Disability Leave a. An employee who has suffered possible injury in the performance of assigned duties shall immediately undergo such medical examination as the appointing authority deems necessary. He or she shall not be considered absent from duty during the time required for such examination.
b. A regular employee who is unable to perform any appropriate work assignment because of disability incurred in the performance of assigned duties shall be entitled to the following disability leave benefits, in addition to those provided pursuant to the California Worker's Compensation Insurance Act.
(1) During any period of disability for which payment is not provided under Worker's Compensation Insurance, the employee shall be placed on disability leave with pay to the extent of any leave with pay which he or she has accrued. Such disability leave with pay shall be charged against the employee's accrued leave with pay.
(2) During any period of disability for which payment is provided under Worker's Compensation Insurance, the employee shall elect either:
(a) Retain any Workers' Compensation Benefits received during the pay period and receive full pay. The employee shall use their accrued sick leave, vacation CTO and HIL on an hour- for-hour basis to cover all hours the employee is absent from duty due to the work-related disability during the applicable pay period. Or,
(b) Retain any Workers' Compensation Benefits received during the pay period and receive a partial paycheck in an amount so that the partial pay and the Workers' Compensation Benefits added together are equivalent to the employee's full pay. The employee shall use their accrued sick leave, vacation, CTO, and HIL in an amount equal to one-half of the number of hours the employee was absent from work during the pay period due to the work-related disability. If, however, the amount of the Workers' Compensation Benefits is subtracted from the employee's full pay for the time off due to the disability, and the remainder is less than one-half of the amount of such full pay, then only the number of leave balance hours necessary to equal that remainder shall be charged.
(3) The choice of either (2)(a) or (2)(b) above shall be an irrevocable choice for the duration of the disability leave resulting from the work- related injury. However, if the employee returns to work for a period of at least thirty (30) calendar days, the employee may again elect to choose either option b.(2)(a) or b.(2)(b) for any subsequent disability leave taken as a result of (or relating to) the same injury.
c. All disability leave provisions of this section shall terminate when the employee uses all accrued sick leave, vacation, CTO or HIL balances, or upon the date of the employee's recovery from disability, receipt of permanent disability under Workers' Compensation Insurance, retirement, termination from County employment, or death.
Pregnancy Disability Leave
A. Leave for pregnancy or childbirth related disability is in addition to any leave granted under FMLA or WFLA.
B. Pregnancy disability leave will be granted for the period of time that an employee is sick or temporarily disabled because of pregnancy and/or childbirth. An employee must submit a written request for disability leave due to pregnancy and/or childbirth in accordance with agency policy. An employee may be required to submit medical certification or verification for the period of the disability. Such leave due to pregnancy and/or childbirth may be a combination of sick leave, vacation leave, personal holiday, compensatory time, exchange time and leave without pay. The combination and use of paid and unpaid leave will be the choice of the employee.
Maternity Disability Leave Parental Leave
Temporary Disability Leave Upon application, and approval by the school employer, a temporary disability leave of absence shall be granted to teachers of this school corporation on the following basis:
Disability Separation A. An employee with permanent status may be separated from service when the Employer determines that the employee is unable to perform the essential functions of the employee’s position due to a mental, sensory, or physical disability, which cannot be reasonably accommodated. Determinations of disability may be made by the Employer based on an employee’s written request for disability separation or after obtaining a written statement from a licensed physician or licensed mental health professional. The Employer can require an employee to obtain a medical examination, at Employer expense, from a licensed physician or licensed mental health professional of the Employer’s choice. Evidence may be requested from the licensed physician or licensed mental health professional regarding the employee’s limitations.
B. When the Employer has medical documentation of the employee’s disability and has determined that the employee cannot be reasonably accommodated in any available position for which they qualify, or the employee requests separation due to disability, the Employer may immediately separate the employee.
