Article content Québec’s new health authority, Santé Québec, announced Wednesday it will give health workers who clock extra hours in multiple hospitals an extra year to adjust to new rules limiting hours to 40 per week. The decision comes after The Gazette revealed that Santé Québec, which will bring Quebec’s hospitals and clinics under a single employer on Dec. 1, planned to slash these workers’ hours with its restructuring, requiring most to choose a single job by the end of November.
The health authority initially said the move was made to comply with labour laws regarding overtime pay. But in a statement, Santé Québec president Geneviève Biron emphasized a more flexible approach, saying: “I am committed to avoiding wall-to-wall approaches. In recent days, I have heard the heartfelt cry of many employees in dual employment situations.
I hope that we give ourselves the time to support them and find solutions for the benefit of users and staff.” This report will be updated. hnorth@postmedia.
com.