Pre-Paid Leave The Employer agrees to introduce a pre-paid leave program, funded solely by the employee, subject to the following terms and conditions:
(a) The plan is available to employees wishing to spread four (4) years’ salary over a five (5) year period or three (3) years’ salary over a four (4) year period, in accordance with Part LXVII of the Income Tax Regulations, Section 6801, to enable them to take a maximum one (1) year leave of absence following the four (4) years or three (3) years of salary deferral. The plan is not to provide benefits to employees on or after retirement.
(b) The employee must make written application to the appropriate Director at least three (3) months prior to the intended commencement date of the program (i.e., the salary deferral portion).
(c) The number of employees that may be absent at any one (1) time shall be three (3), with a maximum of one (1) per program or department, subject to operational requirements.
(d) Written applications will be reviewed by the appropriate Director or designate and granted subject to operational requirements. The principle of seniority shall govern in cases of suitable applications greater than the number outlined in (c). Decisions will be made twice a year, February 15th and September 15th.
(e) During the years of salary deferral, twenty percent (20%) or twenty-five percent (25%) as applicable, of the employee’s gross annual earnings will be deducted and held for the employee and will not be accessible to her or him until the year of the leave or upon withdrawal from the plan.
(f) The manner in which the deferred salary is held shall be at the discretion of the Employer.
(g) All deferred salary shall be paid to the employee at the commencement of leave or in accordance with such other payment schedule as may be agreed upon between the Employer and the employee.
(h) Accrued interest, if any, shall be payable to the employee in the year that it is earned.
(i) All benefits shall be kept whole during the years of salary deferral.
(j) During the year of the leave, seniority will be retained but will not accumulate. Service for the purpose of vacation and salary progression and other benefits will be retained but will not accumulate during the period of leave. Employees shall become responsible for the full payment of premiums for any health and welfare benefits in which they are participating. Contributions to the Pension Plan will be in accordance with the Plan. Employees will not be eligible to participate in the disability income plan during the year of leave.
(k) An employee may withdraw from the plan only as a result of financial or other hardship, provided one (1) month’s notice is given to the Director. Deferred salary, plus accrued interest, if any, will be returned to the employee, within a reasonable period of time.
(l) If the employee terminates employment, the deferred salary held by the Employer plus accrued interest, if any, will be returned to the employee within a reasonable period of time. In case of the employee’s death, the funds will be paid to the employee’s estate.
(m) If the Employer intends to fill the temporary vacancy, then Article 10 shall apply. If the Employer is unable to find a suitable replacement, it may postpone the leave. The Employer will give the employee as much notice as is reasonably possible. The employee will have the option of remaining in the plan and rearranging the leave at a mutually agreeable time or of withdrawing from the plan and having the deferred salary, plus accrued interest, if any, paid out to the employee within a reasonable period of time.
(n) The employee will be reinstated to her or his former position unless the position has been discontinued in which case the employee may exercise her/his seniority to bump as per Article 11. The employee must plan to return for a minimum of one (1) year.
(o) Final approval for entry into the pre-paid leave program will be subject to the employee entering into a formal agreement with the Employer in order to authorize the Employer to make the appropriate deductions from the employee’s pay. Such agreement will include:
i) A statement that the employee is entering the pre-paid leave program in accordance with Article 13.10 of the Collective Agreement.
ii) The period of salary deferral and the period for which the leave is requested.
iii) The manner in which the deferral salary is to be held.
iv) The letter of application from the employee to enter the prepaid leave program will be appended to and form part of the written agreement.
Pre-Paid Leave Plan The Hospital agrees to introduce a pre-paid leave program, funded solely by the nurse, subject to the following terms and conditions:
(a) The plan is available to nurses wishing to spread four (4) years' salary over a five (5) year period, in accordance with Part LXVIII of the Income
(b) The nurse must make written application to the Chief Nursing Officer or Supervisor at least six (6) months prior to the intended commencement date of the program (i.e., the salary deferral portion), stating the intended purpose of the leave.
