Parental Leave (a) A nurse who becomes a parent of a child is eligible to take a parental leave in accordance with the provisions of the Employment Standards Act, except where amended in this provision.
(b) A nurse who has taken a pregnancy leave under Article 11.07 is eligible to be granted a parental leave of up to thirty-five (35) weeks' duration, in accordance with the Employment Standards Act. A nurse who is eligible for a parental leave who is the natural father or is an adoptive parent may extend the parental leave for a period of up to twelve (12) months’ duration, consideration being given to any requirements of adoption authorities. In cases of adoption, the nurse shall advise the hospital as far in advance as possible with respect to a prospective adoption and shall request the leave of absence, in writing, upon receipt of confirmation of the pending adoption. If, because of late receipt of confirmation of the pending adoption, the nurse finds it impossible to request the leave of absence in writing, the request may be made verbally and subsequently verified in writing.
(c) The nurse shall be reinstated to her or his former position, unless that position has been discontinued, in which case the nurse shall be given a comparable job.
(d) Nurses newly hired to replace nurses who are on approved parental leave may be released and such release shall not be the subject of a grievance or arbitration. If retained by the Hospital, in a permanent position, the nurse shall be credited with seniority from date of hire subject to successfully completing her or his probationary period. The nurse shall be credited with xxxxx worked (hours worked for nurses whose regular hours of work are other than the standard work day) towards the probationary period provided in Article 10.01 (a) to a maximum of 30 tours (225 hours for nurses whose regular hours of work are other than the standard work day). The Hospital will outline to nurses hired to fill such temporary vacancies, the circumstances giving rise to the vacancy and the special conditions relating to such employment.
(e) On confirmation by the Employment Insurance Commission of the appropriateness of the Hospital's Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) Plan, a nurse who is on parental leave as provided under this Agreement who has applied for and is in receipt of Employment Insurance parental benefits pursuant to Section 20 of the Employment Insurance Act shall be paid a supplemental employment benefit. That benefit will be equivalent to the difference between eighty-four (84%) percent of the nurse's regular weekly earnings and the sum of her or his weekly Employment Insurance benefits and any other earnings. Such payment shall commence following completion of the two week Employment Insurance waiting period, and receipt by the Hospital of the employee's Employment Insurance cheque stub as proof that she or he is in receipt of Employment Insurance parental benefits and shall continue while the nurse is in receipt of such benefits for a maximum period of ten (10) weeks. The nurse's regular weekly earnings shall be determined by multiplying her or his regular hourly rate on her or his last day worked prior to the commencement of the leave times her or his normal weekly hours. The normal weekly hours for a part-time employee shall be calculated by using the same time period used for calculation of the Employment Insurance benefit (currently 26 weeks). The employee does not have any vested right except to receive payments for the covered employment period. The plan provides that payments in respect of guaranteed annual remuneration or in respect of deferred remuneration or severance pay benefits are not reduced or increased by payments received under the plan.
Family Leave 1. An Appointing Authority shall grant to a full time or part time employee who has completed her/his probationary period, or if there is no such probationary period, has been employed for at least three consecutive months, an unpaid leave of absence for up to twenty-six (26) weeks in conjunction with the birth, adoption or placement of a child as long as the leave concludes within twelve (12) months following the birth or placement. The ability to take leave ceases when a xxxxxx placement ceases unless the need for additional leave is directly connected to previous placement.
2. New employees who have completed six full months of employment but remain within their probationary period may request the appointing authority to waive their remaining wait time for FMLA. Such request shall include submission of satisfactory medical evidence that demonstrates either a.) an existing catastrophic illness; or b.) a problematic pregnancy that prevents the employee from being able to perform the functions of her position. Any leave granted under this waiver will be charged against the employee’s FMLA leave as described in this section. The remaining rights and obligations under Section 8 shall apply.
3. At least thirty (30) days in advance, the employee shall submit to the Appointing Authority a written notice of his/her intent to take such leave and the dates and expected duration of such leave. If thirty (30) days notice is not possible, the employee shall give notice as soon as practicable. The employee shall provide upon request by the Appointing Authority proof of the birth or placement or adoption of a child.
4. If an employee has accrued sick leave, personal leave, compensatory leave, or vacation credits at the commencement of her/his family leave, the employee may use such leave credits for which he/she may be eligible under the sick leave, personal leave or vacation provisions of this Agreement. The Appointing Authority may, in his/her discretion, assign an employee to backfill for an employee who is on family leave. Such assignment may not be subject to the grievance procedure.
5. At the expiration of the family leave, the employee shall be returned to the same or equivalent position with the same status, pay and length of service credit as of the date of her/his leave. If during the period of the leave, employees in an equivalent position have been laid-off through no fault of their own, the employee will be extended the same rights or benefits, if any, extended to employees of equal length of service in the equivalent position in the department.
6. Employees taking an unpaid leave of absence under this provision will accrue sick and vacation leave benefits only for the first eight (8) weeks of such unpaid leave. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Agreement to the contrary, the family leave granted under this Article shall not affect the employee's right to receive any contractual benefits for which he/she was eligible at the time of his/her leave.
7. During the time an employee is on family leave, the employee shall be entitled to group health insurance coverage benefits on the same terms and conditions in effect at the time the leave began, provided the employee continues to pay the required employee share of premium while on leave. If the employee fails to return from leave, the Commonwealth may recover, as provided under FMLA, the cost it incurred in maintaining insurance coverage under its group health plan for the duration of the employee's leave.
8. During family leave taken in conjunction with the birth, adoption, or placement of a child, an employee shall receive his/her salary for ten (10) days of said leave at a time requested by the employee. The ten (10) days of paid family leave granted under this Section may be used on an intermittent basis over the twelve
