discretion to determine whether costs are material enough to be monitored. Costs may be tracked manually to monitor whether they become significant over time, and reallocated to the Wildfires cost centers at a later date. Southern Health-Santé Sud Finance Leadership will be working closely with Senior Leaders & Regional Leaders to appropriately report incremental Wildfire expenditures.

If you have any questions regarding this memo and for specific Payroll or Ledger Codes for tracking incremental Wildfire costs, please contact:

Finance – Darren Tindall or Ainsley Wiebe
Payroll – Jen Normandeau
Human Resources – Jordan Fehr

PAYROLL AND SCHEDULING

Pay codes created for ADDITIONAL HOURS scheduled due to support related to Wildfires work:

AEP0 – Rlf Emergency Preparedness 1.0
AEP4 – OTPd 2.0 Emergency Preparedness Rlf
AEP5 – OTPd 2.5 Emergency Preparedness Rlf

AEPW – Rlf Worked Stat Emergency Preparedness 1.5

BEP4 – OTBK 2.0 Emergency Preparedness Rlf
BEP5 – OTBK 2.5 Emergency Preparedness Rlf

APEP – Prem On Call Standby Emergency Preparedness

The incremental staffing expenses need to be approved by a Director or Senior Leader & need to be communicated through your normal payroll support. Please ensure all flowsheets, timesheets, scheduling documents, etc. clearly indicate if any of the hours worked are to be coded to one of the applicable Wildfire codes as indicated.

Expenses will initially be recorded in the original department of the staff member. Upon guidance from Manitoba Health & while using professional judgement, Finance Leadership may reallocate these expenses to a Wildfires cost centre & GL codes. By using specific pay codes, we are able to isolate the expenses & will be able to make appropriate decisions on the data being reported.

FINANCE

We are asking that Finance Leadership help coordinate the use of the Wildfires cost centre (8199025) & GL codes. At this point, we are not widely distributing the codes for general use, but will coordinate their use for approved Wildfires incremental expenses. This coordination will happen between Finance Leadership, Senior Leaders & Directors, as appropriate.

As items are purchased or extra compensation expenses are approved, Finance Leadership will apply the Wildfires cost centre & GL codes. Please connect with your Business & Finance Analyst as items are being planned for purchase for the Wildfires effort & we will provide the appropriate GL codes to process the transactions.

As some items have already been processed, the transaction details will be reviewed with regional leaders to confirm accuracy and may be recoded by finance if necessary.

Business & Finance Analysts & Regional Leaders will need to use their discretion at the use of Wildfires GL codes, as we have to ensure the expenses meet the definition of incremental expenses.

Submitted by: VP-Corporate Services & Chief Financial Officer