PSYCHOLOGIST SALARY COMPARISON October 2016

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1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Wages for psychologists working in the public sector and public service in BC have continued to fall behind the market, when compared to other jurisdictions in Canada. In many cases, compensation for forensic, public sector and public service psychologists falls last or near last when compared to their unionized counterparts in other provinces. Hourly rates paid to these psychologists are about 25 per cent of private sector psychologist billing rates in BC. Forensic psychologists in BC were significantly impacted when they were transferred from the public service to the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). This resulted in a rollback of their wages and benefits, expanding the salary gap of BC s forensic psychologists when compared with their counterparts in other provinces. In some cases, forensic psychologists in BC are paid 27 per cent less than their counterparts in other provinces. Public sector and public service psychologists in BC are also severely undercompensated and are among the lowest paid in the entire country. Public sector psychologists are paid 25 per cent lower than the average of hospital psychologists from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. The gap is 28 per cent comparing BC public service psychologists to the same group. The inadequate compensation rates for psychologists are resulting in severe recruitment and retention challenges. Positions remain unfilled, clients are not provided service at a time when needs are increasing and the Ministry of Health is promoting using lesser qualified staff to fill gaps. Workloads are increasing for existing staff or services are outsourced to the private sector at substantially higher rates. Action needs to be taken to increase the wages and benefits for forensic and other psychologists in the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) and those psychologists remaining in the public service.

2 FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGISTS BACKGROUND Forensic psychologists work at the intersection of psychology and the law. BC requires all licensed psychologists, including forensic psychologists to have a PhD, unlike other provinces such as Alberta. Forensic psychologists require specialized education and training to perform the functions of their position in the criminal justice system. In 2013, forensic psychologists were transferred from the BC Public Service (Government Licensed Professionals collective agreement) to the Provincial Health Services Authority (HSPBA collective agreement), where they continue to be represented by the Professional Employees Association (PEA). Shortly after the transfer, the PEA was able to negotiate a modestly higher salary grid (Level 18.5 versus 18) for forensic psychologists to reflect additional expertise and education requirements. Forensic psychologists transferred to the HSPBA collective agreement lost overtime provisions (seven per cent of base salary) and benefits such as parental leave, and had a lower hourly rate imposed on them. WAGE COMPARISONS Across a variety of comparable unionized agreements, BC s forensic psychologists are mired at or near the bottom for wages. BC forensic psychologist s specialization levels result in a match with the Psychologist II position in Alberta (Southern and Northern Alberta Psychiatry Services). There is a 27 per cent salary differential at the top rate. Similar differentials exist with Saskatchewan and Ontario. BC rates are 5 per cent lower than the second lowest comparator, Manitoba. 2

3 Wages of Forensic Psychologists Across Canada Location Rate per hour BC Forensic Psychologists Health Science Professionals agreement Rates effective April 1, 2016 $42.07, Year 1 to $52.46, Year 6 Southern and Northern Alberta Psychiatry Services Collective Agreement between Alberta Health Services & Health Sciences Association of Alberta Rates effective April 1, 2016 Saskatchewan Hospital Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations Inc & Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan Rates effective April 1, 2016 Royal Ottawa Hospital, Saint Joseph s Hospital Ontario Public Service Employees & Hospital Professionals Division Rates effective April 1, 2015 Psychologist 2 $ $66.63 (Step 1 9) Sr. Psychologist (Ph.D.) $ $60.71 (Step 1 5) $ $64.52 (Market supplement) $50.15, Year 1 to $63.91, Year 5 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario $ $59.73 East Coast Forensic Psychiatric Hospital Nova Scotia Government & General Employee Union Rates effective November 1, 2013 No information on current collective agreement Health Sciences Centre, Manitoba Rates effective April 2, 2015; paid on annual salary without fixed hours Year 1 - $43.90, Year 5 - $54.87, Year 25 - $56.79 Step 1 - $71,777 to Step 5 - $107,666 Plus recruitment and retention market adjustment of $1500. For a 37.5 hour work week, a salary of $107,666 would be equivalent to an hourly wage of $55.21 (1950 hours per year) 3