C. The Employer will inform the employee in writing of the option to apply to return to employment prior to their separation due to disability. The Employer will provide assistance to individuals seeking reemployment under this Article for two (2) years. If reemployed, upon successful completion of the employee’s probationary period, the time between separation and reemployment will be treated as leave without pay and will not be considered a break in service.
D. A disability separation is not a disciplinary action. Disability separation at the employee’s request is not subject to the grievance procedure in Article 30.
Long Term Disability (LTD 4.7.1 The school board shall cooperate in the administration of the LTD Plan. It is understood that administration means that the school board will co-operate with the enrolment and deduction of premiums and provide available necessary data to the insurer, upon request. The school board will remit premiums collected to the carrier on behalf of the teachers.
4.7.2 Where the plan administrator implements changes in the terms and conditions of the LTD Plan or the selection of an insurance carrier, the school board shall, for administrative purposes, be advised of changes at least thirty (30) days prior to the date the changes are to be implemented.
4.7.3 The Association is the policyholder of the Long-Term Disability Plans effective January 1, 2013, except as determined by 4.7.9 below. School boards shall promptly provide all data, related to the Long-Term Disability Plans, as requested by the Association’s carrier.
4.7.4 All teachers shall participate in the Long-Term Disability Plan as a condition of their employment subject to the terms of the respective plan.
4.7.5 The Association will work with school boards and/or OCSTA to consider including non-teaching staff in a separate plan(s) where the viability of a current LTD plan remains in question after the teachers are withdrawn from the existing plan. The Association will decide upon any request by a school board whether or not to accept other employee groups into a long term disability plan(s), subject to plan provisions as determined by the Association.
4.7.6 The school boards shall enroll all teachers, identified in paragraph 4.7.4 above, in the Long-Term Disability Plan in the manner prescribed by the Association.
4.7.7 The school boards shall complete the Plan Administrator Statement as required by the plan provisions. The plan provider shall provide teachers identified in paragraph 4.7.4 above represented by the Association with LTD Claim kits.
4.7.8 The school boards shall be responsible for the deduction and remittance of LTD premium contributions within fifteen (15) days in the manner prescribed by the Association. Boards shall be responsible for collecting premiums from teachers who are on a leave of absence from the board.
4.7.9 The Association shall consider requests by the Dufferin-Peel, Huron-Superior, and London District Catholic School Boards to be a part of the Association Long-Term Disability Plan. The school boards shall continue to pay the LTD premiums for teachers and remit said premiums in accordance with paragraph
Long-Term Disability (Employee Paid Plans)
a) All permanent Teachers shall participate in the long term disability plan (LTD Plan) as a condition of employment, subject to the terms of the LTD plan.
b) The Board shall cooperate in the administration of the LTD Plan. It is understood that administration means that the Board will co-operate with the enrolment and deduction of premiums and provide available necessary data to the insurer, upon request. The Board will remit premiums collected to the carrier on behalf of the Teachers.
c) Where the plan administrator implements changes in the terms and conditions of the LTD Plan or the selection of an insurance carrier, the Board shall, for administrative purposes, be advised of changes at least thirty (30) days prior to the date the changes are to be implemented.
SICK LEAVE AND LONG-TERM DISABILITY (Articles 12.01 to 12.11 apply to full-time nurses only)
12.01 The Hospital will assume total responsibility for providing and funding a short-term sick leave plan at least equivalent to that described in the 1980 Hospitals of Ontario Disability Income Plan brochure. Effective January 1, 2006, new hires will be covered under the 1992 Hospitals of Ontario Disability Income Plan. The Hospital will pay 75% of the billed premium towards coverage of eligible employees under the long-term disability portion of the Plan (HOODIP or an equivalent plan). The employee will pay the balance of the billed premium through payroll deduction. For the purpose of transfer to the short-term portion of the disability program, employees on the payroll as of the effective date of the transfer with three (3) months or more of service shall be deemed to have three (3) months of service. For the purpose of transfer to the long-term portion of the disability program, employees on the active payroll as of the effective date of the transfer with one (1) year or more of service shall be deemed to have one (1) year of service.
