31. Other Leaves
31.09 Family Responsibility Leave
a. Subject to Clause 31.09(b) and (c), an employee shall be awarded up to six (6) days paid family leave in each two year period to be utilized in that period for the following reasons:
- attend to temporary care of a sick family member;
- attend to needs related to the birth or adoption of an employee’s child;
- accompany a family member on a dental or medical appointment;
- attend meetings with school or other authorities;
- attend to needs related to elder care;
- attend to needs related to home or family emergencies;
- attend to needs related to the death of a family member;
- attend to other personal, family or home related needs not listed above.
b. In order to qualify for family leave, the employee shall:
- provide as much notice to the Employer as reasonably possible;
- where appropriate, and in particular with respect to (iii), (iv) and (v) of Clause 31.09(a), have endeavoured to a reasonable extent to schedule such events during off duty hours.
c. Employees shall not be permitted to change any other leave to family leave but shall be entitled to change family leave to compassionate care leave, sick leave or bereavement leave.
d. There are no restrictions on the use of emergency family leave except for the total family responsibility leave restriction of a maximum of six (6) days in a two (2) year period as specified in 31.09(a). The first two (2) year period shall commence April 1, 2008.
e. Employees may access the above noted leave by requesting up to one (1) day at a time and three (3) days per year non-emergency family leave and the employer shall approve subject only to work requirements. Work demands, applied reasonably, shall be a legitimate reason to deny non-emergency requests.
f. Employees who do not work for the full two-year fiscal period, and/or Part-time Employees are eligible for a pro-rated amount of family responsibility leave based on their period worked.
31.10 Family Violence Leave
An employee shall be granted leave with pay, not exceeding three (3) days in the aggregate in a calendar year, where the employee or a person to whom the employee is a parent or caregiver has been directly or indirectly subjected to, a victim of, impacted or seriously affected by family violence or witnessed family violence by:
- a person who is or has been a family member;
- a person who is or has been in an intimate relationship or who is living or has lived with the employee;
- a person who is the parent of a child with the employee; or
- a person who is or has been a caregiver to the employee.
Confidentiality
All personal information concerning domestic violence will be kept confidential in compliance with relevant Legislation.
An employee who wishes to take a leave of absence under this Clause may be required to provide the Employer with reasonable verification of the necessity of the leave.