What is the minimum wage for casual research assistants?
In our collective agreement we negotiated yearly raises for all casual research assistants and a premium for graduate students.
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- June 1, 2018: $15.15/hour
- June 1, 2019: $15.50/hour
- June 1, 2020: $16.00/hour
In addition, you will receive 4% additional compensation for holidays (6% if you have worked as a casual research assistant for more than 5 years).
Finally, regardless of your pay rate, all casual research assistants are entitled to a yearly raise of 1.7% for the duration of our contract.
What is the minimum wage for regular research assistants and associates and postdocs?
Please see scales in the collective agreement
What benefits am I eligible for?
As per our collective agreement, regular (not casual) AMURE members may be eligible for a number of benefits, including a supplemental health plan, a dental plan, tuition waivers, educational assistance programs, a group life insurance plan, a long-term and short-term disability plan, and a pension plan.
There is a threshold for eligibility for these benefits. To be eligible, you must either be appointed to a regular full-time position with a minimum 3 month contract and an annualized salary of at least $25,000 or be appointed to a part-time position (less than 25 hours/week) with a contract lasting at least 9 months and an annualized salary of at least $25,000.
All of these programs and benefits are controlled by McGill and can change from time to time. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the provisions by visiting the website linked above for each program as well as http://www.mcgill.ca/hr/bp/benefits
What should I do if I am sick?
Our collective agreement does not include a maximum number of sick days, and it is up to you supervisor to grant sick days. However, Quebec law guarantees a minimum of 2 sick days per year. If you are sick you simply need to notify your supervisor.
If you are sick for more than two consecutive days then the short-term disability plan will cover your salary. You will need to have a physician complete a statement of disability to receive this benefit.
How much vacation time am I eligible for?
For regular employees (not casual), your length of employment at McGill as of 1 June of a given year determines how much vacation you are eligible for. The amount of vacation you receive is as follows:
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- Less than 1 year — 1/4 week for each month of service.
- Between 1 and 3 years — 3 weeks vacation.
- Between 3 and 7 years — 4 weeks.
- More than seven years — 5 weeks.
In lieu of vacation time, casual research assistants receive a 4% pay premium, raised to 6% after 5 years of employment at McGill.
Can I carry over my vacation from year to year?
No, vacation must be used in the year it is given and cannot be carried over to the next year. If you leave McGill, however, you can take all the vacation you have earned but not yet taken.
For any other questions:
Please contact us