12.02 Effective the first of the month following the transfer, all existing sick leave plans in the Participating Hospitals shall be terminated and any provisions relating to such plans shall be null and void under the respective Collective Agreements except as to those provisions relating to payout of unused sick leave benefits which are specifically dealt with hereinafter.
12.03 Existing sick leave credits for each employee shall be converted to a sick leave bank to the credit of the employee. The sick leave bank shall contain the unused sick leave days to the credit of the nurse on the effective date of the transfer to the Plan set out in Article 12.01. The "sick leave bank" shall be utilized to:
(a) Supplement payment for sick leave days under the new plan which would otherwise be at less than full wages, and;
(b) Where a payout provision existed under the former sick leave plan in the Collective Agreement, payout shall be made on the termination of employment, or in the case of death, to the nurse's estate. The parties may agree to voluntarily cash out existing sick leave banks. The amount of the payout shall be a cash settlement at the nurse's then current salary rate for any unused sick credits to the maximum provided under the sick leave plan in which the nurse participated as of October 23, 1981;
(c) Where, as of the effective date of transfer, an employee does not have the required service to qualify for payout on termination, her or his existing sick leave credits as of that date shall nevertheless be converted to a sick leave bank in accordance with the foregoing and the nurse shall be entitled to the same cash out provisions as set out in paragraph (b) above providing the nurse subsequently achieves the necessary service to qualify for payout under the conditions of the sick leave plan in which she or he participated as of October 23, 1981;
(d) Where a payout provision existed under the former sick leave plan in the Collective Agreement, a nurse who, as of the date of this award, has accumulated sick leave credits and is prevented from working for the Hospital on account of an occupational illness or accident that is recognized by The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board as compensable within the meaning of the Workplace and Safety Insurance Act, the Hospital, on application from the nurse, will supplement the award made by The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board for loss of wages to the nurse by such amount that the award of The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board for loss of wages, together with the supplementation of the Hospital, will equal one hundred per cent (100%) of the nurse's net earnings to the limit of the nurse's accumulated sick leave credits. Nurses may utilize such sick leave credits while awaiting approval of a claim for WSIB benefits.
12.04 When a nurse has completed any portion of her or his regularly scheduled tour prior to going on sick leave benefits or WSIB benefits, the nurse shall be paid for the balance of the tour at her or his regular straight time hourly rate. This provision will not disentitle the nurse to a lieu day under Article 15.05 if she or he otherwise qualifies.
12.05 Any dispute which may arise concerning a nurse's entitlement to short-term or long- term benefits under HOODIP or an equivalent plan may be subject to grievance and arbitration under the provisions of this Agreement. The Union agrees that it will encourage a nurse to utilize the carrier’s medical appeals process, if any, to resolve disputes.
12.06 Nurses presently employed who are covered by a long-term disability plan in effect as of the date of this award, may elect to be covered by HOODIP or to continue their present coverage.
12.07 The Hospital further agrees to pay employees an amount equal to any loss of benefits under HOODIP for the first two days of the fourth and subsequent period of absence in any calendar year.
12.08 The Hospital will notify each nurse of the amount of unused sick leave in her or his bank annually.
12.09 For nurses whose regular hours of work are other than the standard work day, the short-term sick leave plan will provide payment for the number of hours of absence according to the scheduled tour to a total of 562.5 hours. All other provisions of the existing plan shall apply mutatis mutandis.