(c) The number of nurses that may be absent at any one time shall be determined by local negotiations. The year for purposes of the program shall be September 1 of one year to August 31 the following year or such other twelve (12) month period as may be agreed upon by the nurse, the local Union and the Hospital.
(d) Written applications will be reviewed by the Chief Nursing Officer, Supervisor or designate. Leaves requested for the purpose of pursuing further formal nursing education will be given priority. Applications for leaves requested for other purposes will be given the next level of priority on the basis of seniority.
(e) During the four (4) years of salary deferral, 20% of the nurse's gross annual earnings will be deducted and held for the nurse and will not be accessible to her or him until the year of the leave or upon withdrawal from the plan.
(f) The manner in which the deferred salary is held shall be at the discretion of the Hospital.
(g) All deferred salary, plus accrued interest, if any, shall be paid to the nurse at the commencement of the leave or in accordance with such other payment schedule as may be agreed upon between the Hospital and the nurse.
(h) All benefits shall be kept whole during the four (4) years of salary deferral. During the year of the leave, seniority will accumulate. Service for the purpose of vacation and salary progression and other benefits will be retained but will not accumulate during the period of leave. Full-time nurses shall become responsible for the full payment of premiums for any health and welfare benefits in which they are participating. Contributions to the Hospitals of Ontario Pension Plan will be in accordance with the Plan. Full-time nurses will not be eligible to participate in the disability income plan during the year of leave.
(i) A nurse may withdraw from the plan at any time during the deferral portion provided three (3) months notice is given to the Chief Nursing Officer or Supervisor. Deferred salary, plus accrued interest, if any, will be returned to the nurse, within a reasonable period of time.
(j) If the nurse terminates employment, the deferred salary held by the Hospital plus accrued interest, if any, will be returned to the nurse within a reasonable period of time. In case of the nurse's death, the funds will be paid to the nurse's estate.
(k) The Hospital will endeavour to find a temporary replacement for the nurse as far in advance as practicable. If the Hospital is unable to find a suitable replacement, it may postpone the leave. The Hospital will give the nurse as much notice as is reasonably possible. The nurse will have the option of remaining in the Plan and rearranging the leave at a mutually agreeable time or of withdrawing from the Plan and having the deferred salary, plus accrued interest, if any, paid out to the nurse within a reasonable period of time.
(l) The nurse will be reinstated to her or his former position unless the position has been discontinued, in which case the nurse shall be given a comparable job.
(m) Final approval for entry into the pre-paid leave program will be subject to the nurse entering into a formal agreement with the Hospital in order to authorize the Hospital to make the appropriate deductions from the nurse's pay. Such agreement will include:
i) A statement that the nurse is entering the pre-paid leave program in accordance with Article 11.11 of the Collective Agreement.
ii) The period of salary deferral and the period for which the leave is requested.
iii) The manner in which the deferred salary is to be held. The letter of application from the nurse to the Hospital to enter the pre- paid leave program will be appended to and form part of the written agreement.
Unpaid Leave Accrued compensatory time off may be used at the employee’s discretion, with management approval, after exhaustion of 100% sick leave (No. 3 above). However, FLSA compensatory time off shall not be counted against the employee’s four (4) month (nine [9] pay period [720 hours]) family or medical leave entitlement. Therefore, any use of FLSA compensatory time off under this Section shall extend the employee’s family or medical leave by the total amount of FLSA compensatory time off used.
Special Leave Without Pay Section 1. Employees may participate in a Special Leave Without Pay Program as established by the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners. The Special Leave Without Pay Program period is from date of County Board Approval through December 31, 2021.
Section 2. Upon the request of either party, the EMPLOYER and the UNION shall meet and confer on the extension of this Special Leave Without Pay Program each year through 2021.
Section 3. The EMPLOYER's policy on use of Special Leave Without Pay (SLWOP) provides that employees may use SLWOP in cases where they would otherwise not take the leave. The EMPLOYER will therefore interpret its policy on SLWOP to allow SLWOP for Union Leave and Parenting Leave in cases where the employee would not otherwise take the leave.
