Draft Leave Administration Policy FAQs
Q. Are you able to provide a summary of the main changes to practice or current policy that are being
proposed within the new Leave Administration policy?
A. The following is a summary of main changes to practice or current policy within the draft Leave
Administration policy. Please be advised that the summary is meant to be a guide to assist in reviewing
the draft policy and may not cover all updates/changes.
1. Updated annual leave language that states permanent employees may anticipate annual leave
accrual to the end of the current fiscal year. All employees will be able to access annual leave in
their first year of employment. While language is not changing, carry forward amounts are to be
enforced as one year of accrued leave. This change will require a phase in approach to allow
employees to draw down on higher annual leave banks.
2. Revision of sessional employee leave options to remove the option of receiving payment for
annual leave on a bi-weekly basis. Remaining options are:
 accruing annual leave during the period of sessional appointment(s), and to carry over
any unused annual leave up to specified limits, at the end of the period of employment
to the next sessional period of employment; and
 accruing annual leave during the period of sessional appointment(s), and to receive
payment for any unused annual leave, at the end of each period of sessional
employment.
3. A change in practice has been proposed which requires employees who have scheduled preapproved leaves to take the leave in the event that the university has a closure.
4. Language re: medical appointments is included to provide direction to employees and
administrators on the management of time off to attend such appointments. It is proposed that
when an employee has no control over appointment times reasonable time off with pay (up to
2.0 hours) be allowed for medical appointments. Supervisor approval is to be obtained in
advance.
5. A change to increase the amount of bereavement leave available for all employee groups in the
event of death of spouse or child to five days from three days. It is also recommended that
niece and nephew be included in the language with an allotment of one day of paid leave.
6. The application deadline for the Deferred Salary Leave Plan is removed and language is revised
to reflect a specific time period to submit application, 3 months prior to the intended leave
start. All approvals must be submitted and approved by the Unit Head prior to submission to
Human Resources.
7. Revision of Work Flex options to include:

Reduced Work Week

Job Sharing

Short-Term Lateral Position Exchange

Revised Daily Work Schedule
This removes the options of reduced lunch break and compressed work hours. In addition, it is
recommended to retitle Work Flex to Flexible Working Arrangements.
8. Revision of policy language on Leave without Pay to allow for a period of leave without pay of
up to one year for employees who have a minimum of 5 years of continuous service with the
university. Consideration may be given when the purpose of the leave is to pursue alternative
employment where there is a demonstrated mutual benefit. Applications are to receive
recommendation from the Unit Head and approved by the Campus Human Resources
Designate. Military Leave language has been included along with a greater reference to the
conflict of interest policy when considering political leave.
9. The leave category of Maternity, Adoption and Parental leave is retitled to Maternity and
Parental leave. A definition of Parental leave that includes a reference to adoption is included.
Revised language will include reference to the 17 week maternity leave and 35 week of parental
leave breakdown to provide clarity for policy users.
10. A change to the amount of accrued banks of overtime, in which banks cannot exceed 35 hours.
Any hours accumulated in excess of 35 will be paid at the applicable rate.
11. Revision of language relating to professional development leave when taking University credit
courses. Eligible employees can receive a maximum of one day leave per academic semester for
a total maximum of three days per fiscal year. Unutilized time will be removed from the
Employee’s leave bank on April 30th each year.
Q. Are there any changes to annual leave accrual amounts proposed within the Leave Administration
Policy?
A. Leave accrual amounts are not changing. However, permanent employees will have the ability to
anticipate annual leave to the end of the current fiscal year.
Example: Jane is a new permanent employee who was hired on April 1, 2017. Jane is entitled to 15
annual leave days for the fiscal year. Jane would like to take a 3 week vacation in July. While she has not
accrued all 15 days, as she is a permanent employee she can take them in advance. Jane will not be
eligible for additional annual leave days until April 1, 2018.
Q. Are there any changes to the amount of annual leave that I can carry forward each fiscal year?
A. Policy language on unused annual vacation amounts are not changing.
An employee may carry forward to another fiscal year a portion of unused annual leave from previous
years subject to the following maximums:
• 20 Days of unused annual leave if the employee is eligible for 15 or 20 Days in a year.
• 25 Days of unused annual leave if the employee is eligible for 25 Days in a year.
As employees have the ability to utilize annual leave in the fiscal year it is accrued (including their first
year of employment), the most recent fiscal year accrual will be counted in the carry forward totals.
Annual leave balances higher than the amounts specified above will be forfeited on April 1st each year.
Upon policy implementation, if an employee is currently carrying forward amounts higher than specified
above, they will be provided with a notice period of 5 years to utilize the excess annual leave amounts.
Example:
April 1, 2016: John is a new university employee who has been given a 3 year contract. John is eligible
for 15 days of annual leave per fiscal year. In October, 2016 John utilizes the annual leave he has
accumulated so far to take a vacation.
April 1, 2017: John utilized 10 of his 15 days that he accrued the previous fiscal year. He is able to carry
forward his 5 unutilized days. He then begins accruing leave for the current fiscal year.
April 1, 2018: John decided not to take any annual leave days in 2017. He has a total of 20 days that he
carries forward (5 days from 2016 and 15 days from 2017). His carry forward amounts are now at the
maximum. John will have to utilize at least 15 days of annual leave in 2018 or they will be forfeited at
the end of the fiscal.