HomeMy WebLinkAboutPR 703 HR - Disconnecting From Work Related Communications
Page 1 PR.703.HR
PROCEDURE PR.703.HR
TITLE: DISCONNECTING FROM WORK RELATED
COMMUNICATIONS OUTSIDE THE WORK DAY
Date issued: 26 May 2022
Date revised:
Authorization: Senior Staff: 26 April 2022
1.0 OBJECTIVE
To support a healthy workplace culture by providing expectations with respect to work -related
communications outside of the regular work day.
2.0 DEFINITIONS
In this procedure,
2.1 Disconnecting from Work means not engaging in work-related communications,
including emails, telephone calls, video calls or the sending or reviewing of other
messages, so as to be free from the performance of work.
2.2 District refers to the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB).
2.3 Employee means all persons who are currently engaged in active employment with the
District, regardless of employment status (e.g., full-time, part-time, regular, term,
contract, occasional, casual).
2.4 Non-Urgent refers to an issue or event that is reasonably expected to have a low or
limited impact to an individual, school or building operations, and/or the District.
2.5 Professional Obligations means activities related to an Employee’s duties that include
(but are not limited to) tasks outside of the School Day or Regular Work Day (e.g.,
Board meetings, staff meetings, school council meetings, parent teacher conferences,
lesson planning, communicating with parents, colleagues and/or community members,
entering leave days and preparing materials for occasional teachers, participating in
professional development, communication during overtime, etc.).
2.6 Regular Work Day means the hours an Employee is regularly scheduled to work as
defined in the Employee’s collective agreement or terms and conditions of employment.
2.7 Staff Members means employees of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.
2.8 Urgent refers to an issue or event that is reasonably expected to have a serious or
major impact to an individual, school or building operations, and/or the District.
Page 2 PR.703.HR
3.0 RESPONSIBILITY
3.1 The Employer will be responsible for:
a) setting the standards of practice for all Employees to support disengaging from
work related communications outside of the regular work day;
b) identifying and implementing strategies to reduce Non -Urgent digital
communications wherever possi ble;
c) if practicable, identifying and implementing strategies to manage workload for
Employees who are obligated to engage with work -related communications after
their Regular Work Day (e.g. on call schedules, creating shifts, etc).
3.2 All Employees will be responsible for:
a) making reasonable effort to limit work-related communications between 6:00pm
and 6:00am, unless their Regular Work Day falls within these hours, in which
case these hours would be adjusted accordingly;
b) recognizing their right to wait until their Regular Work Day to respond to Non-
Urgent communications; and
c) utilizing strategies that support disengaging from work.
3.3 Director of Education, Director’s Executive Council, principals, managers and
supervisors are responsible for:
a) assigning work or communicating with Employees they supervise only during the
Regular Work Day or while undertaking Professional Obligations unless the work
or communication is related to an Urgent issue or event;
b) modeling their commitment to personal and Employee well-being and work-life
balance by disconnecting from work outside of their Regular Work Day, upon
completion of Professional Obligations or following the management of an Urgent
issue or event; and
c) establishing standards of practice with their employees regarding how urgent
communications will be managed.
3.4 Human Resources Department is responsible for:
a) upon the hiring of a new employee, provide a copy of the this procedure within 30
days of the Employee's first day of work;
b) upon approval and/or revi sion of the procedure, provide all Employees with an
updated copy within 30 days; and
c) providing support and ongoing education to Employees regarding the importance
of this procedure and how it supports overall well -being.
Page 3 PR.703.HR
4.0 PROCEDURES
4.1 General Principles
a) The District will make every effort to limit regular Employee communications
between the hours of 6:00 p.m. to 6:00a.m. In Urgent situations, the District
maintains the right to communicate with employees outside of these hours.
b) The District recognizes that work-related communication (e.g., emails, phone
calls, text messages, video calls, etc.) is a necessary component of fulfilling their
Professional Obligations and an important part of current business practice and
that some Employees are required to regularly attend to their Professional Duties
after their Regular Work Day has ended;
c) The District recognizes that the expectation for Employees to be responsive to
work-related communications outside of the Regular Work Day and/or upon the
completion of their Professional Obligations can have a negative impact on
Employee health and well-being, and reduces the Employee’s ability to balance
work-life obligations;
d) The District commits to taking an Anti -discriminatory approach and upholding
Human Rights of all employees when implementing this procedure;
e) The District recognizes that supporting students from Indigenous, Racialized and
other Equity seeking groups may mean differentiating support that could include
being responsive outside of the Regular Work Da y to ensure the safety and well
being of students and, as a result, employees will exercise their discretion to
provide support, as necessary; and
f) The District recognizes that some Employees appreciate the flexibility of
attending to work-related tasks and communications following the completion of
their Regular Work Day and/or upon the completion of their Professional
Obligations and expects that their choice to work will not impact other
Employees‘ right to disconnect from work as set out in this Procedure.
4.2 Disconnecting from Work
a) Employees are encouraged to Disconnect from Work and to refrain from sending
work-related communications after their Regular Work Day and/or following the
completion of Professional Obligations;
b) In general, Employees will not be expected to review or respond to emails
between 6:00pm and 6:00am on weekdays, or anytime on weekends, holidays or
during vacation or other approved leave unless those times fall within an
Employee’s Regular Work Day;
c) In extraordinary circumstances, Employees may be contacted and/or may send
communications outside their Regular Work Day or following the completion of
Professional Obligations in order to address an Urgent matter; and
d) Employees will put in place strategies to support Disconnecting From Work and
work-related communications (e.g., removing notifications of work emails from
devices, setting out-of-office notifications, stating workday hours in emails,
Page 4 PR.703.HR
setting clear expectations about response times for emails, taking earned
vacation, utilizing wellness resources offered by benefits plans, etc.).
4.3 Urgent Communications
a) Communications outside of the Regular Work Day and/or following the
completion of Professional Obligations may be necessary to address an Urgent
issue or event. In order to hel p determine whether an issue or event is Urgent,
see Appendix A: Impact Scale for Communication Decision Making and
Appendix B: Examples of Urgent and Non -Urgent Communications; and
b) If the determination is made that Urgent communication is required after the
Regular Work Day, the method that has been established within the applicable
work unit should be utilized. Where a practice has not been otherwise
established by the supervisor, please see Appendix C: Communication Tool After
Regular Work Day Based on Urgency and Complexity.
4.4 Employees with Board-Issued Devices
a) Employees who have been issued a District device have the responsibility to be
available for contact after the Regular Work Day and/or upon completion of
Professional Obligations for Urgent issues or events. Employees with District-
issued devices are encouraged to use strategies like turning off email
notifications so their attention is not drawn to Non -Urgent work communications
after hours; and
b) When practicable, an alternate contact or del egate must be identified in the event
an Employee is on vacation or leave so they are not disrupted by work -related
communications.
5.0 APPENDICES
(Please right-click on the links below to open appendices in new tabs)
Appendix A: OCDSB Impact Scale for Communication Decision Making
Appendix B: OCDSB Examples of Urgent and Non-Urgent Communications
Appendix C: OCDSB Communication Tool For After Regular Work Day
6.0 REFERENCES
Education Act
Employment Standards Act, 2000
Ontario Human Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990
Working for Workers Act, 2021, S.O. 2021, c. 35 - Bill 27
Employment Standards Act, 2000 (S.21)
OCDSB Procedure PR.672.IT Electronic Communications Systems
OCDSB Procedure PR.685.IT Mobile Devices
OCDSB Procedure PR.622.IT Appropriate Use of Technology