Request for Leaves Procedure

1. Introduction and Purpose

The purpose of this procedure sets out the process for employee to apply for a leave of absence for personal reasons, with or without pay.

2. Application

This procedure is applicable to all Loyalist College employees.

3. Procedure

Employees requesting for a leave of absence with/without pay as defined by the collective agreements and the Terms and Conditions of Employment for Administrative Staff should contact their immediate supervisor with as much lead time as possible. These requests will be made in writing and sent via email.

• 3.1 Bereavement Leave
  • Employees should contact their supervisor as soon as possible to advise of the need for bereavement leave and provide supporting documentation if requested. Supervisors are responsible for reviewing and responding to all requests in a timely manner, confirming the number of paid days granted.
• 3.2 Jury and Court Witness Duty
  • Employees are responsible to notify their supervisor immediately upon receiving the notice of selection for jury duty or subpoena requiring an appearance as a witness. They must also provide appropriate documentation to substantiate the court appearance.
• 3.3 Religious/Creed Leave
  • Leave of absence for religious/creed leave may be granted at the discretion of the College, in accordance with existing human rights standards regarding accommodations, without loss of regular salary. Where leave of absence for religious/creed reasons is denied, reasons shall be given in writing to the employee where requested.. The approval of a leave of absence for religious observance will be based on the days identified by the Ontario Public Service’s List of Religious Holy Days.
• 3.4 Extenuating Personal Circumstances
  • Extenuating personal circumstances are situations such as an accident involving a member of the immediate family (spouse/partner, children). By their very nature, these cannot be predicted.
  • Unionized employees with leave of absence with pay under their collective agreements are to follow those terms and conditions and cannot double up on leave provisions.
  • To ensure consistency across the College, supervisors will recommend requests for leave of absence with pay for personal reasons and special leave in extenuating personal circumstances outside of the collective agreements or Terms and Conditions of Employment for Administrative Staff to with the Vice-President, People & Culture who will review it for consistency. If supported, the Vice-President, People & Culture will then forward the recommendation to the College Executive Team (CET) member for final approval. The recommendation will follow confidentiality and privacy guidelines. The Vice-President, People & Culture, will advise the employee’s supervisor of the decision made by the CET member.
• 3.5 Leave Without Pay
  • Employees will submit the completed Request for Leave form to the immediate supervisor indicating the reasons and the length of time for the leave. The supervisor will assess the request for an unpaid leave of absence and, if the leave is supported, will submit it to the director, then CET member, along with the rationale and supporting documentation. In cases where the leave without pay request is not supported, the director or CET member will notify the appropriate supervisor who will inform the employee that the request was denied. If the leave without pay is supported, the supervisor will forward the signed Request for Leave form to People & Culture as soon as possible to enable payroll changes and other arrangements with the employee.
• 3.6 People and Culture Support
  • Should an employee or a supervisor need support with this procedure, People & Culture Advisors are to be contacted for help.

4. Related Documents

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

5. References

• Academic Employees Collective Agreement
• Employment Standards Act
• Support Staff Collective Agreement
• Ontario Public Service’s List of Religious Holy Days