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.
