First Aid to the General Public - Allowance for Employees

1. Purpose

As a result of a recommendation made by the National Joint Council of the Public Service of Canada, the Treasury Board considered and approved (TB 766604) the payment of a first aid allowance for certain employees required to be available to render first-aid to the general public. This directive is effective April 1, 1982.

In cases of alleged misinterpretation or misapplication arising out of this directive, the grievance procedure, for all represented employees, within the meaning of the Public Service Labour Relations Act, will be in accordance with Section 7.0 of the National Joint Council By-Laws. For unrepresented employees the departmental grievance procedure applies. (Revised August 2, 2005)

This directive is deemed to be part of collective agreements between the parties to the National Joint Council and employees are to be afforded ready access to this directive.

This chapter outlines the administrative requirements in departments and agencies, for this directive.

2. Definitions

The first aid allowance is a flat amount of $300 per annum, determined monthly and paid on a bi-weekly basis. The effective date of the allowance is April 1, 1982.

The allowance will be calculated on a monthly basis and payment will be included in the regular bi-weekly pay cheque.

3. Directive

A direct allowance will be paid to eligible employees designated by departmental management to be available on a regular basis to provide, in addition to their regular duties, first aid to the general public.

The intent of this directive is to provide an allowance to certain employees required to provide, in addition to their regular duties, first aid to the general public. The intent of this directive is not to provide an allowance to employees voluntarily rendering first aid to fellow employees.

4. Administration

4.1 Responsibilities of Treasury Board Secretariat

To evaluate and audit the administration of this directive in departments and agencies.

4.2 Responsibilities of departments

1.  To identify locations under federal jurisdiction where emergency first aid services not otherwise available to the general public are warranted.
2. Where the federal government is leasing a property, to determine whether the responsibility for the provision of first aid belongs to the federal government as lessor or to the lessee.
3. To identify the positions which require first-aid trained employees and to establish the means by which such accepted responsibility will be carried out.
4. To seek the approval of the Treasury Board Secretariat for the provision of the allowance for a newly designated position or group of positions.

5. Eligibility guidelines

National Parks Branch employees of Environment Canada who are currently receiving a first aid differential pursuant to TB Minute No. 45l867 (1953) shall receive the first aid allowance in lieu of the 1953 differential.

To qualify for the first aid allowance, employees, other than those referred to in the previous paragraph, must meet the following four requirements:

5.1 Eligible employees

1. be Public Service employees within the meaning of the Public Service Labour Relations Act; (revised August 2, 2005)
2. be formally required by the department to be available on a regular basis to provide, in addition to their regular duties, first aid to the general public;
3. be employed at a location where there is a lack of readily available emergency medical treatment facilities in the immediate area (a radius of 10 kilometres); and
4. be required by, and at the expense of, the department to undertake and complete first aid training (St-John Ambulance Standard Certificate); and maintain such level of first aid capability.

5.2 Excluded personnel

The first aid allowance shall not be paid to:

1. employees who are available on a voluntary basis to render first aid to fellow employees, pursuant to the Public Service First Aid Standard, (Treasury Board Manual, OSH volume, chapter 2-5); and
2. employees where the provision of first aid is an inherent requirement of their position, e.g., doctors, nurses, firefighters, etc.

6. Pay considerations

6.1 An eligible employee shall be entitled to receive the monthly amount of the first aid allowance for any month in which the employee has earned a minimum of ten (10) days' pay in a position to which the first aid allowance applies.

6.2 An employee is entitled to receive the first aid allowance during any period of paid leave.

6.3 The first aid allowance shall be considered as part of an employee's salary only for the purposes of the following:

1. Public Service Superannuation Act
2. Public Service Disability Insurance Plan
3. Canada Pension Plan
4. Quebec Pension Plan
5. Unemployment Insurance
6. Government Employee's Compensation Act
7. Flying Accident Compensation Regulations
8. Supplementary Retirement Benefit Act
9. Supplementary Death Benefit
10. Long Term Disability Insurance
11. Public Service Management Insurance Plan
12. Federal and Provincial Income Taxes

6.4 The first aid allowance will not be considered as part of an employee's salary or used to compute an employee's salary entitlements in respect of the following:

1. transfer,
2. promotion,
3. overtime calculation,
4. severance pay,
5. demotion,
6. payment on termination of employment, of unused vacation leave, on lay-off, resignation or retirement.

7. Liability

It is the Crown's practice to pay both damages and costs to the injured party without seeking any contribution from the employee personally, unless the employee was acting outside the scope of his or her duties or unless the employee's behaviour amounted to gross or wilful negligence.

8. Audit/monitoring requirements

Departments shall maintain records pertaining to the first aid allowance. The information recorded shall include the position number, the employment status, location of employees receiving the allowance, and the total cost per annum.

9. References

This chapter replaces chapter 1-20 of PMM volume 8.

10. Enquiries

All enquiries regarding this policy should be routed through departmental headquarters. For interpretation, departmental headquarters should contact:

Benefits Group,
General Personnel Policy Development and Compensation Division,
Personnel Policy Branch,
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.