Modified Work/Return to Work Programs The Employer and the Union recognize the purpose of modified work/return to work programs, is to provide fair and consistent practices for accommodating nurses who have been ill, injured or permanently disabled, to enable their safe return to work. The parties undertake to provide safe and meaningful employment for all nurses based on the following objectives and principles:
Modified Work/Return to Work (a) The normal retirement age is sixty-five (65) years of age. The Employer may continue to employ an employee beyond retirement age, if the Employer determines that the employee can satisfactorily perform the requirements of her classification. (Effective December 12, 2006, the parties agree this sub- section no longer applies).
(b) The parties recognize the duty of reasonable accommodation for individuals under the Human Rights Code of Ontario and agree that this Collective Agreement will be interpreted in such a way as to permit the Employer and the Union to discharge that duty.
(c) If an employee becomes disabled, including WSIB, with the result that she is unable to perform the regular functions of her position, the Employer may determine a special classification and salary, with the hope of providing an opportunity for continued employment. Positions established under this article will not constitute new classifications and shall lapse upon the termination, resignation, or retirement of the employee in question.
(d) Prior to any disabled employee returning to work from a disability including WSIB to a modified/light/alternate work program, the Employer will notify and meet with members of the bargaining unit executive to consult on a back to work program for the worker. Any agreement resulting from these discussions which conflicts with the collective agreement shall, subject to agreement by the Union, prevail over any provision of this agreement in the event of a conflict. Nothing in this language obligates the Employer to establish a modified/light/ alternative work program, except as required by law.
Return to Work (a) The parties recognize the duty of reasonable accommodation for individuals under the Human Rights Code of Ontario and agree that this Collective Agreement will be interpreted in such a way as to permit the Employer and the Union to discharge that duty. To that end, the Home and the Union agree to cooperate in complying with the Ontario Human Rights Code.
(b) The Home and the Union agree to ongoing and timely communication by all participants. For the purposes of expediting communication the Home and the Union agree that participants will use electronic communication where available.
(c) If an employee becomes disabled, including WSIB, with the result that she is unable to perform the regular functions of her position, the Employer may determine a special classification and salary, with the hope of providing an opportunity for continued employment. Positions established under this article will not constitute new classifications and shall lapse upon the termination, resignation, or retirement of the employee in question.
(d) Prior to any disabled employee returning to work from a disability including WSIB to a modified/light/alternate work program, the Employer will notify and meet with members of the bargaining unit executive to consult on a back to work program for the worker. Any agreement resulting from these discussions which conflicts with the collective agreement shall, subject to agreement by the Union, prevail over any provision of this agreement in the event of a conflict. Nothing in this language obligates the Employer to establish a modified/ light/alternative work program, except as required by law.
Graduated Return to Work Where an Employee is not receiving benefits from another source and is working less than his/her regular working hours in the course of a graduated return-to-work as the Employee recovers from an illness or injury, the Employee may use any unused sick/short term disability allocation remaining, if any, for the portion of the day where the Employee is unable to work due to illness or injury. A partial sick/short term leave day will be deducted for an absence of a partial day in the same proportion as the duration of the absence is to an employee’s regular hours. Where an employee returns on a graduated return to work from a WSIB/LTD claim, and is working less than his/her regular hours, WSIB and LTD will be used to top up the employee’s wages, as approved and if applicable. Where an employee returns on a graduated return to work from an illness which commenced in the previous fiscal year, • and is not receiving benefits from another source; • and is working less than his/her regular hours of work; • and has sick leave days and/or short-term disability days remaining from the previous year The employee can access those remaining days to top up their wages proportional to the hours not worked. Where an employee returns on a graduated return to work from an illness which commenced in the previous fiscal year, • and is not receiving benefits from another source, • and is working less than his/her regular hours of work, • and has no sick leave days and/ or short-term disability days remaining from the previous year, the employee will receive 11 days of sick leave paid at 100% of the new reduced working hours. When the employee’s hours of work increase during the graduated return to work, the employee’s sick leave will be adjusted in accordance with the new schedule. In accordance with paragraph c), the Employee will also be allocated one hundred and twenty (120) short-term disability days payable at ninety percent (90%) of regular salary proportional to the hours scheduled to work under the graduated return to work. The new pro-rated sick/short-term leave allocation may not be used to top-up from part-time to full-time hours.
