Final Approval Body: Senior Leadership Team
Senior Administrative Position with Responsibility for Policy: Vice-Principal, Culture, Equity, and Inclusion
Date Initially Approved: March, 2025
Date of Last Revision, if applicable: N/A
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide direction for the paid release of time for Employee Resource Group (ERG) Leaders to perform their duties effectively while balancing their primary job responsibilities. Supporting ERGs in this manner helps the university, in part, realize its strategic goals.
Definitions
Employees are non-academic employees who support the university’s operations and services
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are voluntary, employee-led groups that bring together employees who share an interest in a specific dimension of diversity.
Employee Resource Group Leaders are employees who are chosen by their respective ERG members to guide and manage an ERG within the University. Their length of term is typically one or two years. There can be several ERG Leaders within one ERG.
Full-time Hours for employees typically refer to a standard work week of 35 hours per week
Policy Statement
Queen’s University recognizes the valuable contributions of ERG Leaders in fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace. To support these efforts, the University will provide paid time release for ERG Leaders to carry out their responsibilities.
Scope
This policy applies to full-time employees who are a member of one or more of the following employee groups: Confidential and Research Grades 002-009, Queen’s Management and Professional Group (QMPG), Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 229, Local 254, Local 1302, Ontario Nurses’ Association Local 67, Allied Health Workers at the Queen's Family Health Team (OPSEU Local 452), and United Steel Workers (USW) Local 2010 (General Support Staff).
This policy does not apply to employees who are a member of one or more of the following bargaining units: Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) Local 901 Unit 1 and 2, Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA), and United Steel Workers (USW) Local 2010 Unit 01 (Academic Assistants) and Unit 02 (Residence Dons).
This policy applies to all ERG Leaders who have been officially recognized by the University and are fulfilling their primary job responsibilities.
Time Release Allocation
ERG Leaders are eligible for up to 12 hours per month of paid time release to perform ERG-related duties for the length of their term (typically terms are one or two years).
Additional time may be granted on a case-by-case basis with approval from the employee’s supervisor.
Responsibilities
ERGs are expected to follow the established process for constituting an ERG with Human Resources and the office of the VPCEI, including identification of the ERGs Leaders.
ERG Leaders must coordinate with their supervisors to schedule time release in a manner that minimizes disruption to their primary job responsibilities.
ERG Leaders are expected to use the time release conscientiously, effectively, and efficiently to fulfill their ERG duties.
ERG Leaders are accountable for ensuring that their ERG duties do not interfere with their primary job responsibilities.
Human Resources and the Office of the VPCEI are responsible for providing information, guidance, and support to supervisors and ERG participants regarding the ERG related policies and procedures.
Approval Process
ERG Leaders must submit in writing a request for paid time release to their supervisor. The written request should include 1) the name of the ERG, 2) duration of appointment to leadership role, 3) expected monthly time commitment 4) communication expectations for release time (i.e., XX days notice).
The supervisor will review the request and approve or deny the request based on operational needs and confirm that the employee is fulfilling their primary job responsibilities. Such requests will ordinarily be approved to the extent possible in the absence of compelling reasons to deny the request.
Fulfilling ERG Leader duties is considered service to community (i.e., the University) and should be documented as such in the employee’s Professional Development Plan (PDP).
Approved time release must be documented and tracked by the supervisor.
Related Policies, Procedures, Guidelines: none
Policies Superseded by this Policy: none
Responsible Office: VP Culture, Equity, Inclusion
Contact: Human Rights and Equity Office
Date for Next Review: January 1, 2029