Dear Members,
I hope this finds you and your family and loved ones, safe and well.
As we enter into another month, I would like to remind you that the RCEA is continually working on your behalf, everyday. When the office shuttered on March 17, we moved our operations to work remotely as well.
Shelagh, RCEA Dues and Insurance Coordinator and Laurette, RCEA Office Manager are working behind the scenes to keep all member enrolments, insurance, website, COSH memberships, and office operations running. Since my last newsletter Joan, RCEA Negotiator and I have participated in biweekly conference calls with NRC Senior Management which includes NRC President, Iain Stewart, Vice-President, Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer, Dale MacMillan, Vice-President, Human Resources, Emily Harrison, HSE Manager, Ronalda Rino, PIPSC Representatives, among many others. These calls as well as calls with other management representatives have helped Joan and I work on many issues for members including CTEs, pay, various health and safety matters, critical workers, time codes, working remotely, mental health, and building and member security.
You may contact Joan at joan@rcea.ca or me at cathie@rcea.ca or by mobile phone at 613-304-1636.
If you call the office 613-746-9341, you may leave a message and it will transcribe to our emails, or it will direct you to our emails.
I participate with the other 18 bargaining agents on conference calls with Treasury Board Secretariat, Public Health Agency of Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada and Health Canada. Starting in March we had conference calls everyday and most recently these calls are biweekly. The RCEA has posted numerous NRC and Treasury Board advisories and newsletters on our website. These links cover numerous articles related to Covid-19 and the workplace, mental health, EAP, working remotely and critical services.
The latest information link is regarding the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) and I wanted to highlight the extended benefits during this unprecedented time.
The extended and temporary benefits were first implemented on March 24, 2020 and updated on April 24, 2020. These are in effect until non-critical business is authorized to resume.
Briefly:
- Emergency benefits extended while traveling for those members who left between January 17, 2020 and March 16, 2020.
- The requirement for a doctor’s prescription for mental health or physiotherapy services is waived
- Social workers in all regions/areas waiving need for a prescription
- Relaxing of early prescription extensions and refills, with a 100-day limit for maintenance drugs Note: the provincial and territorial restrictions take precedent over the PSHCP rules
- Paramedical prescriptions that have expired on or after March 20, 2020 will be extended and will be honoured in claims, and if those appointments or services are virtual, they will still be covered
- Expand on mental health providers including social workers and psychotherapists
Find more information here
Please do not hesitate to contact any of your RCEA staff or stewards or myself.
Whenever you need us, we are here.
Sincerely,
