Parental/Adoption Leave a) A full-time or regular-part time nurse who commenced employment with the Employer at least thirteen (13) weeks before the expected date of delivery or date of custody of a child and is a parent, shall be entitled to thirty seven (37) weeks of parental or adoption leave of absence without pay, in accordance with the provisions of the Employment Standards Act of Ontario, except as amended in this Article.
b) The nurse shall advise the Employer in writing seven (7) weeks in advance, but not later than two (2) weeks in advance, of the date the parental/adoption leave is to commence and end. Such leave must commence no later than thirty-five (35) weeks after the child was born or came into the custody, care or control of the parent.
c) The nurse shall re-confirm her intention to return to work or may request changes to dates originally approved in subsection b) above by written notification to be received by the Employer at least seven (7) weeks in advance thereof. The nurse shall be reinstated to her former position unless the position has been discontinued in which case she shall be placed in a comparable position.
d) A full-time nurse’s seniority, vacation and sick leave shall continue to accrue during parental and adoption leave. However, the nurse will not be paid for named holidays occurring during such leaves of absence. A regular part-time nurse who is on an approved parental/adoption leave shall accrue seniority while on such leave, calculated on the basis of averaging her hours over the twenty (20) week period immediately preceding the week in which her leave commences.
e) During the nurse's parental or adoption leave, the nurse shall continue to participate in the pension plan and insured benefit plans (applicable to full-time nurses only) she is enrolled in immediately prior to commencing her leave, unless she gives the Employer seven (7) weeks advance written notice before her leave is to commence that she does not intend to do so. The nurse shall be required to prepay her share of any premiums and pension contributions.
f) A nurse returning from parental/adoption leave shall be paid at the same step in salary scale that she had attained prior to going on such leave of absence. Should an anniversary increment fall during such leave of absence, the nurse shall receive her anniversary increment upon her return to employment.
g) Nurses hired to replace nurses who are on approved parental/adoption leave, may be released and such release shall not be the subject of a grievance or arbitration. If retained by the Employer, the nurse shall be credited with seniority from her date of hire subject to successfully completing her probationary period.
Adoption Leave Upon request, a regular employee shall be granted thirty-seven (37) weeks adoption leave of absence without pay. The employee shall furnish proof of adoption. Where both parents are employees of the same Employer, the employees shall decide which of them will apply for adoption leave.
Pregnancy/Parental/Adoption Leave Pregnancy Leave will be in accordance with the current Employment Standards Act (Pregnancy and Parental Leave) at the time of application. (See Appendix A)
Personal Leave of Absence The Administrator may grant a request for leave of absence for personal reasons without pay provided that he receives at least one (1) month's clear notice, in writing, unless impossible, and provided that such leave may be arranged without undue inconvenience to the normal operations of the Nursing Home. Employees when applying for such leave shall indicate the proposed date of departure and return. Such leave shall not be unreasonably withheld.
Union Leave of Absence An employee on an unpaid Union leave of absence shall have her wages, benefits and seniority continued by the Employer, and the Union agrees to reimburse the Employer for the costs of such wages and benefits. Employees requesting leave under this article will provide the Employer with as much advance notice as possible of the dates of the leave. Where there are less than fifteen (15) regular employees at a workstation at the time the leave request is submitted, and subject to operational requirements, unpaid Union leave of absence will be granted to one employee for the purpose of conducting Union business. This would be an additional person on Union leave at worksites where the position of the Union President or Council member has been backfilled for the duration of their term of office. A leave of absence without pay shall be granted to an employee who is a member of the Union and who is:
A) a Union Council/Board member. Such leave shall be granted for the purpose of attending regular or special meetings of the Council/Board and shall include reasonable travel time.
B) either elected or appointed to represent the Union and/or a region at annual or special conventions of the Union.
C) a member of the Union’s bargaining committee. Such leave (including travelling time) shall be granted to attend preparatory negotiating meetings, to conduct negotiations, and to participate in mediation, industrial inquiry commissioner hearings and arbitrations.
D) selected by the Union or its members as a delegate to attend the Provincial Bargaining Conference.
E) selected by the Union or its members as a delegate to attend regional Bargaining Conference.
Maternity, Parental and Adoption Leave Employees are eligible for unpaid leave of absence from employment subject to the conditions in this article. Every employee who intends to take a leave of absence under this article shall give at least 30 days' notice in writing to the Employer unless there is a valid reason why such notice cannot be given and shall inform the Employer in writing of the length of leave intended to be taken. Each employee who wishes to change the effective date of approved leave shall give four weeks' notice of such change unless there is a valid reason why notice cannot be given.
Leave of Absence for Union Business 20.1 On reasonable notice in writing and where operational requirements permit the Employer may grant a leave of absence without pay to an Employee who is elected or selected:
(a) as a member of the Board of Directors of the Union for the attendance at Board meetings;
(b) as a delegate to attend special conventions, conferences and/or educational programs of the Union and affiliated bodies including the National Union of Public and General Employees Canadian Labour Congress and the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour;
(c) as members of standing Committees of the Union for the attendance at meetings of the standing Committees;
(d) as members of the Bargaining Union negotiating committee of the Local for attendance at Committee meetings;
(e) as members of the Executive to attend Executive Meetings of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union and the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour; or
(f) for such other Union business as may be authorized by the Union. Such leaves will not be unreasonably refused. Such leaves shall be without pay but without loss of benefits or seniority during the period of the leave. The Employer will continue the salary and benefits of an Employee, who is granted leave without pay for Union business, and will invoice the Union for the Employee's salary and benefits.
20.2 On reasonable notice in writing and where operational requirements permit, an Employee who is seconded for a position with the Union or anybody with which the Union is affiliated may be granted a leave of absence without loss of seniority and benefits during the period of the leave. Such leave shall not be unreasonably refused. The Employer will continue the salary of an Employee who is seconded without pay and will invoice the Union for the Employee's salary and the Union shall reimburse the Employer for all pay or benefits during the period of the leave.
Election Leave Employees shall be granted unpaid leave of absence to enable them to run for elected public office and if elected, to serve their term(s) of office subject to the following provisions:
(a) Employees seeking election in a Municipal, Provincial or Federal election shall be granted unpaid leave of absence for a period of up to (90) calendar days.
(b) Employees elected to public office shall be granted unpaid leave of absence for a period up to five (5) years.
Medical Leave of Absence Where you have a medical leave of absence due to any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than six months, and you have not returned to employment with the Company or an Affiliate, a Separation from Service has occurred on the earlier of: (A) the first day on which you would not be considered “disabled” under any disability policy of the Company or Affiliate under which you are then receiving a benefit; or (B) the first day on which your medical leave of absence period exceeds 29 months.