Early and Safe Return to Work The Hospital and the Union are committed to a consistent, fair approach to meeting the needs of disabled workers, to restoring them to work which is meaningful for them and valuable to the Hospital, and to meeting the parties’ responsibilities under the law. To that end, the Hospital and the Union agree to cooperate in facilitating the return to work of disabled employees. The Employer and the Union agree that ongoing and timely communication by all participants in this process is essential to the success of the process.
(a) At the regular HAC meeting or at least bi-monthly the Employer will provide an updated list of information to the bargaining unit president including the following:
i) Nurses absent from work because of disability who are in receipt of Workplace Safety and Insurance Board benefits;
ii) Nurses absent from work because of disability who are in receipt of Long Term Disability benefits including the last day worked;
iii) Nurses who have been absent from work because of disability for more than twenty-four (24) months;
iv) Nurses who are currently on a temporary modified work program;
v) Nurses who are currently permanently accommodated in the workplace;
vi) Nurses awaiting temporary modified work;
vii) Nurses awaiting permanent accommodation in the workplace.
(b) A disabled nurse returning to work from a disability including WSIB to a modified/light/alternative work program, will have a joint Return to Work Team (RTW) attend a return to work meeting. The RTW team will be comprised of the Bargaining Unit President or designate, the Occupational Health representative, the manager and Human Resources. If the Bargaining Unit President or designate attends RTW meetings on her day off, she / he will receive pay at straight time or time in lieu where possible for hours spent in RTW meetings. Such hours are invisible for the purposes of determining premium. L-2 The nurse will advise her manager and Occupational Health Services that she wishes to return to work. A disabled nurse who is ready to return to work will provide the Occupational Health Service with medical verification of her ability to return to work including information regarding any restrictions.
Entitlements Upon Return to Work
(a) An employee who returns to work after the expiration of maternity, parental, or pre-adoption leaves shall retain the seniority the employee had accumulated prior to commencing the leave and shall be credited with seniority for the period of time covered by the leave.
(b) On return from maternity, parental, or pre-adoption leaves, an employee shall be placed in the employee's former position or in a position of equal rank and basic pay.
(c) Notwithstanding Clauses 18.1(b) and 18.6, vacation entitlements and vacation pay shall continue to accrue while an employee is on leave pursuant to Clause 21.1 providing:
(1) the employee returns to work for a period of not less than six months, and
(2) the employee has not received parental allowance pursuant to 21.6; and
(3) the employee was employed prior to March 28, 2001. Notwithstanding Clause 18.6(a) vacation earned pursuant to this clause may be carried over to the following year, or be paid out, at the employee's option.
(d) Employees who are unable to complete the return to work period in (c) as a result of proceeding on maternity, parental or pre-adoption leave shall be credited with their earned vacation entitlements and vacation pay providing the employee returns to work for a period of not less than six months following the expiration of the subsequent maternity, parental or pre-adoption leave.
Return to Position Upon return from FMLA leave, the employee shall be returned to the same or equivalent position in the same class and work location, including the same shift or equivalent schedule, unless the University and the employee agree in writing to other conditions and terms under which such leave is to be granted.
Return to Former Position (a) An employee who has had at least 12 months' continuous service with an employer immediately before commencing part-time employment after the birth or placement of a child has, at the expiration of the period of such part-time employment or the first period, if there is more than one, the right to return to his or her former position.
(b) Nothing in Clause 2.4.3(a) shall prevent the employer from permitting the employee to return to his or her former position after a second or subsequent period of part-time employment.
Alternative Work Schedule An alternate forty (40) hour work schedule (other than five (5) uniform and consecutive eight (8) hour days in a seven (7) day period), or for hospital personnel an eighty (80) hour workweek in a fourteen (14) day period and other mutually agreed upon schedules that comply with applicable federal and state law. Employee work schedules normally include two (2) consecutive days off.
Alternate Work Schedule An alternate work schedule is any work schedule where an employee is regularly scheduled to work five (5) days per week, but the employee’s regularly scheduled two (2) days off are NOT Saturday and Sunday.
