Paternity Leave 7.4.6(a) An employee will provide to the employer at least ten weeks prior to each proposed period of paternity leave, with:
Maternity Leave A pregnant employee shall qualify for maternity leave: (a) Upon written request at least four weeks in advance of the leave the employee will be granted leave of absence without pay for a period of not more than 12 months. The request must be accompanied by a doctor's note indicating the expected date of birth. (b) The period of maternity leave without pay shall be from 11 weeks before the expected date of termination of the pregnancy. (c) The Employer shall, with the agreement of the employee, defer the commencement of maternity leave for any period approved in writing by a qualified medical practitioner. (d) Where an employee who is at work becomes ill or injured following the commencement of the 11 week period in (b) above, such illness or injury shall be covered by application of the sick leave provision as follows: (1) where the illness or injury is not directly related to the condition of pregnancy, sick leave coverage may extend to the scheduled date of commencement of maternity leave or birth of the baby, whichever occurs first; (2) where the illness is caused through an abnormal condition or pregnancy, as determined in writing by a qualified medical practitioner, and the employee returned to work before the scheduled commencement date of maternity leave, the period of absence will be covered by the provisions of Clauses 26.1(a) and (b). (e) On return from maternity leave, an employee shall be placed in her former position. (f) The Employer shall maintain coverage for medical, extended health, dental, group life, short and long-term disability, and shall pay the Employer's share of these premiums. (g) Notwithstanding Clauses 20.1 and 20.2, vacation entitlements and vacation pay shall continue to accrue while an employee is on maternity leave for the first six months of maternity leave providing the employee returns to work for a period of not less than six months. Vacation earned pursuant to this clause may be carried over to the following year, notwithstanding Clause 20.9. (h) Where the original application for maternity leave is for a period of less than 12 months, it can be extended for an additional period so the combined leaves do not exceed 12 months. Such an extension must be for health reasons and will be without pay. A doctor's certificate is required. Benefit provisions under Clause 26.1(f) shall apply. (i) Maternity leave for employees in their initial probation period shall be in accordance with the (j) Six weeks prior to the expiration date of the maternity leave, the employee must notify the University in writing of the date of return to work. If no notification is given, the employee shall be deemed to have abandoned the position.
Special maternity leave (a) Where the pregnancy of an employee not then on maternity leave terminates after 28 weeks other than by the birth of a living child, then the employee may take unpaid special maternity leave of such periods as a registered medical practitioner certifies as necessary. (b) Where an employee is suffering from an illness not related to the direct consequences of the confinement, an employee may take any paid sick leave to which she is entitled in lieu of, or in addition to, special maternity leave. (c) Where an employee not then on maternity leave suffers illness related to her pregnancy, she may take any paid sick leave to which she is then entitled and such further unpaid special maternity leave as a registered medical practitioner certifies as necessary before her return to work. The aggregate of paid sick leave, special maternity leave and parental leave, including parental leave taken by a spouse, may not exceed 52 weeks.