Faculty Association - WUFA
Windsor University Faculty Association
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University of Windsor
401 Sunset Avenue
Windsor, ON Canada N9B 3P4
(519) 253-3000 ext. 0


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University of Windsor




COMPASSIONATE LEAVE

Article 24 of the Collective Agreement provides for immediate and short-term absences from the University in certain emergencies such as death or serious illness. Notification of absence must be to the AAU Head (Associate Librarian, Director, etc) who will inform the Dean/University Librarian of the absence. The length of absence with full salary and all other rights, privileges and benefits shall be determined by the Dean/University Librarian. Members are welcome to consult WUFA on compassionate leave under Article 24.

What if I need a longer period of time to deal with emergencies?
Leave can be made available at the discretion of your Head/Dean who will consider workload and other issues within the department. A faculty or librarian member can also consider taking a Leave of Absence without Salary (Article 20). This should be discussed with your Head/Dean/University Librarian.

I am a Sessional Instructor. Am I entitled to compassionate leave?
Yes.

Family Medical Leave

Entitlement to leave - Ontario Employment Standards Act
(49.2)  An employee is entitled to a leave of absence without pay of up to eight weeks to provide care or support to an individual described in subsection (3) if a qualified health practitioner issues a certificate stating that the individual has a serious medical condition with a significant risk of death occurring within a period of 26 weeks or such shorter period as may be prescribed. 2004, c. 15, s. 3.

Introduced In January of 2004 by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) the Employment Insurance (EI) Compassionate Care Benefit is available to EI-eligible and non-EI eligible members. The benefit is for workers who must be absent from work to provide care or support to a child, parent, spouse or common-law partner who has a serous medical condition with a significant risk of death. The six weeks of paid benefits can be taken within a 26-week (six months) timeframe and must be taken a full week at a time.

(Dec. 1, 2006) Ontario has expanded entitlement for compassionate leave (Ontario referred to as: Family Medical Leave) under each provinces Employment Standards Act.The list of relationships now include:

Spouses, children, parents, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren, various in-laws and step-relationships, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, as well as the spouses of the employee's grandchildren, uncles, aunts, nephews, or nieces, and “a person who considers the employee to be a family member” (Ontario), whether or not any of the foregoing are living in the employee’s household.

In collective bargaining 2008, the University agreed to top up to 100% the first 4 weeks of Family Medical Leave, and top up to 80% for the 4 following weeks. The member must provide a certificate as described in section 49.2 (above) of the Ontario Employment Standards Act no later than upon return to work, failing which the member shall not be entitled to the benefits under the Collective Agreement.

A member who has taken this leave may apply in writing with reasons to the Provost to extend the time for consideration of tenure or permanence for one year.

For further information on this benefit, click here and visit the HRDC website:

The toll-free number for HRSDC is 1-866-678-2785
In Windsor, the HRSDC offices are located at 2885 Lauzon Parkway and at 467 University Avenue West. The same telephone number is listed for both locations: (519) 944-5000
(Note: The phone number is always busy so it might be faster to visit the offices.)

Last updated:January 28, 2009