In light of COVID-19, the USFA negotiated a Letter of Understanding with the employer that includes provisions for probationary employees. Even though this Letter of Understanding is in place, collegial processes – renewal of probation, tenure, promotion – will still happen this year.
All employees who currently hold a probationary appointment or who are appointed prior to November 1, 2020, are granted an automatic one-year extension to their probationary period. This one-year extension will come at the conclusion of the probationary period if it is needed. Probationary employees may elect to be considered for tenure in any year of the employee’s probationary appointment.
Every probationary appointment is for an initial period of three years. In the third year of this initial probationary appointment, a case for renewal of probation must be put forward. However, the Letter of Understanding allows for renewal of the probationary period to be deferred for one extra year at the employee’s request.
All other available extensions to the probationary period provided in the Collective Agreement continue to apply.