UTFA Achieves Fair Compensation Model for Members on Research and Study Leave with Fluctuating FTEs

We are happy to announce a big win! Much to UTFA’s dismay, the Administration was undercompensating many members with a fluctuating full-time equivalent (FTE) percentage of appointment for their RSL pay.  As a result, on March 5, 2025, UTFA filed an Association grievance in response to the Administration’s failure to fairly compensate UTFA members who have fluctuating FTEs during the accrual period of their Research and Study Leaves (RSL). Prior to the grievance, the Administration was inconsistent in its treatment of the compensation of members on RSL with fluctuating FTEs. This resulted in some of UTFA’s lowest-paid members being paid even less than what they were entitled to, and adverse impacts on our most precarious members. 

Through UTFA’s steadfast efforts, in April, 2026, we reached a settlement agreement with the Administration that resolved the grievance and resulted in a more equitable compensation model for members with fluctuating FTEs.

This agreement affects members who transition from full-time to part-time appointments during periods of RSL accrual, as well as part-time and full-time members who hold part-time appointments with fluctuating FTEs over the course of their RSL accrual periods. Under the agreement, members will now be compensated during their RSL based on their average FTE over the years in which they accrue service toward the RSL. 

As an example, a part-time member with a 75% FTE in Years 1 through 3 of the accrual period, and 50% FTE in Years 4 through 6 of the accrual period, would have an average FTE of 62.5%. That member’s annualized (100% FTE) salary would then be multiplied by 62.5% (the average FTE over the accrual period). The product of that multiplication would then be multiplied by the percentage salary rate for the RSL provided for in the MoA (i.e. 87.5% in the normal course for a 12-month RSL). 

The averaging formula similarly applies to members who have moved from full-time to part-time appointments during the periods of accrual. Critically, their FTE for the purposes of determining compensation during an RSL will not be capped at 75%. 

Further, we confirmed with the Administration that full-time members with a fluctuating FTE over the course of their periods of accrual toward RSL will have the option to exchange part-time years of service for full-time years of service (i.e. 6 years at 50% FTE would equal 3 years of 100% FTE service) or to have their salary rate for the RSL pro-rated by the average FTE over the eligible years of service. 

UTFA also secured fairer compensation for members with reduced FTEs related to human rights reasons. The Administration agreed that, for the purposes of calculating compensation for an RSL, members with a reduced FTE for human rights-related reasons will maintain their previous contracted FTE for the first 12 months of the period during which the FTE is reduced. 

While this settlement applies to RSLs commencing on or after July 1, 2026, UTFA was also able to secure retroactive compensation for members who took RSLs in 2023/2024, 2024/2025, and 2025/2026, and who received less than they would have under the new agreed-upon averaging formula. Salaries will only be adjusted if the member would receive an increase. 

If you took an RSL in the past three years and had a fluctuating FTE in the service accrual period leading up to the RSL, please contact UTFA at advice@utfa.org as soon as possible so we can assess whether your compensation should be adjusted. The deadline for us to identify adjustments is April 14, 2027. 

Sincerely,

Jun Nogami
UTFA President

Terezia Zorić
UTFA Past-President, and Vice-President, Salary, Benefits, Pensions and Workload