Bulletin
CapU – HOP Announcement #2
September 1, 2026
To: All MoveUP members at CapilanoU
We committed to providing an update following the University’s August 21 announcement regarding increased on-campus presence expectations.
We were not consulted before that announcement was issued and had limited information at the time. In the days since, we raised concerns with the University about the lack of notice and consultation, as well as the uncertainty created for members with existing Hybrid Office Program (HOP) arrangements.
Through those discussions, the University provided assurances about how the communicated “expectation” would be applied. The parties agreed to issue a joint communication setting out a common understanding of the applicable processes, the potential impacts on members, and the available path forward.
Important History
As our collective agreement currently exists, remote work is not contemplated or prescriptively guaranteed.
Many members will recall that protections for remote work were among the issues bargained to impasse during the previous round of negotiations, contributing to the labour dispute in the summer of 2023. Our bulletins at the time outlined the Union’s concerns about the continuation of the HOP without appropriate safeguards in the collective agreement.
Although the Union and University remained fundamentally divided over whether remote-work protections should be included in the collective agreement, MoveUP secured a commitment from the University to add an appeal process to the HOP. That commitment was confirmed in a June 16, 2023 Letter of Commitment.
The Letter of Commitment exists outside the collective agreement and provides a process through which an employee who disagrees with a decision concerning the application of the HOP may seek further review.
While the appeal process provides members with an important opportunity to have a decision reviewed, it does not guarantee that a requested arrangement will be approved.
The Employer’s “Expectations”, Clarified
The University has repeatedly assured the Union that the communicated three-day expectation is not a University-wide mandate imposing the same minimum attendance requirement on every employee.
The University has advised that whether a HOP schedule meets the operational and service-delivery requirements of a position will continue to be determined by the employee’s immediate manager or administrator.
The University has also assured the Union that HOP applications will be assessed based on the specific needs of the department and position, not on a simple pass-or-fail comparison against the three-day expectation.
MoveUP will monitor applications that are denied or reduced through this process. This will allow us to assess the extent to which the communicated expectation is, as the University has maintained in our discussions, an aspirational guideline rather than a predetermined outcome.
As outlined in today’s University-wide email, there are two separate processes underway.
Annual HOP Applications
Employees with existing HOP arrangements must reapply annually in accordance with the program requirements.
Because of the confusion created by the University’s original communication, MoveUP secured a one-time extension of the application deadline to September 21, 2026.
Applications must be submitted through the Flexible Work Arrangement task in Workday. The University will provide an application guide by September 4.
The previous HOP Application Form is no longer required, as the necessary information will be collected through Workday. However, the Working Alone Plan and Safety Checklist remain mandatory parts of the application.
Employees should apply for the schedule they are requesting, even if it falls outside the previously communicated three-day on-campus expectation. The University has assured the Union that applications will continue to be considered based on departmental and operational requirements and individual circumstances.
Role-Based Assessments
Separately, the University is developing a framework to assess the appropriate level of on-campus presence for individual roles.
The University has indicated that it intends to complete this work during the fall. Given the scope of the review, however, the Union anticipates that the assessment and implementation process may take longer.
The assessment does not mean that every employee’s schedule will change. Many employees may already be working in a manner that meets the operational and service-delivery requirements of their role.
Where the University believes an adjustment is required, the manager is expected to discuss the proposed change directly with the affected employee.
The University has also assured us that the Union will be consulted before any roll out of Role-Based assessments.
Options Available to You
Submit your annual HOP application with the schedule you are requesting. Explain how the arrangement supports the duties of your position, departmental operations, service delivery, and any other relevant circumstances.
If your requested arrangement is approved, nothing further is required from you at this time.
If your requested arrangement is denied or reduced, you now have access to both an exception request and the appeal process mentioned previously.
Exceptions Form
Employees may request an exception to the on-campus expectation. Submit an Exceptions Request Form to your administrator and copy hr@capilanou.ca and cc your preferred job steward.
Where a proposed schedule change would affect significant personal obligations, explain those circumstances in the exception request. Do not include a diagnosis or detailed medical information. If the request relates to medical restrictions or limitations, contact a job steward for assistance with the accommodation process.
Depending on the circumstances, an employee may be granted an exception for the 2026–2027 HOP year or a temporary exception of up to three months to make arrangements for affected personal obligations.
Request Accommodation
If the proposed schedule creates barriers connected to a protected ground, such as disability or family status, employees may request accommodation. The accommodation process is separate from a general HOP exception request.
Members who believe they may require accommodation should contact a job steward for assistance.
Appeal the Decision
Employees who disagree with a denial or alteration to their HOP arrangement and have exhausted the Exception process outlined above may use the appeal process established through the 2023 Letter of Commitment.
You should be preparing to file your appeal the moment you receive an Exception application declination, as the appeal process is time-sensitive and begins the moment you are in receipt of the Employer’s declination.
To obtain the appeal form, email hr@capilanou.ca. Members should also contact a job steward promptly so that we can assist with the appeal and ensure the applicable timelines are met.
Remote Work Remains an Issue at Bargaining
Remote and hybrid work remain under active discussion in the current round of collective bargaining.
The 2023 Letter of Commitment created an important review process, but it does not provide the same substantive protection as language contained directly in the collective agreement. We will continue seeking clearer and more enforceable language requiring reasonable and due consideration before an approved remote work arrangement can be denied, altered, or rescinded.
We will continue advocating for fair consideration of individual arrangements through the HOP process and for stronger protections at the bargaining table.
In solidarity,
Nathan Beausoleil
Senior Union Representative