PLANNED REPLACEMENT AND BUDGETING. Providing a work-unit environment where quality of care and employee satisfaction are not compromised by fluctuations in staff is a crucial concern. The parties commit to resolving the complex issue of staffing and planned replacement in a comprehensive manner. Planned replacement means budgeted replacement time for employees’ time away from their work unit (e.g., to participate in training, Partnership activities, approved union work or to take contractual time off, including unpaid leaves of absence). In addressing the issue of planned replacement, the objectives are to jointly define the circumstances in which planned replacement will occur, using the following criteria: » plan for and schedule replacement activities wherever possible, so that planned replacement objectives can be successfully achieved; » provide planned replacement so employees are able to use leave benefits appropriately and take time off related to activities listed above; » provide adequate staffing within the budget to cover the work operations and other work-related requirements by creating a planned replacement line item at all budgeting levels; » ensure forward-looking and realistic planning to anticipate and provide for future staffing needs; » support the attendance provisions of this Agreement; » budget and plan realistically to provide for all components of legitimate time off from work and apply those budget components as intended; and » accurately track time off requests and responses to provide managers and employees with transparent data on time off. The parties will conduct and complete a gap analysis (i.e., the difference between needed average amount of time off and current budget practice) for planned replacement in each region prior to the 2007 rate-setting process. Planned replacement will be incorporated into rate-setting and budgeting processes for all departments beginning with the 2007 cycle. The parties will mutually agree on the phasing in of additional resources for planned replacement in 2006, and regional market conditions will be a factor in those considerations. In departments where management and the unions agree that the budgetary process meets the objectives as outlined above, the process does not need to be modified. Those departments without an effective joint staffing, budgeting and planning process in place will observe the joint staffing provision below and incorporate the recommendations taken substantially from the 2005 Attendance BTG Report, C...
