All members,
All affiliate members should have received a letter from Lee Doney, HEABC that confirms government's decision to allow voluntary membership in HEABC. This is a position that our Association has been advocating for some time, and we are pleased that the decision has finally been confirmed.
Members wishing to withdraw have to submit their request to HEABC by October 9, 2009 and these requests will then be forwarded to government for removal from the Health Care Employers Regulation.
Employers who withdraw from HEABC also have to apply to the Labour Relations Board to be removed from the accreditation order.
A number of employers had previously applied to the Labour Board for removal from the accreditation order on the expectation that government would allow them to withdraw from HEABC. These employers should notify the LRB through counsel or if they filed their own application that they have applied to withdraw from HEABC and provide a copy of HEABC's letter. Their letter should state that it is their understanding that government will amend the Order-in-Council (OIC) to un-designate any employer who has applied to leave HEABC membership prior to October 9, 2009 and it is anticipated that the OIC will be amended accordingly.
For those employers that are considering withdrawing from HEABC but have not made an application to the LRB prior to the 9 month notice provisions, an application could still be made under section 142 of the Labour Code to be removed from the accreditation order.
Should you have any questions regarding voluntary membership, the impacts of withdrawing or the process for making application to the Labour Board you may with to seek legal counsel or feel free to contact me.
Regards,
Ed Helfrich, CEO