Parental Leave Without Pay (a) Where an employee has or will have the actual care and custody of a new- born child (including the new-born child of a common-law spouse), the employee shall, upon request, be granted parental leave without pay for a single period of up to thirty-seven (37) consecutive weeks in the fifty-two (52) week period beginning on the day on which the child is born or the day on which the child comes into the employee’s care.
(b) Where an employee commences legal proceedings under the laws of a province to adopt a child or obtains an order under the laws of a province for the adoption of a child, the employee shall, upon request, be granted parental leave without pay for a single period of up to thirty-seven (37) consecutive weeks in the fifty-two (52) week period beginning on the day on which the child comes into the employee’s care.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b):
(i) where the employee’s child is hospitalized within the period defined in the above paragraphs, and the employee has not yet proceeded on parental leave without pay, or
(ii) where the employee has proceeded on parental leave without pay and then returns to work for all or part of the period during which his or her child is hospitalized, the period of parental leave without pay specified in the original leave request may be extended by a period equal to that portion of the period of the child’s hospitalization during which the employee was not on parental leave. However, the extension shall end not later than one hundred and four (104) weeks after the day on which the child comes into the employee’s care.
(d) An employee who intends to request parental leave without pay shall notify the Employer at least four (4) weeks in advance of the expected date of birth of the employee’s child (including the child of a common-law spouse), or the date the child is expected to come into the employee’s care pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b).
(e) The Employer may,
(i) defer the commencement of parental leave without pay at the request of the employee;
(ii) grant the employee parental leave without pay with less than four
Unpaid Leave - Union Business
(a) Short-term leave of absence without pay to a maximum of fourteen (14) days at one time shall be granted to employees designated by the Union to transact Union business including conventions and conferences unless this would unduly interrupt the operation of the department provided, however, that these designated employees shall be paid by the Employer for time lost in attending meetings during working hours whenever their attendance is requested by the Employer. The Union shall give reasonable notice to minimize disruption of the department and the Union shall make every effort to give a minimum of seven (7) days’ notice.
(b) Long-term leave of absence without pay shall be granted to employees designated by the Union to transact Union business for specific periods of not less than fourteen (14) days unless this would unduly interrupt the operation of the department. Such requests shall be made in writing sufficiently in advance to minimize disruption of the department. Employees granted such leave of absence shall retain all rights and privileges accumulated prior to obtaining such leave. Seniority shall continue to accumulate during such leave and shall apply to such provisions as annual vacations, increments and promotions.
(c) Leave of absence without pay shall be granted to employees designated by the Union for the purpose of collective bargaining. Seniority and all benefits shall accumulate during such leave.
(d) The foregoing provisions shall not limit the provisions of Article 5.10, 9.01, 9.02, 9.03, 11.05, 11.06, 12.01, 12.
(e) Every effort will be made by the Employer to retain employees on unpaid leave of absence for Union business on the Employer’s payroll and where such employees are retained, the Union shall reimburse the Employer for the wages and benefits involved. This provision does not apply to employees on extended leaves of absence who are employed by the Union on a regular full-time basis.
Unpaid Leaves Employees on unpaid leaves may not participate in the matching program while on leave.
Paid Leave Contributions will continue whilst a member of a fund is absent on paid annual leave, sick leave, long service leave, public holidays, jury service, bereavement leave, or other paid leave.
Unused Sick Leave The accrual of unused sick leave hours is unlimited. The City and the Union commit to the evaluation and establishment of a mutually beneficial non-use of sick leave incentive and pay-out policy. Until such time that a policy is established, accumulated sick leave shall be compensated as follows: Upon retirement from the City service, an employee shall be paid sixty percent (60%) of his accumulated sick leave, with the rate of payment based upon his regular pay at the time he retires. Upon the death of an employee, his beneficiary shall be paid sixty percent (60%) of his accumulated unused sick leave, with the payment based upon his regular pay at the date of his death.
Prepaid Leave Permanent Employees will be entitled to take a leave of absence financed through a salary deferral arrangement in accordance with the provisions of the Prepaid Leave Plan set out in Article 44 of this Agreement.
