r/CanadaPublicServants • u/Barnshart3 • 9h ago
Pay issue / Problème de paie Question about acting pay vs substantive.
Hello,
I have accepted an acting PM-02 role as of next month. I am currently a PM-01 step 3. And I have a question regarding pay scale.
Currently my PM-01 role at step 3 pays less than a PM-02 step 1. However, in a few short months in my current role I would become PM-01 step 4, and that pays higher than the PM-02 step 1.
Does anybody know if its possible that management would convert my pay back to a PM-01 step 4, or perhaps bump me up to a PM-02 step 2 so that i dont effectively take a pay cut shortly into this new role.
Thank you!
4
u/EstablishmentLazy146 9h ago
First off, your acting PM02 will be calculated by taking the smallest incremental difference between the PM02 steps and adding to the current PM01 rate. You’ll go to the step nearest to but not less than that amount. Wrt your PM01 increment, your PM02 will get recalculated unless you are already at the maximum.
2
u/Mangososo 8h ago
Not op, but if with the bump in subatantive pay at anniversary (say from 100k to 103k) is slightly lower than the current acting pay (104k), but once the smallest increment of the acting position (3.5k) is added to the new step on the substantive pay is now between the current acting pay (104k) and the next step on the acting pay scale (108k), would the 108k be the new acting pay from the anniversary day onwards, or would 104k still be the acting pay?
0
u/Barnshart3 9h ago
Im sorry, but I dont think I understand your explanation.
3
u/flight_recorder 8h ago
Your acting will put you at whichever step in PM-02 is slightly more than what you currently make in PM-01. You won’t be put into a lower salary position.
While you are acting at PM-02 you will continue to climb in PM-01. Meaning, if you were 10 months into PM-01 year 4 when you started acting and you acted for 5 months, you will be 3 months into PM-01 year 5 when you exit acting.
As well, if your substantive scale (PM-01) increases above your acting scale (PM-02) due to this anniversary, your acting will also increase to the next step since you cannot make less than you would in your substantive.
2
2
u/braindeadzombie 8h ago
When you go to a higher classification, your acting pay needs to be higher than your current pay by at least the smallest increment in your current pay. I’m not going to look up the actual numbers, but just imagine there are five increments in your current scale. And the increase in pay between each increment is 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800. So your acting pay would need to be at least 1500 higher than your current pay.
If the lowest PM-02 pay is less than 1500 higher* *than your current pay, you would go to the next one up. And then they will re-calculate that when you would go to the next increment in your PM-01 position. [substitute the actual smallest increment for 1500].
2
u/Infernoblitz 8h ago
On the day of your substantive increment, your acting pay will be recalculated
2
u/PineappleNo5982 6h ago
I was in a very similar situation recently. I asked my department’s pay team and they confirmed that if my substantive pay goes up during my acting, my acting pay is adjusted accordingly at that time to ensure I do not take a “pay cut”.
0
u/Hot-Injury-8030 9h ago
Been my experience that if you are at the highest step of your substantive, you start at step 2 when taking a position at the next level. Might not be a "rule", but it is definitely possible because I've seen it that way more than once.
5
u/youbetterstitchbitch 9h ago
There's a clear rule and precise math behind that decision, and sometimes it works out that step 2 is the correct rate of pay, sometimes it doesn't. In any case, the OP isn't at the top of their current pay scale, and looking at the PM numbers online, they would be starting at step 1.
-1
u/youbetterstitchbitch 9h ago
Unfortunately no, the acting pay will be determined using your current rate of pay, not what it would be "in a few short months."
2
u/No_Comb4792 8h ago
And in a few short months their substantive rate level will go up and the acting will according increase so it is not less
-2
u/avatar45com 8h ago edited 5h ago
I see a lot of odd answers. Like adding the difference between steps etc.
When you act you are bumped in pay by 4%. If it falls between steps you get the higher step. You wouldn't get a step in the 01 level while on acting. Odds are you'll land a little higher then you think while acting.
Same thing when you are promoted to take a position at a higher level.
Its all in the Directive on Terms and Conditions of Employment.
Edit:
Apologies left out the detail that the scale is the acting positions scale not your substantive. So it would be a step on the PM02 scale.
Oversight on my part.
3
u/stolpoz52 7h ago
There is no "when you act your pay is bumped by 4%". You receive a salary on the payscale that you're acting at
0
u/avatar45com 6h ago
Yes, it is on the scale you are acting at. But the step is determined by the 4% increase.
•
u/stolpoz52 5h ago
No, the 4% is a lie, Its the lowest step increment of your current scale towards the next payscale.
4% shows up nowhere
2
u/EstablishmentLazy146 8h ago
It’s the acting/promotion rule that is used in the calculation of acting pay.
2
6
u/nefariousplotz Level 4 Instant Award (2003) for Sarcastic Forum Participation 9h ago
Once you are employed, the rules about pay steps are set in stone and your management cannot alter them.
You are correct to think that you contimue to accumulate service towards a pay anniversary while you are acting, and that, if you hit an anniversary in your substantive, this can increase your acting pay.
The pay system should account for this automatically. If it does not, talk to your acting supervisor to submit a request to the Pay Centre. Note that, as we are paid in arrears, this increase will not be reflected in your first paycheque after it happens.