[Sample Letter to Chair/Director/Manager/Designate Advising of Pregnancy/Parental/Adoption Leave]
Date [mmmm dd, yyyy]
<First and Last Name>
<Title, Unit/school>
<Faculty/Department>
Dear [Addresse First Name],
This is to advise you that I will be going on a Pregnancy/Parental Leave effective on <date 1>. My last
paid day will be <date 2>. My estimated date of return is <date 3>.
(If you have been ordered by your doctor to go on a sick leave or if you wish to take vacation days prior
to starting your leave, please include the dates – inclusive – you wish to have recorded as sick/vacation)
Sincerely,
c.c. Human Resources (with enclosed certificate from doctor stating the estimated date of delivery or in
case of adoption, a copy of the certificate of adoption stating the date of custody).
Date 1: For Employment Insurance (EI) purposes, it is recommended that you start your leave on a
Monday. EI counts their weeks from Sunday to Saturday. For example, if you give birth on a
Wednesday, the following Sunday is considered week 1. If you give birth prior to the effective date, your
leave begins on the date you give birth.
Please note that you must commence your leave no later than your expected due date.
Date 2: Your record of employment (ROE) is issued after the pay that includes your last paid day. This
includes paid sick days or paid vacation days.
Date 3: This date is usually one year or 52 weeks from your effective date of leave. This is also the date
HR uses to place you back on payroll. If you are planning to take some or all of your vacation days before
actually coming back to work, your date of return should be the start of your first paid vacation day