Employee Benefits

College of the North Atlantic recognizes the importance and value of offering flexibility to help employees balance work, personal, and family responsibilities. A flexible work arrangement may be agreed upon between the college and the employee, subject to operational requirements and eligibility.

Flexible work arrangements employees may avail of include:

• Full-time telework (employee works primarily from home with the occasional requirement to be on-site).
• Hybrid telework (employee works a balance of working from home and on-site).
• Ad-hoc telework (employee primarily works on-site but may avail of working from home occasionally when necessary).
• Flex-time (an employee’s scheduled work hours may vary without modifying the length of a workday or week).
• Compressed work week (employee works longer hours in exchange for a reduction in the number of working days in their work cycle).

In addition, CNA recently launched four pilot programs for a four-day work week. This initiative demonstrates our commitment to being progressive, fostering a healthier work-life balance, and enhancing productivity within the organization. The pilot will run until Fall 2024, during which we will assess its effectiveness and potential for expansion to other campuses and departments.

In search of even greater flexibility? Support staff, management, and non-union/non-management employees observe summer hours from May to August. During this period, the workday, which now includes employees working from home where possible, will be reduced by 0.5 hours from the hours normally worked by each full-time employee. For example, if an employee’s regular workday is 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., during this period the workday becomes 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. More time to take advantage of the abundance of outdoor activities this province has to offer!

In addition to an employee’s regular vacation time, College of the North Atlantic observes federal and provincial holidays, equating to an additional 15 days* where the college is closed in observance of the respective holiday.

One additional day each year is to be recognized as a civic holiday in the area in which the employee is employed. If no civic holiday is provided, the employee shall be granted an additional day as determined by the college.

Employees may also designate replacement statutory holiday(s) that are days of cultural or religious significance in place of any or all the statutory holidays.

*Faculty should refer to their collective agreement, as this employee group does not observe all holidays listed above due to their specific work schedule.

** Consultations are ongoing with respect to the September 30th National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The holiday season provides an opportunity for individuals to take a step back from work and rejuvenate. In addition to the above flexible work arrangements, support staff, management, and non-union/non-management employees can work an additional half hour (0.5 hour) per day from September to December to earn enough time to be taken during the holiday period when the college is closed to the public (December 25 to January 1 inclusive) without having to draw on their annual/paid leave bank. This would be in addition to statutory holiday entitlements. Faculty will be on scheduled vacation leave during this period and are not required to work the additional hours.

College of the North Atlantic is committed to attracting and retaining top talent by offering a competitive salary structure. Recognizing the importance of valuing the expertise and experiences of candidates and current employees, we ensure that our compensation structure promotes balance between internal equity and external competitiveness.

Compensation framework for support staff, management, and non-union/non-management employee groups is based on standardized job evaluation methodology providing for consistent and uniform treatment of employees performing similar work across the public service.

College of the North Atlantic recognizes the importance of time away from the workplace, and CNA employees are encouraged to prioritize what’s truly important by accessing a variety of earned leave entitlements, including:

• Vacation Leave
• Paid Leave (Management and non-union/non-management employees)
• Sick Leave
• Bereavement Leave
• Compassionate Leave
• Family Responsibility/Family Violence Leave
• Maternity/Adoption/Parental Leave
• Employee Development/Education Leave

Faculty: 54 vacation days annually for Instructors, Researchers, and Accessibility Services Coordinators, while Instructional Assistants, Guidance Counsellors, and Curriculum Developers are entitled to 40 vacation days annually. This is in addition to 12 days of sick leave annually. For complete entitlements and details of each type of leave available, please refer to the Faculty Collective Agreement.

Support: 15 to 25 vacation days plus 12 days of sick leave annually. For complete entitlements and details of each type of leave available, please refer to the Support Staff Collective Agreement.

Management/Non-union, non-management: 25 to 35 days of paid leave annually. For complete entitlements and details of each type of leave available, please refer to Treasury Board’s HR policies governing leave.

Employees who are new to the college but have previously worked with an employer who has a portability agreement in place, may be able to transfer their benefits, including leave balances. To learn more about portability, please contact the Human Resources Service Centre at hrservicecentre@cna.nl.ca

Secure your well-being with a comprehensive group insurance benefits package. Our coverage ensures that you and your loved ones are protected, providing security and access to health care when you need it most. From health and dental plans to life and disability insurance, our benefits package is designed to support your overall well-being and provide you with the peace of mind you deserve.

To learn more about group insurance benefits eligibility and coverage, please visit this website .

