Parental/Adoption Leave (a) A nurse who has been employed for at least thirteen (13) weeks and who is a parent of a child is entitled to parental leave without pay following the birth of the child or the coming of the child into the custody, care and control of a parent for the first time, shall be entitled to thirty-seven (37) weeks (provided the employee did not take pregnancy leave) of parental/adoption leave of absence without pay in accordance with the provisions of the Employment Standards Act of Ontario as may be amended from time to time, except as hereunder set out in this article. (b) A nurse shall advise the Employer in writing five (5) weeks in advance of the date the parental leave is to commence and end. Such leave must commence no later than thirty-five (35) weeks after the child was born or came into the custody, care and control of the parent. (c) The nurse shall re-confirm her intention to return to work or may request changes to the dates originally approved by written notification to be received by the Employer at least four (4) weeks in advance thereof. The nurse shall be reinstated to her former position unless the position has been discontinued in which case she shall be placed in a comparable position. (d) Seniority and service shall continue to accrue during parental and adoption leave however, the nurse will not be paid for named holidays occurring during such leaves of absence. Absence for parental/adoption leave shall be considered as service for the purpose of entitlement to increased vacation and sick leave credits. (e) During the nurse's parental/adoption leave, the nurse shall continue to participate in the Canadian Blood Services Pension Plan and insured benefit plans in which she is enrolled immediately prior to commencing her leave unless she gives the Employer five (5) weeks advance written notice before her leave is to commence that she does not intend to do so. The nurse shall be required to prepay her share of any premiums. (f) A nurse returning from parental/adoption leave shall be paid at the same step in the salary scale that she had attained prior to going on such leave of absence. Should an anniversary increment fall during such leave of absence, the nurse shall receive her anniversary increment upon her return to employment. (g) A nurse newly hired to replace nurses who are on approved parental/adoption leave may be released and such release shall not be the subject of a grievance or arbitration. If retained by the Employer, the nurse shall be credited with seniority from date of hire subject to successfully completing the probationary period.
Plan Year The year for the purposes of the plan shall be from September 1 of one year, to August 31, of the following year, or such other years as the parties may agree to.