4 HEALTH SECTOR AND PUBLIC SERVICE PSYCHOLOGISTS Psychologists are included in the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA). They work for a variety of health authorities and where they are providing clinical services in the community, they are represented by the PEA. PEA public service psychologists provide youth forensics expertise and clinical services. WAGE COMPARISONS BC public sector psychologists are the third lowest-paid psychologists across the country, based on comparators in the following table. Psychologists remaining in the public service and working at the 5A (non-team lead) are the second lowest paid. BC public sector psychologists are paid 25 per cent lower than the average of hospital psychologists from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. The gap is 28 per cent comparing BC Public Service Psychologists to the same group. Wages of Public Sector Psychologists Across Canada (Salary comparison is based on a March 2015 effective date except where noted) Location Alberta Hospitals (HSAA) 2015 Rates Contract current (assume match to Psychologist II) Saskatchewan Hospitals (HSAA) 2015 Rates Contract current (assume match to Psychologist II) Ottawa Hospital (OPSEU Local 464) Contract expires March 2016 (2 rates for psychologists) S26 S25 Ontario Hospitals (OPSEU) Contract expires March 2016 Rate per hour (Top Level) $65.33 $63.36 $67.69 $64.46 $63.91 Newfoundland Health Professionals (NAPE) Contract expired March 31, 2016 Nova Scotia Health Authorities (NSGEU and CUPE) Contract expired October 2014 Prince Edward Island Health Services (UPSE) Contract current $51.12 $54.87 $

5 BC Hospital Psychologists Grid 18 (April 2016 rate) $51.49 BC Public Service Psychologists working level 5A includes 7% overtime stipend (April 2016 rate) New Brunswick Hospitals, NBUS Contract current 2015 rates $50.25 $46.78 Other Considerations BC Public Sector and Public Service Psychologists The above psychologist wage comparisons from across Canada are made to other hospitals with union contracts. The Winnipeg Health Authority is a non-unionized environment (access to both child and adult hospital psychologists). Public disclosure of salaries reveals top salaries above $130,000. In Ontario, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Children s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, The University Health Network, The Providence Health Care are all non-unionized environments for hospital psychologists. Public disclosure of salaries for these sites reveals top salaries ranging from $130,000 to $140,000 per year (full-time salaries). A BC public service psychologists annual earnings including an overtime stipend are approximately $91,500. The Worksafe BC Psychologist Fee schedule has hourly rates from $150 to $200 depending on the nature of the service provided. The BC Psychological Association recommends an hourly rate of $200 for private practice clinical assessments. Psychologists rates in BC s public sector are also comparatively low to registered nurses who require only bachelor level education. At the top of the scale, a level 4 (working level) nurse earns $47.13 an hour in BC. RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION ISSUES Wages for psychologists in BC are near or at the bottom of the Canadian market. Recruitment and retention issues continue to be a significant concern. Inability to recruit and retain trained psychologists leads to ongoing workload concerns for our members. The Health Employers Association of BC notes in their website demographic assessment of BC Hospital Psychologists that there are 200 employees and 100 full-time equivalents. Employers are not able to recruit full-time psychologists because wage rates are so low. Psychologists often work part time in the public sector or public service to avail themselves of benefits and a pension; however, they refuse full-time work because they prefer to establish private practices where billing rates are recommended at $200 an hour. 5

6 Other results of being so uncompetitive in the labour market are that psychologists are increasingly looking at other provinces or private practice as alternatives to working in BC s public sector. One PEA psychologist reinforces this viewpoint: For any job candidate with geographic mobility, it is a no-brainer that they will take opportunities in Alberta or Ontario over BC. For psychologists with roots in BC, private practice quickly becomes much more appealing than anything the health system in BC can offer from a compensation standpoint. Another PEA psychologist notes that the wage differential has real and lasting impacts: a consequence of this is that job openings go unfilled for years, and the positions end up being eliminated or defunded. Positions remaining unfilled for as long as nine months or even two years, is common in a number of health authorities according to PEA members. Hiring underqualified and unlicensed psychologists is increasingly common as a stop-gap measure and is actively being considered by the Ministry of Health. Lack of professional development and the fact there is no licensing fee reimbursement for psychologists in the health sector, also has an impact on recruitment and retention for psychologists. CONCLUSION Immediate action is needed to address the growing crisis of recruitment and retention for psychologists in BC. Wages must be increased for all public service and public sector psychologists, so that BC rates are competitive with the labour market. Current rates mean that the vital services psychologists provide are not sustainable. This is happening at a time when demand for those services is increasing. Along with appropriate wages, government and health employers must seek ways to enhance professional development, abandon the promotion of non-licensed psychological services and implement fair professional fee reimbursement. 6