THE NURSES ARE COMING

The ONA Central Arbitration Award (2025–2027) changed the rules province‑wide: time spent giving report after your scheduled end‑time is now paid time, effective November 2, 2025.

TOA after your shift will be paid. If you stay up to 15 minutes past your scheduled end‑time, that time is paid at the same rate as your tour (straight time, 1.5×, or 2×—whichever applied to that tour).

If TOA goes beyond 15 minutes, the entire block from your shift end‑time forward is overtime under Article 14.

Report vs. patient care: if you are doing patient care (not report), it’s overtime—even inside the 15 minutes.

ONA counsel told the Town Hall that the OHA itself pegged the cost of finally paying ONA nurses for TOA at ~$200 million per year. The arbitrator reduced the second‑year general wage increase to 2.25% (instead of 3%) citing that cost.

Translation: that money is now inside the package—so claim every minute.

TOA is an end‑of‑shift function. Arrive at your scheduled start time ready to take report, not before.

If you perform work before your start time, that is work and must be claimed under the Collective Agreement.

1. Record every minute.
   Note your scheduled end‑time, report completion time, and total minutes. Keep a personal log.
2. Submit your claim for each shift.
   • If TOA finished within 15 minutes, submit those minutes as TOA/Reporting Time at your tour rate (straight, 1.5×, or 2×).
   • If TOA went beyond 15 minutes, claim the entire period from your scheduled end time at overtime under Article 14.

1. If management adds extra steps
   (such as a special form, manager sign-off, or other “process”), complete them — but still submit your claim and keep a copy.
   The award created a payable category. You must be paid like every nurse in Ontario. ONA will grieve any non-payment.
2. If told to “come early for report”
   Respond in writing:

“I will be ready to take report at my scheduled start time.
If the unit requires earlier attendance, please confirm that overtime will be paid and I will submit the time.”

My scheduled end time was [HH:MM]. TOA concluded at [HH:MM].
I am claiming [X] minutes per Article 13.01(a) (up to 15 minutes at the tour rate; if more than 15 minutes, the entire period from end time at overtime under Article 14).
Please confirm processing on this pay.

Thank you,

[Your Name]

For decades, nurses donated millions of unpaid minutes at shift change. The award finally recognizes TOA as added time after your shift—and makes it payable. The arbitrator even lowered year‑two wages to 2.25% because paying TOA will cost the employers about $200 million/year.

Starting November 2, 2025, claim every single minute—even if the employer makes it annoying. Submit the claim and keep proof. ONA will ensure you are paid.