Article 17 - Post-graduate training
17.01
This refers to academic training relevant to the profession practised in addition to an undergraduate university degree. All degrees or diplomas issued outside Québec must be recognized by a certificate of equivalence issued by the authorized government body.
17.02
Successful completion of one (1) year of study (or its equivalent, thirty (30) credits) in the same or a related discipline as the one mentioned in the description of an employee’s job title is equal to one (1) year of professional experience. However, successful completion of a master’s degree of forty-five (45) credits or more but less than sixty (60) credits in the same or a related discipline as the one mentioned in the description of the employee’s job title is equal to one and one-half (1½) years of professional experience.
17.03
Only the number of years normally required to complete the study is counted.
17.04
A maximum of three (3) years of education may be counted towards experience.
17.05
"Terminal university degree” means that an employee has completed the necessary schooling to earn a terminal degree in accordance with the system in force at the time this schooling was completed.
17.06
On the date they move up one echelon, employees advance, if applicable, one additional echelon, in accordance with this section. In applying the second (2nd) paragraph of clause 17.02, however, employees who are entitled to recognition of one-half (½) a year of experience for their annual advancement because of successfully completing a master’s degree on the regular date for echelon advancement, are allowed to advance one echelon at the end of six (6) months after their regular echelon advancement date. This paragraph has the effect of changing the employee’s regular echelon advancement date.
17.07
The list of post-graduate programs of study and their recognized relative value at the time this collective agreement comes into force, as well as the post-graduate programs recognized by the Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur are recognized for the purposes of applying this Article. All diplomas issued outside Québec must be validated by a certificate of equivalence issued by the authorized government body.
17.08
Any recognized program of post-graduate studies worth fifteen (15) or more units (credits) and less than thirty (30) units (credits) that is successfully completed is equivalent to one (1) year of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons on the salary scale, or to additional remuneration of 1.5% of the salary stipulated for the top echelon on the salary scale, as the case may be.
17.09
Any recognized program of post-graduate studies worth thirty (30) units (credits) that is successfully completed is equivalent to two (2) years of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons on the salary scale, or to additional remuneration of 3% of the salary stipulated for the top echelon on the salary scale, as the case may be.
17.10
For the purposes of applying clause 17.08, 17.09, 17.17 or 17.18, employees who use more than one program of post-graduate studies in their specialty are granted one (1) or two (2) years of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons, for each program that applies, up to a maximum of four (4) years of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons, for the overall set of programs, or additional remuneration up to a maximum of 6% of the salary stipulated for the top echelon on the salary scale, as the case may be.
17.11
Employees who hold a recognized bachelor’s degree are granted four (4) years of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons on their salary scale, or additional remuneration up to a maximum of 6% of the salary stipulated for the top echelon on the salary scale, as the case may be. Employees enrolled in a program of study leading to a bachelor’s degree are granted two (2) years of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons on their salary scale, or additional remuneration of 3% of the salary stipulated for the top echelon on the salary scale, as the case may be, upon successfully completing the first thirty (30) units (credits). They are granted two (2) additional years of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons, or additional remuneration of 3% of the salary stipulated for the top echelon on the salary scale, as the case may, upon obtaining a bachelor’s degree.
17.12
Employees who hold a recognized master’s degree are granted six (6) years of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons on their salary scale, or additional remuneration up to a maximum of 6% of the salary stipulated for the top echelon on the salary scale, as the case may be.
17.13
For employees to be entitled to the echelon advancements stipulated in the preceding clauses, the post-graduate training must be related to the specialty in which they work. To be entitled to the additional remuneration, the post-graduate training must be required by the Employer. Employees who use more than one program of post-graduate studies in the specialty in which they work are granted one (1) or two (2) years of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons, for each applicable program, or additional remuneration up to a maximum of 6% of the salary stipulated for the top echelon on the salary scale, as the case may be.
17.14
Subject to clause 17.10, the post-graduate training referred to in this agreement that is acquired in addition to the basic course is not cumulative for purposes of advancing on the salary scale or of additional remuneration, as the case may be. Employees only benefit from the diploma that gives them the greatest number of years of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons.
17.15
Employees who have benefited from an echelon advancement for post-graduate training receive the additional remuneration for the said post-graduate training once they have completed one (1) year or more of experience at the top echelon of their salary scale and the said post-graduate training is required by the Employer in accordance with the provisions of clause 17.16. When employees who hold a position requiring post-graduate training cannot be granted the total number of years of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons to which their post-graduate training entitles them because their combined experience and post-graduate training put them at the top echelon of their salary scale, they receive additional remuneration equal to 1.5% of the salary stipulated at the top of their salary scale for each echelon no longer available to them, until the additional remuneration corresponds to the total number of echelons to which they are entitled for post-graduate training without, however, exceeding 6%. Employees who are at the top echelon solely on the basis of their experience are entitled to the additional remuneration for post-graduate training when it is required by the Employer, in accordance with the provisions of clause 17.16.
17.16
For the purposes of applying this Article, the Employer has six (6) months from the date the collective agreement comes into force to draw up a list by activity centre and job title of the programs of post-graduate studies that are deemed to be required and that entitle employees to additional remuneration.
17.17
Special provisions for medical technologists or graduate medical laboratory technicians:
1) ART certification
Employees who hold an advanced certificate (ART) in one of the following disciplines: clinical chemistry, hematology, histopathology, microbiology, cytology, blood bank, virology, immunology, electron microscopy, or cytogenetics, and who work in their specialty, are granted two (2) years of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons on the salary scale for their job title, or additional remuneration of 3% of the salary stipulated for the top echelon on the salary scale, as the case may be.
2) Attestation of college professional development studies in addition to the basic course
Employees who have an attestation of college professional development studies in one of the following disciplines:
a) exfoliative cytology (2 academic sessions)
b) immunohematology (2 academic sessions)
c) microbiology (2 academic sessions)
are granted two (2) years of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons on the salary scale for their job title, or additional remuneration of 3% of the salary stipulated for the top echelon on the salary scale, as the case may be.
3) Bachelor’s degree
Employees who have a bachelor’s degree in health sciences with a concentration in human biology, biochemistry, chemistry or microbiology are granted four (4) years of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons on the salary scale for their job title, or additional remuneration of a maximum of 6% of the salary stipulated for the top echelon on the salary scale, as the case may be.
4) Medical technology licence
Employees who have a “licence” in medical technology (LCSLT) are granted four (4) years of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons on the salary scale for their job title or to receive additional remuneration of a maximum of 6% of the salary stipulated for the top echelon on the salary scale, as the case may be.
17.18
Special provision for specialized education technicians or educators:
Specialized education technicians or educators who successfully complete thirty (30) course credits leading to a university degree in psycho-education or childhood maladjustment are granted two (2) years of experience for the purposes of advancing echelons on the salary scale for their job title, or additional remuneration of 3% of the salary stipulated for the top echelon on the salary scale, as the case may be.