Request for Leaves

1. Introduction and Purpose

This policy aims to set out the circumstances in which the College may grant an employee a leave of absence for personal reasons, with or without pay.

2. Application

This policy applies to all Loyalist College employees.

3. Definitions

Extenuating personal circumstances: Extenuating Personal Circumstances is sometimes referred to as Compassionate Leave. Compassionate leave is granted to employees who experience personal circumstances that, by their nature, cannot be predicted, such as sudden critical illness or an accident involving an immediate family member.

Supervisor: Any employee who supervises staff.

Religious leave: Religion is broadly accepted by the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) to include, for example, non-deistic bodies of faith, such as the spiritual faiths/practices of aboriginal cultures, as well as bona fide newer religions (assessed on a case by case basis).

Creed leave: Creed is interpreted to mean “religious creed” or “religion”. It is defined as a professed system and confession of faith, including both beliefs and observances or worship. A belief in a God of gods, or a single supreme being or deity is not a requisite.

4. Policy Statement

Loyalist College may grant employees a leave of absence for legitimate personal reasons, with or without pay. Recognizing employees’ responsibility to the students and the job, the College will schedule approved leaves of absence to ensure minimal disruption to the educational programs and services of the College. The granting of such leave will be processed according to the procedure for each leave. As soon as it is known, employees are to notify their immediate supervisor of their intent to request a leave of absence.

5. Leave with Pay

Leaves of absence with pay may be granted for illness, bereavement, religious/creed leave, extenuating personal circumstances and jury duty/subpoenas in accordance with collective agreement provisions or the Terms and Conditions for Administrative Staff, where applicable.

Requests for absence due to illness will follow the procedure as outlined in HR 225 Short Term Disability Management Program (Absence Reporting). Employees should make their requests for leaves to their immediate supervisor with as much lead time as possible.

Leave of absence due to extenuating personal circumstances will be granted, where possible, in a manner designed to ensure minimum disruption to students or to the delivery of academic programs, services, and the operational requirements of the College.

The employee must provide their supervisor with all relevant information regarding the request for leave. The supervisor is required to give due consideration to all the relevant factors regarding the request prior to approving or denying the request. Such requests will not be unreasonably denied.

6. Leave Without Pay

The College may approve a leave without pay as defined in the collective agreements and the Administrative Terms and Conditions of Employment, where applicable, for legitimate personal reasons. The College may approve a leave without pay for a period as short as one day and typically not exceeding 12 months. Individuals on an unpaid leave of absence have the option of maintaining benefit coverage provided they pay both the employee’s and employer’s share of the premiums.

In assessing a request for an unpaid leave, the College will consider, among other relevant factors, the following:

• the urgency of the circumstances requiring an absence from work
• the employee’s length of service with the College
• the College and department operational needs

7. Leaves as defined by the Employment Standards Act

The College also provides leaves in accordance with its legal obligations under the Employment Standards Act. These leaves will be managed in accordance with the legislative guidelines instead of with this policy. Such leaves include organ donor leave, military reservist leave, personal emergency leave, family caregiver leave, family medical leave, critically ill childcare leave, crime-related child death/disappearance leave and other leaves that may be prescribed in the legislation and amended from time to time by the province of Ontario.

8. Exclusions

This policy does not apply to professional development leave, family care leaves not covered by the Employment Standards Act, secondments, maternity leave, parental leave and leave under the Deferred Leave Plan.

This policy is not intended to add or detract from the entitlement to leave under applicable legislation, Collective Agreements or Terms and Conditions of Employment for Administrative Staff, where applicable.

9. Related Documents

• Request for Leaves Procedure
• Appendix A: Request for Leaves Form
• HR 225 Short-Term Disability Management Program (Absence Reporting)
• Terms and Conditions for Administrative Staff

10. References

• Academic Employees Collective Agreement
• Support Staff Collective Agreement
• Employment Standards Act