Rinke and Treasury Board (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

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166-2-27705
Rinke and Treasury Board (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

Before: B. Turner
Appearances: S. Brosseau, for the Grievor; H. Newman, for the Employer
Decision rendered: December 11, 1997

Meal Allowance – Travel Policy – Timeliness – Work Force Adjustment Directive – grievor, a veterinarian, was on Care and Nurturing leave when her position was declared surplus – upon her return to work on January 4, 1995, she received her six month surplus notice – as a surplus employee she was guaranteed a reasonable job offer under the Work Force Adjustment Directive, which formed part of her collective agreement – she accepted a temporary assignment at Sunrise Poultry which was 95 kilometres from her home – initially, because she required some retraining, grievor was considered to be on travel status until February 17, 1995 – as a result, she received a mileage allowance and was compensated for the cost of her lunches – thereafter, employer as a good will gesture continued to pay her a mileage allowance but would not reimburse the cost of her lunches – this continued until July 7, 1995, when grievor accepted a permanent position elsewhere – at the time the grievor was offered the temporary assignment, she had been advised that she would not be on travel status – grievor submitted her grievance on November 2, 1995, seeking reimbursement of the cost of her lunches – employer alleged that grievance was untimely – adjudicator agreed that it was untimely – in any case, grievor was not on travel status as Sunrise Poultry was her headquarters area during her temporary assignment there – employer treated grievor equitably and gave her "every reasonable opportunity" to continue her career as required by the provisions of the Work Force Adjustment Directive.

Grievance denied.