12.10 Absences due to pregnancy related illness shall be considered as sick leave under the sick leave plan.
12.11 A nurse who is absent from work as a result of an illness or injury sustained at work and who has been awaiting approval of a claim for WSIB benefits for a period longer than one complete tour or more may apply to the Hospital for payment equivalent to the lesser of the benefit the nurse would receive from WSIB if the nurse's claim was approved, or the benefit to which the nurse would be entitled under the short-term sick portion of the disability income plan (HOODIP or equivalent plan). Payment will be provided only if the nurse provides evidence of disability satisfactory to the Hospital and a written undertaking satisfactory to the Hospital that any payments will be refunded to the Hospital following final determination of the claim by The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. If the claim for WSIB benefits is not approved, the monies paid as an advance will be applied towards the benefits to which the nurse would be entitled under the short-term portion of the disability income plan. Any payment under this provision will continue for a maximum of fifteen (15) weeks. (Articles 12.12, 12.13 and 12.14 apply to both full-time and part-time nurses)
12.12 Nurses returning to work from an illness or injury compensable from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board will be assigned light work as necessary, if available.
12.13 A nurse who transfers from full-time to part-time may elect to retain her or his accumulated sick leave credits to be utilized during part-time or subsequent full-time employment as provided under the sick leave plan in which the nurse participates as of October 23, 1981.
12.14 If the Employer requires the employee to obtain a medical certificate, the employer shall pay the full cost of obtaining the certificate.
Extended Leave of Absence Professional employees who have attained renewable contract status may request extended leaves of absence for one (1) year without pay under any one of the circumstances listed in this section. All requests for such extended leave of absence will be applied for and granted or rejected in writing. Such application will be reviewed by the principal and superintendent. If the latter approves, he/she will recommend that the leave be granted by the Board. An employee returning from an extended leave will be assigned to the same position as that which he/she held before assuming the leave, providing that position still exists. By mutual agreement between the employer and the employees, he/she may be given a different assignment. Extended leaves of absence may be requested under, but not limited to, the following:
1. To serve in a county, state, or national public office.
2. To care for a sick member of the immediate family.
3. To serve as an exchange teacher or an overseas teacher.
4. To accept a sabbatical leave.
Disability The Company shall be entitled to terminate the Executive’s employment if the Board determines that the Executive has been unable to attend to the Executive’s duties for at least ninety (90) days because of a Disability (as defined below), and has received a written opinion from a physician acceptable to the Board that such condition prevents the Executive from resuming full performance of the Executive’s duties and is likely to continue for an indefinite period. Except as provided under the terms of the award, and subject to compliance with the covenants in Section 9 and Section 10 and the execution, timely return and non-revocation (if applicable) by the Executive of a release of claims in a form and substance reasonably requested by the Company (the “Release”) (unless such Release is waived by the Compensation Committee in its sole discretion), any then outstanding restricted stock or restricted stock unit awards shall become fully vested (for purposes of this Section 5(b), references to “fully vested” in connection with any award subject to performance-based vesting conditions refers to vesting at the target level of achievement of the performance goal or goals under the award), and the Company shall pay severance to the Executive in accordance with its normal payroll practices, equal to twelve (12) months of the Executive’s Base Salary as in effect at the time the Executive’s employment terminates, with the first payment on the first payroll date after the revocation period for the Release has expired; provided (i) if the time period for returning and revoking the Release begins in one taxable year and ends in a second taxable year, the payments shall not commence until the first payroll date in the second taxable year; and (ii) all such payments shall immediately terminate at an earlier date if the Executive returns to active employment, either with the Company or otherwise. Any amounts payable under this Section 5(b) shall be reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis by the amount of bona fide disability pay (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. section 1.409A-1(a)(5)) received or receivable by the Executive during such twelve-month period, provided such disability payments are made pursuant to a plan sponsored by the Company that covers a substantial number of employees of the Company and was established prior to the date the Executive incurred a permanent disability, and further provided that such reduction does not otherwise affect the time of payment of amounts pursuant to this Section 5(b). With respect to any restricted stock unit awards held by the Executive, settlement shall occur pursuant to the terms of the award. For purposes of the Agreement, “Disability” means the Executive is incapacitated due to physical or mental illness and such incapacity, with or without reasonable accommodation, prevents the Executive from satisfactorily performing the essential functions of the Executive’s job for the Company on a full-time basis for at least ninety (90) days in a calendar year.
