For the 2020 pay equity maintenance, the University received complaints for not completing the exercise within a specific deadline. It is important to note the following developments regarding this file:
- In November 2020, the University was granted an extension by the CNESST, in accordance with article 101.1 of the Pay Equity Act, to complete the 2020 pay equity maintenance. In its decision, the CNESST required that the 2020 pay equity maintenance be completed and posted. This had to be done no later than 120 days after a settlement or decision by the CNESST regarding complaints related to the 2010 and 2015 pay equity maintenances. This decision was reasonable since the University considered it could not move forward with the 2020 pay equity maintenance until the process for 2010 and 2015 was finalized.
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Following this decision, several developments occurred :
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The CNESST rendered a decision regarding the 2010 maintenance, but the decision was contested by MUNACA and the University.
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A hearing was initiated at the TAT in 2024 and is still ongoing.
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In January 2026, the CNESST rendered a decision regarding the 2015 maintenance however, this decision was contested by MUNACA.
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As a result, the final TAT decisions pertaining to the 2010 and 2015 maintenances are still pending, rendering it particularly difficult for the University to complete the subsequent maintenances.
- For these reasons, on September 22, 2025, the University requested another postponement to complete the 2020 and 2025 maintenances, in accordance with section 101.1 of the Pay Equity Act.
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On December 12, 2025, the University was informed that the CNESST had rejected its request for postponement for the 2020 and 2025 maintenances. This decision was surprising since the CNESST had already approved the University’s request when a postponement was requested for similar reasons. It therefore placed the University in a challenging position by requiring the completion of the 2020 and 2025 maintenance exercises by May 21, 2026 without the benefit of final decisions on the 2010 and 2015 maintenances, which remain unresolved.
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The University nonetheless acknowledged this decision and proceeded diligently with the participation process for the 2020 pay equity audit which ended on May 11, 2026. As per the law, the University must respect a delay of at least 60 days between the end of the participation process and the first posting, which made meeting the May 21, 2026 deadline impossible.
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On June 30, 2026, the University received a notice of decision (“préavis de décision”) from the CNESST indicating that they were leaning towards a decision by which they would find the complaints filed to contest the non-completion of the 2020 pay equity maintenance were founded because the 2020 pay equity maintenance had not been completed by May 21, 2026.
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The University had until July 24, 2026 to submit additional facts, supporting documentation, or representations before the CNESST issues its final decision regarding the complaints.
Since December 2025, the Pay Equity team has worked diligently and has completed the activities outlined below.
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Establishing a working group composed of Human Resources and Academic Personnel Office professionals from different faculties and units and meeting weekly.
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Gathering and validating the data required for the 2020 pay equity maintenance, including managing the complexity of consolidating information from two different HR systems.
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Developing and implementing the pay equity participation process from the ground up, including designing the participation approach, identifying and engaging stakeholders, developing communication materials, and establishing the end-to-end process.
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Managing all aspects of the participation process from March 27, 2026 to May 11, 2026, including coordinating communications, responding to employee inquiries, tracking participation, and ensuring consistent application of the process.
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Consulting with some union representatives (AMURE and AMUSE) by responding to questions, providing information through written communications and discussions, and addressing questions or comments throughout the consultation period.
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Onboarding a new Pay Equity Advisor, who joined the team on May 19, 2026 as the workload was no-longer feasible for one full-time employee.
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Finalizing the 2010 pay equity maintenance file currently before the TAT.
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Analyzing the CNESST's decision regarding the 2015 pay equity maintenance received on January 26, 2026 and collaborating with the CNESST to confirm implementation of their orientations.
It is important to note that work related to the 2010 and 2015 pay equity maintenance exercises had to be completed within prescribed timelines and was therefore prioritized. In addition, the final outcomes of the 2010 and 2015 maintenance exercises may affect the 2020 pay equity maintenance, making the completion of those files a prerequisite to finalizing the 2020 maintenance.
Process for the Pay Equity Maintenance of December 21, 2020
Participation to the pay equity audit
In 2019, Quebec’s Pay Equity Act was amended to introduce a participation process as part of the pay equity maintenance. The process provides unions and non-unionized employees with an opportunity to ask questions, make observations or suggestions before the results are posted.
For the 2020 Pay Equity Maintenance, the participation process took place from March 27 to May 11, 2026. During this period, the University received submissions from 21 individuals and two unions (AMURE and AMUSE). Of the 21 individuals, 16 non-unionized employees submitted questions through the MS Forms questionnaire, while five others submitted questions by replying directly to the participation email.
The participation process has now been completed, as required under the Pay Equity Act. The Act requires the participation process to be completed at least 60 days before the audit results are posted.
Resources related to the participation process:
Next steps
This first posting of the 2020 Pay Equity Maintenance results begins on September 1, 2026. Employees have 60 days from this date to submit questions or observations concerning the results.
The University will review the requests and observations received and issue a second 60-day posting within 30 days. The second posting will summarize the requests and observations received, how they were addressed, and any changes made to the audit results, or indicate that no changes were necessary.
