FAQ – Unpaid Leaves

Kinds of Unpaid Leave

Q – What kinds of unpaid leave are there?
A –  There are a number of unpaid leaves described in the contract.  These include Professional Leave, Maternity Leave and Family Leave.  See the contract for more information.

Q – If I take unpaid leave, will I  lose any accrued benefits ?
A –  According to the contract, you will retain “those benefits accrued prior to the period” of your leave,“including seniority, but shall not continue to accrue any benefits while on leave.”  For more information, see the contract, section 9.02.Professional Leave

Q – What is Professional Leave?
A –  Professional Leave is a leave taken for professional reasons.  Section 9.02 lists and describes a number of professional leaves.  These include a leave to pursue advanced study, participation in an exchange program or another program related to the member’s professional responsibilities.  Professional leave also includes time spent away as an officer or staff member of a recognized professional organization, or service in an elected, public office.

Q – Am I guaranteed Professional Leave if I request it? 
A –  You must be eligible in order to be granted professional leave.  The requirements for eligibility include six years of full time service, and receipt of a recent satisfactory evaluation. In addition, other conditions need to be met.  These are described in section 9.02

Q – What are the procedures needed to secure an unpaid Professional Leave.
A –  The procedures can be found on page 25 and 26 of the contract, and are excerpted here .

Professional Staff Leave

Q – May I take off a month and a half in the summer without pay, to study further my professional/academic interests in Great Britain (Canada, Asia, the Arctic, etc..)
A –  Under the Professional Staff Leave ”Professional Staff members may, upon mutual agreement between the professional staff member and the President of the College or the President’s designee, be granted professional leave without pay for a continuous period of not less than two (2) weeks nor more than eight (8) weeks during the months of June, July and August: provided, however, that unit members granted such leave not be denied eligibility for promotion, sabbatical or professional leave, tenure or performance based awards.”

Maternity Leave

Q – How much notice should I give before taking Maternity Leave.
A –  “At least f o u r t e e n ( 1 4 ) d a y s prior to the unit member’s anticipated date of departure for the purposes of 1) the birth of a child”

Q – What am I entitled to when I take a Maternity Leave?
A – “During the first ten (10) work days subsequent to the birth of a child or the placement in the home of a child through adoption or foster care,the unit member shall receive his or her regular weekly salary.

Q – Can sick time be utilized for a maternity leave?.
A –  The contract states that “a unit member will be allowed a minimum of eight (8) weeks of leave subsequent to the birth of a child or the placement of a child in a home through adoption or foster care. If a unit member does not have sufficient paid leaves accumulated by the date of departure for these purposes, the balance of the eight (8) weeks shall be in unpaid status.” If after eight weeks more time is required,  “After all employee-designated sick and vacation have been exhausted, a parental leave of up to the remainder of the twelve (12) month period following the birth or placement of a child with a unit member without salary shall be granted for the purposes outlined in 9.08.A”   See the supplemental contract information,

Q – How long may I be away on a Maternity Leave?
A –  After you have exhausted sick and vacation leave, a maternity leave of up to twelve (12) months without salary shall be granted, although there may be adjustments to this.  See the contract for more information.

Q – What is the process for my returning from Maternity Leave?
A –  This falls under “Reinstatement” in section 9.08C of the contract.  Upon your return, and subject to any staff reductions made during your time away, you will be restored to your position, or to a substantially similar position with the same salary and benefits you had prior to your maternity leave.  See the contract entry for Reinstatement for more information.

Family Leave

Q – What are the reasons for which I may take Family Leave?
A – ” The purpose for which a unit member may submit an application for such unpaid leave shall be the need to care for or to make arrangement for the care of an unemancipated minor child of the unit member, spouse of the unit member or parent of the unit member.”  

Q – How do I apply for Family Leave?
A –  You will need to submit a written application stating your reasons for your request at least one semester prior to your anticipated leave date.  Application can be found here.

Q – Are there any additional requirements of me?
A –  You will have to have been employed for at least one year..

For further information, consult the Contract .