Voluntary reduced work week program
piloted in Manitoba

August 15 2002 - Manitoba provincial employees now have an option of taking up to 15 days off without pay as part of a new voluntary reduced work week program.

The pilot program allows employees to take up to 15 days off without pay within this fiscal year (2002-03) which ends March 31, 2003.

"The government has decided to offer a voluntary reduced work week program to provincial employees," said Greg Selinger, minister responsible for the Civil Service Commission, who stated that no employee will be required to take time off under the program.

"Many provincial employees have said they would like the option of taking additional time off, without pay, to attend to family and other matters," Selinger added. "We felt that a voluntary, pilot project provided the best means to gauge employee interest in this type of program, while also evaluating the program’s effect on expenditure management."

Employees cannot simply take time off whenever they please. Under the voluntary reduced work week program, departments will consider leave requests made by employees bearing in mind operational needs and staffing levels - the same criteria used when granting vacation requests. Pay deductions for approved leaves will be spread out over 11 pay periods, from Nov. 1, 2002, to March 21, 2003, to minimize financial impact on individual employees.