Ordered to work on days off?

[chrisf]

"I didn't ask for a tasking, I've got a full time job"
"Well, we just assumed you were available, you've got to go now, we've already booked the flights and your class b contract started yesterday"
"[much laughter followed by a phone being hung up]"

 

[Haggis]

A bit of a tangent here, but still related to the "short notice" theme. 

"Back in the day" I was granted 5 weeks off by my federal government employer to attend a specialist course in Borden.  While loading up my kit in the armoury just about to drive to Borden, my Ops O came running out and yelled "Don't leave yet - I'm waiting for a fax about your course."

When the fax arrived it said "Course cancelled due to lack of staff.  Regret short notice.  All Reg F members are to RTU.  All Res F contracts are cancelled forthwith upon completion of RTU travel."

Those were the days before you could be granted an equal amount of Class B employment authorized at your parent unit to compensate for courses cancelled with less than 7 days notice.

My civvy employer had hired a term employee to cover for me.  They were forced to let the term employee go so I could return to work.

My manager, an Ex Reg F Black Watch Sgt, was less than impressed.  That was the last time I ever was granted time off for military activities by that department.

 

[Harris]

Unfortunately I see this all the time at the Unit.  Request comes in on Mon expecting an answer by Wed.  We train Thur night.  Sometimes for a jammy go, sometimes for courses etc... we have no one qual for, and everything in between.

So if the day staff bend over backwards and do work the Class A folks should be doing (ie.  calling guys to see if they are available), I feel this is simply reinforcing bad behavior by Brigade and Div staff.  I have complained about this but the usual answer is, "Div sent this so we have no flexibility on timings...".  In Brigades defense, I have seen a number of tasks come from Army HQ with a 2-3 day turnaround.  If on the other hand we wait until Thur to have the Class A CoC do the work we may miss out on jammy goes for the troops.

My question to you is this:

How do you satisfy both points above?  My thought is do the extra work for jammy goes and ignore the rest until Thur.

I should note that I have offered Class A guys pay for doing this type of work from home but most don't/can't take advantage for various reasons.  Scheduling and lack of a connection to DWAN/Email being the major one.

I would appreciate any thoughts.

 

[RedcapCrusader]

Better than a notice that your already 3 days late for a tasking you didn't know about.

So much for "5 minutes before the 5 minutes before the 5 minutes"  ;D

 

[The_Falcon]

Unfortunately I see this all the time at the Unit.  Request comes in on Mon expecting an answer by Wed.  We train Thur night.  Sometimes for a jammy go, sometimes for courses etc... we have no one qual for, and everything in between.

So if the day staff bend over backwards and do work the Class A folks should be doing (ie.  calling guys to see if they are available), I feel this is simply reinforcing bad behavior by Brigade and Div staff.  I have complained about this but the usual answer is, "Div sent this so we have no flexibility on timings...".  In Brigades defense, I have seen a number of tasks come from Army HQ with a 2-3 day turnaround.  If on the other hand we wait until Thur to have the Class A CoC do the work we may miss out on jammy goes for the troops.

My question to you is this:

How do you satisfy both points above?  My thought is do the extra work for jammy goes and ignore the rest until Thur.

I should note that I have offered Class A guys pay for doing this type of work from home but most don't/can't take advantage for various reasons.  Scheduling and lack of a connection to DWAN/Email being the major one.

I would appreciate any thoughts.

There might be an actual efficient way of doing it (ie software), or just having leadership that really knows their troops.  Example at the 48th, for a few years we had some really switched on FTUC, that knew which troops were available for short notice taskings, like the back of their hand.  Part of that came to down to just simply remembering who always showed up for such things, and part of it was the CoC encouraging troops to submit their names at the start of the training year, saying they were available for stuff last minute.

 

[dapaterson]

Let's face it, the whole Army tasking system is badly broken.  We're sending APBs out to the Reserves because the Reg F can't/won't fill slots - with 3-4 days to go before predeployment training starts.  Rather than ordering we let Divs sit on tasks, and no fill at the last minute.  Somehow, folks being paid 24/7 are not expected to be deployable - but those paid part-time are expected to be responsive and ready to go at all times.

In one memorable instance where the CAF needed an Infantry LCol , despite Afghanistan being the CAF's #1 priority, all 100+ Reg F Infantry LCols were somehow working on higher priority tasks.  As were all 300+ Reg F Infantry Majs.

 

[Haggis]

The bottom line is that CF Mil Pers Instruction 20-04 para 2.14 reads:

"2.14 Voluntary Service
Under QR&O article 203.065, a member of the Res F who is serving on other than a period of Cl "C" Reserve Service is entitled to be paid for each day of service. Therefore, voluntary service without pay is not permitted."

So, if your unit wants you to do work above and beyond your paid parade and admin nights, they are required to pay you for that work.

Some have argued that a Reservist on a parade night "signs in for three hours but is paid for up to six", thereby they can be assigned "homework" (take home work) for up to three hours.  This is a very liberal and self-serving interpretation of the pay regulations which, as we know, assigns 1/2 day of non-prorated pay for any period of work up to six hours.