Saskatchewan's Health Care Out-of-Scope Compensation Plan 2022

Out-of-Scope Pay Bands
April 1, 2022

Frequently Asked Questions Based on 2011 roll out of the Plan

1. Are OOS in healthcare paid higher than market comparators?

Health care OOS pay bands, at the maximum rate, are at the 65th percentile. About 65% of the employers in the comparator market pay less than or equal to this plan, and about 35% pay better (at the maximum rate).

2. What are the total number of OOS employees?

There are about 2700 employees in OOS classifications that are represented within the pay ranges.

3. Why do some OOS positions receive a compression adjustment?

There are instances where pay ranges for OOS positions are the same or less than the compensation for the positions they supervise. In order to attract and retain workers in the OOS positions, a compression adjustment is paid. As a general policy, supervisors will receive adjustments reflecting a 10% higher salary than in-scope classifications they supervise.

4. How many OOS employees receive a compression adjustment?

About 826 of the out-of-scope employees in pay bands 3 to 7 receive a compression adjustment. These employees work in nursing, admitting, mental health services, pharmacy, food and nutrition, laboratory, and others.

5. What kinds of positions are included in each pay band?

The following are examples only and are not all inclusive. Positions having similar titles may be found in other pay bands as well.

• Pay band 1 –  administrative positions
• Pay band 2 – administrative positions
• Pay band 3 – accountants, assistant managers, coordinators
• Pay band 4 – nursing supervisors, consulting managers
• Pay band 5 – labour relations consultants, nursing manager positions, kaizen specialists
• Pay band 6 – managers and directors of various support functions, nursing manager positions
• Pay band 7 – directors of various programs
• Pay band 8 – directors of various programs
• Pay band 9 – directors of various programs, legal counsel
• Pay band 10 – 13 – Vice Presidents of various programs
• Executive – CEOs

6. What are the terms and conditions of work that are provincially standardized?

• Hours of work will be standardized to 7.5 hours per day; 1950 hours paid per year with 12 scheduled days off (SDOs) in recognition of the need to work variable hours to perform the functions of the position.
• Probation periods for pay bands 1a, 1b and 2 will be 6 months. Probation for pay bands 3 to Executive inclusive will be 12 months. 
• Professional development and licensing or membership will be as required and/or approved by the employer. 85 days of sick leave are awarded on date of hiring and re-set at the beginning of each fiscal year. There is no carry over of sick leave.
• Vacation entitlement accrual starts at 4 weeks/year on date of hire; 5 weeks/year at the beginning of the 5th year; 6 weeks/year at the beginning of the 15th year. 
• Maternity leave will be topped up to 90% of salary for maximum of 17 weeks. 
• Policies are established for common practices such as management on call; vacation carry over and payout; health/ lifestyle account; pay at risk plan; northern benefits and leaves.

7. What is the pay at risk plan?

CEOs and Vice Presidents or equivalent positions will be responsible for meeting established targets. These positions will be eligible for plus or minus 10% of their base pay depending on the successful achievement of targets.

8. How is my position evaluated and placed into a pay band?

The Korn Ferry (Hay Job Evaluation Methodology) tool measures the requirements (skills, effort, responsibility and working conditions) of the individual job. Position title is not a determining factor.

9. Will OOS pay bands be competitive in the future?

Out-of-scope market data will be reviewed and subsequent recommendations will be made.