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.
