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.
Unpaid Leaves Employees on unpaid leaves may not participate in the matching program while on leave.
Discretionary Leave 1. Full-time employees, including those on extended contract, will be entitled to three (3) days of discretionary leave per school year. Employees on a contract of at least 50% but less than 100% will be awarded discretionary leave on a pro-rated basis. Short-term (less than 50% or less than 90 days) contracted employees are not eligible for discretionary leave. (Revised 1995, 1999, 2004)
2. Discretionary leave may be utilized for circumstances that are significant to the employee. (Revised 1995)
3. Except for emergencies, the employee will provide five (5) days prior written notice to his/her immediate supervisor. In emergency situations, the employee will, within two (2) days upon his/her return from such leave, submit the discretionary leave form.
4. Not more than 10% of the employees in any building may be absent on the same day for discretionary leave reasons. If more than 10% submit discretionary leave forms for the same day, leave will be granted based on the order in which forms are received in the principal's office. This limitation will not apply to emergency matters.
5. Discretionary leave is cumulative to five (5) days. (Revised 1995)
6. Discretionary leave accrued in excess of five (5) days will be added to accrued sick leave. (Revised 1995, 1999)
7. No more than five (5) days of discretionary leave may be used in any school year.
8. Discretionary leave not used at the time of termination of employment will be added to accrued sick leave for compensation under the Sick Leave Reimbursement Plan. (Revised 1995)
9. In the event of an emergency, the employee having used all accrued discretionary leave, may request up to two (2) additional days of leave with stated reasons and be docked the cost of the substitute. Such request is subject to Superintendent approval.
10. Discretionary leave will be used for approved sick leave purposes once the accrued and projected sick leave has been exhausted. Employees may not access the Sick Leave Bank or Sick Leave Donation until accrued and projected sick leave days and discretionary days have been used. See Sick Leave. (Adopted 1984; Revised 1988, 1995, 1999)
UNPAID DISCRETIONARY LEAVE 1. a. An employee shall be entitled to a minimum of three (3) days of unpaid discretionary leave each year.
Unpaid Leaves of Absence 24.01 An employee who has completed one (1) year of continuous service with the Employer may be granted a leave of absence without pay or benefits because of injury, illness, education purposes, employment by the Union, or other personal reasons, including maternity leave. The decision to grant the leave or the length of the leave period will be at the discretion of the Employer with due consideration given to the reasons and evidence presented by the employee to the Employer. Such requests shall not be unreasonably denied.
24.02 All leaves of absence (and any extensions thereof) must be applied for and granted in writing on forms provided by the Employer (with a copy to the employee). Except in cases of emergency, the leave request shall be filed with the employee's Department Head not later than two (2) weeks prior to the date on which the leave is to start. Along with the request for the leave, he shall supply any and all available documentation in support of said leave. This documentation shall consist of medical proof of disability in cases where the leave is for medical purposes and the specific reason for the leave when the leave is for other purposes. An employee will be notified in writing within five (5) working days from the date the application was made of the approval or disapproval of the leave of absence request for ten (10) working days or less. For a leave request in excess of ten (10) working days, the employee will be notified within two (2) weeks from the date the application was made of the approval or disapproval of the leave. An employee who is granted such a leave shall not accrue any benefits during his absence, including seniority.
24.03 Leaves of absence will not be granted for the employee to seek employment with another employer, nor shall any employee work for another employer during the time period he is on leave. Any employee who works for another employer while on leave shall have his leave canceled immediately and be subject to disciplinary action.
24.04 When an employee returns to work after a leave of absence, he will be assigned to the position which he formerly occupied or to a similar position if his former position no longer exists at the applicable rate of pay, provided the employee is able to perform the work.
24.05 An employee may, upon request, return to work prior to the expiration of any leave of absence, provided that such early return is agreed to by the Employer.
24.06 Employees absent from work without authorization or approval shall be considered on an unauthorized leave. An unauthorized leave for a period of more than four (4) eight (8) hour consecutive working days may, at the Employers discretion, subject the employee to disciplinary action, including discharge.
Unpaid Leave of Absence If an employee is on an unpaid leave of absence, then vacation leave, compensatory time, or sick leave cannot be used for the purpose of maintaining eligibility for an Employer Contribution by keeping the employee on a State payroll for one (1) working day per pay period.
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.
Accumulated Sick Leave The Employer shall inform all employees at least once each year of the number of sick days accumulated and shall make the information available to an employee on request.
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.
Deductions from Sick Leave A deduction shall be made from accumulated sick leave of all normal working days (exclusive of holidays) absent for sick leave.
