Leaves of Absence

Vacation days are my only option if I must stay at home to care for my child if she/he is sick and unable to attend daycare. (Fiction)

Time with pay will be granted to attend a doctor's appointment that has to be scheduled during the day. (Fact)

There are many reasons why staff members find it necessary to take leaves of absences. Our collective agreement addresses this issue in Article 13, entitled "Leaves of Absence". The ten types of leaves possible are:

• Leave of Absence Without Pay (13:01 & 13:02)
• Union Convention or Conference Leave (13:03)
  
• Union Leave (13:04)
  
• Pregnancy Leave (13:05)
  
• Primary Caregiver Leave (13:06)
  
• Parental Leave (13:07)
  
• Paternity Leave (13:08)
  
• Political Leave (13:09)
  
• Family/Floating Leave (13:10 to 13:12)
  
• Health Care Appointments (13:13).

Family/Floating leave is quite likely the leave of absence that is utilized by more members than any other. This is the type of leave used when it's necessary to take care of family or other responsibilities during the day, the observance of religious holidays or other emergency situations.

Every year each employee is "grant[ed] up to two (2) days or up to four (4) half-days of paid family leave". Staff should notify their supervisors as far in advance as possible when they need to take family leave. Some of the reasons for such leaves are the "care of family members, parent-teacher interviews, school trips or concerts, or stepping-in when the regular caregiver is away." However, the reason for the leave need not be limited to what is outlined in the agreement.

In addition to family leave, there are also two days of floating leave granted on a yearly basis. "Whenever possible, staff members shall make their need for floating leave known to the supervisor at least five (5) days in advance." Some of the reasons for taking floating leave are "the observance of religious holidays, professional appointments, court appearances, moving, supplementing a bereavement leave or family leave, writing examinations, and attending to emergency situations."

One of the gains in our last contract was the addition of a provision that enables our members to attend health care appointments during the working day. Staff are encouraged to schedule appointments during non-working hours, however, when it is not possible to do so, "the employee will be given time off with pay necessary to attend the appointment."

There are also a number of different types of leaves available to new parents. Pregnancy leave, primary caregiver leave and parental leave provide longer leaves for new parents and are available to employees who have at worked for at least thirteen weeks prior to the application for the leave. During the leaves, "seniority, vacation, benefits, and pensionable service continue…provided the employee fulfills any requirements for said continuation."

Pregnancy leave is available to staff who are pregnant and a certificate from a doctor or a midwife attesting to the pregnancy must be submitted to the Department or Division Head when the application for the leave is made. During the leave, the employee's Employment Insurance benefits are topped up to 95% of salary.

"Primary Caregiver Leave is available to staff, other than the biological mother, who have primary responsibility for the care of a child during the eighteen (18) weeks immediately following: (i) the birth of a child or; (ii) the coming of a child into the custody, care and control of a parent for the first time." Employment Insurance benefits are also topped up to 95% of salary during a primary caregiver leave. Those applying for this type of leave must state that they will be the primary caregiver for the child and are typically the father, same-sex parent or adoptive parent.

Parental leave consists of up to eighteen weeks of unpaid leave after the birth of a child or when the child first comes into a parent's custody. Paternity leave is a three-day short-term leave that commences "upon the birth or adoption of a child" and is available to "a father or same-sex parent".

Article 13 provides much more detail on the different types of leaves of absence. If you have questions about any of the articles, please contact your union steward.