Leave Policy – Weekends (time off) Merged]

[Lil_T]

Oh boo that sucks.  looks like I will be taking the car with me then.

 

[ModlrMike]

You may also be restricted in how far away from St Jean you're allowed to be.

 

[nickhd]

Hi, I know there has been a thread concerning this but it's from 2003 so things have probably changed since then. 

I am doing the 3 training courses this summer back to back.  The problem is that I am moving at the beggining of july.  I was wondering if I'll be able to get back from Quebec city to Montreal on week ends to help out the girlfriend...

 

[Fishbone Jones]

That will be wholly dependant on the type of courses, the duration of the courses, the course syllabus, and most of all your course staff. No one can tell you with any sort of certainty what you'll be able to do at that time, under those circumstances.

It wouldn't even be a good guess to try.

 

[George Wallace]

Hi, I know there has been a thread concerning this but it's from 2003 so things have probably changed since then. 

They haven't changed that much.  Most of the info you have already read, if any, should still be valid.

 

[p2shanmu]

Hi Guys,
I was just wondering are we allowed to take a weekend leave from the BMQ? I know there is no leave for the first 4 weeks,  but what about after that? Can we spend a night out of the base on a weekend? This nothing like relationships but for some religious festival reasons.
Thanks

 

[FDO]

You MAY be allowed a weekend off. It will depend on your course staff. They COULD authorize an over nighter or they may tell you you are confined to base for the weekend. If it's a religious event or not training MUST come first.

 

[MikeL]

Yes at some point during your BMQ you will be given weekends off. But there will be geographical restrictons as to how far away from the base you can go, etc. Also if you course is a bag of hammers an fails inspections, etc don't expect to have guarenteed weekends off.

 

[ajp]

I remember a leave on my QL2 in Wainwright....all you had to do to go out Saturday night was to be able to stand by your bed and state your SN, we were even allowed to be drunk to do it....and some failed.

 

[kadrury]

I know staff at st-jean who have taken away weekend leave at the snap of a finger. If it happens to you dont take it personally.

 

[armchair_throwaway]

I did the reserve summer BMQ, which is 4 weeks. I assumed we wouldn't get any of the weekends off, submitted a memo to my chain of command well in advance that I would like to take a Sat morning off to attend a job interview. They accepted the memo and granted the morning off. When that weekend arrived, it turns out everyone got the weekend off anyway due to our weekly performance, so I didn't have to miss any classes.

So definitely try writing a memo. The worst that can happen is to be denied.

 

[Cadaren]

no memo is required at CFLRS, just submit your leave pass the wedneday before the weekend and you'll know if it's been approved or not...that is if you don't loose that weekend and your done your indoc.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

That could differ between platoons/PAT/WPC types, etc.  Also, the question was asked about leave WRT to a religious festival.  Assuming that it is a legit type of "festival" (I have no idea what is/is not), the CoC might do it if it was a specific legitimate request re: religion, given the PC state we find ourselves in.

A memo might be the difference between getting it and not getting it, provided it is properly staffed.  I recently put in for my 2 x days Special (Relocation) Leave IAW the CF Leave Policy Manual for Attached Postings.  It was approved.  If there wasn't a memo to substantiate the request, it probably would have been denied or handed back with the comments "staff this properly".

 

[ajp]

EITS - of course with experience and your meticulous habits it was done right the first time.  And where are you going?  My situation is no change unless I get my preferred  task next year...then I'll be all smiles.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Well, it didn't come back covered in red, so I'll assume the Minute Sheet and memo were "acceptable". 

Just heading to 1CFFTS (Winnipeg) for a long, cold winter...

 

[ajp]

Enjoy that....I asked (but have no word on) for Vancouver APS 2010

 

[Gary D. in SK]

You're guaranteed to be CB'd during indoc, and again at the end of week 6 being duty week, and also Friday nights when you get back from Farnham.  But there is a pretty good chance you won't get all of the rest off.  My platoon got a total of 6 weekends off in 14 weeks.  If you want a specific weekend make sure you submit a memo as that'll be your golden ticket if your platoon get's CB'd, but no guarantees it will get approved, but at least you'll know in advance.

 

[Awesomedude]

    The situation is: Im a shift worker, and I work 7 on 4 off usally.

anyways, in previous years it has been no problem for me to book my yearly things to be green such as dental and
c7 ranges and what not durring a normal working day.

this year, my sgt/WO has made it so I do first aid, dental, c7, 9mm(even though its not needed), PFET all on my days off and told everyone they will not be given leave to make up for the lost weekend time. (5 days so far)

Is there a policy on this or is it just suck it up your in the army.




[Edit to Title - GW]

 

[AmmoTech90]

There is guidance in the CF Leave Manual regarding shift work. http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dgcb-dgras/pd/lea-con/doc/cflpm-mprcfc-eng.pdf

Section 2.8 Shift Work
2.8.01 Scheduling
Shift workers may follow a schedule that differs from a Monday to Friday working week but it is a schedule nonetheless. In scheduling the working days of a shift worker, the CO is responsible for specifically identifying both the working and non-working days so as to ensure that an equivalent amount of time off for weekends and statutory holidays is provided to shift workers as is provided to CF members working a Monday to Friday working week.
2.8.02 Weekend time off equivalent
The concept of a weekend for a shift worker is not restricted to Saturdays and Sundays. For example, if a shift worker is scheduled to work 4 consecutive days followed by 4 consecutive days off, the 4 non-working days are the weekend equivalent, regardless of which days of the week they are scheduled.
2.8.03 Reckoning time
Reckoning time is described in table below.
When a shift worker requests annual leave on a day scheduled as…
then the leave granted on…
a working day that day is charged against the member’s leave balance.
non-working day, the scheduled day off shall not be charged against the member’s leave balance, although such days will normally form part of the leave period.

So basically you should get 2 days off for every 5 days worked.  It does not specify hours, so it is up to the CO to say how long a working day is.  Of course the demands of the service exist, and in most cases not getting 2 days off (weekend) for every 5 days worked should be the exception, not the rule.  If you have to work the occasional six days on/one day off then it is suck it up, if it become the normal that is something that should be addressed.

 

[Occam]

Canadian Forces Leave Manual, para 2.8.01

Shift workers may follow a schedule that differs from a Monday to Friday working week but it is a schedule nonetheless. In scheduling the working days of a shift worker, the CO is responsible for specifically identifying both the working and non-working days so as to ensure that an equivalent amount of time off for weekends and statutory holidays is provided to shift workers as is provided to CF members working a Monday to Friday working week.

If they schedule this stuff during your scheduled days off, then they owe you compensatory time off. 

As a side note, if you have to drive your PMV to attend this training, I'd claim the high rate of kilometres (less the distance from your home to your regular place of work and back) under CFTDI, just for them being jerks about it.  You're entitled, regardless.