Special Leave

Entitlements
Administration

This directive describes types of special leave for managers and opted out or excluded employees, the maximum number of days allowed for each circumstance, and management flexibility in administering special leave.

Entitlements for bargaining unit employees are contained in the Collective Agreement.

Special leave is leave granted with pay to allow employees to deal with personal situations that arise outside the workplace. The maximum leave available is 10 days in a calendar year except with the approval of the deputy head.

Entitlements

An employee’s manager or supervisor will grant special leave with pay at the employee’s regular salary as follows:

• up to ten days for illness if the employee’s spouse, benefit partner, child, parents, or spouse’s parent or benefit partner's parent is sick

• up to ten days in the event of the death of the employee’s spouse or benefit partner or the death of any of the following relatives of an employee, spouse or benefit partner:  father, mother, guardian, parent-in-law, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother, sister, or the spouse or benefit partner of any of them

• if these illnesses or deaths result in the employee traveling long distances or to remote areas; travel time is allowable within the ten days specified for illness and bereavement above

• up to two days if the employee has been named an executor or appointed administrator of an estate

• one day in each 12-month period if the employee has to move during working hours

• up to two days if the employee is the victim of a flood, fire, or other similar disaster

• time off as approved by the employee’s supervisor to write examinations for courses approved by the department

• up to one day to attend a funeral as a pall-bearer or mourner

• up to one day to attend adoption proceedings or to be present at the birth of the employee’s child

• up to one day to attend a formal hearing to become a Canadian citizen

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Administration

The total special leave an employee may be granted in any calendar year will not exceed ten work days without the approval of the deputy head.

The maximums identified for each kind of special leave are work days in a calendar year unless otherwise specified.  They will apply for each instance for which an employee requests special leave.

A deputy head may exceed the maximums identified for each instance of special leave for a manager.

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About this Directive

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