Plan for a secure future with pension benefits designed to empower you with financial confidence in retirement. College of the North Atlantic employees are enrolled in either one of two pension plans sponsored by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador:

• Government Money Purchase Pension Plan (GMPP). The GMPP is a defined-contribution pension plan offered to employees working less than full-time hours or those who do not meet the duration of employment eligibility requirement. Employees shall participate in this plan if they are ineligible for participation in the PSPP. To learn more about the GMPP, please visit this website .
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP). The PSPP is a defined-benefit pension plan offered to employees working full-time hours and those who meet the duration of employment eligibility requirement. The PSPP has reciprocal agreements with several other pension plans. To learn more about the PSPP, please visit Provident10 .

If you require additional information, please contact the Human Resources Service Centre at hrservicecentre@cna.nl.ca.

College of the North Atlantic employees who work in Labrador are entitled to additional benefits which are intended to assist in offsetting the cost of living in and traveling to and from the region. To learn more about benefit entitlements, please refer to your respective collective agreement or visit this website .

Moving to or within the province for employment? Relocation expenses may be approved to facilitate employee relocation, subject to the approval and the availability of funds, location of the position, relevance to the hiring department’s operational requirements, recruitment and retention challenges, and other considerations.

To learn more about relocation assistance eligibility and entitlements, please review the college’s Relocation Policy or consult with your respective Selection Board Chair during the recruitment and selection process.

Expand your social circle within the CNA family! The college has designated social clubs at various campuses throughout the province for its employees to join and foster connections through team building, relaxation, and celebration. Some past activities have included:

• TGIF functions.
• Holiday dinner and dance for employees and their spouses/significant other.
• Holiday party for employees and their children.
• Year-end BBQ.
• Movie nights for kids.
• Sport outings including golf, bowling, and curling.

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a joint program of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and its unions. College of the North Atlantic is an eligible employer under this program.

EAP provides confidential assistance and support to any college employee or their immediate family member in resolving personal challenges that are impacting, or have the potential to impact, work performance. Problem areas may include but are not limited to: mental health concerns or illness, marital and relationship issues, grief and loss, gambling and substance abuse/addictions, workplace stress and traumatic workplace incidents, and/or financial stress.

When an individual identifies that assistance is required, they can self-refer and access support through the new online EARWP Application Form or by calling the confidential intake line by telephone at 709-729-2290 (local) or 1-888-729-2290 (toll free). Managers/supervisors may also make the referral on behalf of the employee, if the employee agrees to participate. Note: this is for access to EAP Services only. RWP Services may be accessed through CNA’s Respectful Workplace Coordinator below.

To learn more about this program, please visit EAP’s website .

College of the North Atlantic employees, students, guests, and clients are free to pursue their duties or studies and related activities in an environment free from sexual, discriminatory, or personal harassment. A harassment-free workplace promotes diversity, inclusivity, and respect, protects employee well-being, fosters a positive work environment, boosts productivity, encourages accountability, and builds trusting relationships.

Employees have access to several avenues to handle unwelcoming behaviours in the workplace, including a formal complaint and investigation process should they be the recipient of, or perceived to be in receipt of, objectionable or offensive behaviours. Everyone has the right to feel safe and valued in the workplace.

To learn more about the Harassment-Free Workplace policy, please visit this website .

The Respectful Workplace Program (RWP) has been developed to provide individuals, work teams, and departments with healthy options to address the underlying issue of workplace conflict. Current research identifies unresolved conflict as a major stress for many employees and a barrier to productivity. Ensuring a harassment-free and respectful work environment by providing effective conflict resolution services is essential to creating a psychologically safe and healthy workplace.

Through the college’s Respectful Workplace Coordinator, employees can access services such as:

• Confidential coaching and consultation on specific conflict situations.
• Mediation, facilitation and other problem-solving supports.
• Workplace assistance when conflict affects the entire group.
• Training and information in conflict management and building a respectful workplace environment.
• Other forms of informal conflict resolution.

To learn more about the Respectful Workplace Program or to avail of services offered, please contact:

College of the North Atlantic encourages and supports employees in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The Employee Health & Wellness Program was designed to establish a work environment that promotes an employee’s wellness and overall well-being by offering a comprehensive range of resources and activities committed to promoting a balanced work environment.

Various initiatives take place regularly throughout the year on both a provincial level and at the local campus level.

• Quiet hours designated from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. each day, as well as from 6:00 p.m. on Friday to 6:00 a.m. on Monday. The intent is for uninterrupted evenings and weekends, avoiding work-related distractions, and allowing employees to relax, recharge, and spend quality time with those who matter most.
• Meeting-free times. The intent is for employees to avoid booking internal meetings during the first and last hour, allowing employees to embrace a mindful start and end to their workday, providing invaluable opportunities to promote focus time.
• Wellness hour. The intent is for employees to dedicate an hour during their work week to focus on self-care. This hour is to be taken once per week, in addition to an employee’s standard hour lunch break. This time is often used on Wednesdays; however a schedule can be established between employee and direct supervisor.

CNA employees find that provincial wellness events are: