Leaves

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In order for an employee to add their new dependent to their benefit plan, the employee must complete the benefit change form attached to the applicable leave package. This should occur within 31 days of the date of birth or custody of an adopted child.

At least four weeks prior to the expected return date an employee should provide written notice to their manager or supervisor of their intent to return. The manager will notify HR of the expected return to work date and you will be returned back to regular status effective that date.

Once you have returned to work you should review your status through the myUCalgary portal, ensuring that your benefits and pension have been reinstated. 

The amount of advanced written notice of the expected return date will depend on the type of Leave Without Pay requested. In any event, you should provide your manager or supervisor with as much advanced written notice as possible, preferably at the outset of the Leave Without Pay. The manager or supervisor will notify HR of the expected return to work date and you will be returned back to regular status effective that date.

Once you have returned to work you should review your status through the myUCalgary portal ensuring that your benefits and pension have been reinstated.

A number of unpaid legislative leaves are available for employees with ninety days of continuous service.  You may be eligible for Leaves Without Pay pursuant to the Employment Standards Code including but not limited to:

• Compassionate Care Leave (up to 27 weeks annually)
• Personal and Family Responsibility Leave (up to 5 days annually)
• Long-Term Illness and Injury Leave (up to 16 weeks annually)
• Domestic Violence Leave (up to 10 days annually)
• Citizenship Ceremony Leave (up to ½ day annually)
• Critical Illness of a Child Leave (up to 36 weeks annually)
• Critical Illness of an Adult Leave (up to 16 weeks annually)
• Death or Disappearance of a Child Leave (up to 52 weeks annually)

Some legislative leaves listed above have corresponding EI benefits that you may be eligible to receive.  Further information and eligibility criteria for EI benefits are available on the Service Canada website.

An employee considering a legislative Leave Without Pay should consult with their assigned HR Partner.

Birth Mother

A pregnant Regular (Operating or Fixed Term), Limited Term, or Hourly employee who has been employed at the University of Calgary for at least 90 days is entitled to unpaid maternity leave for a period of eighteen weeks commencing any time during the twelve weeks immediately before the estimated date of delivery. Maternity leave must begin before the child is born.

An employee whose pregnancy ends prematurely for reasons other than a live birth within sixteen weeks of the estimated due date shall continue to be eligible for maternity leave.

An employee who takes maternity leave must take at least six weeks of leave immediately following the delivery of the child unless:

- the employee and the board agree to a lesser period, and

- the employee submits medical documentation to Staff Wellness confirming that the resumption of work will not compromise the employee’s health.

Birth or Adoptive Parent

A Top Up provision is provided for eligible employees for the purpose of income replacement for a parent staying home to care for a child in the first year of life or first year of adoption.

To be eligible for Top Up benefits an employee must:

1. be a birth parent or adoptive parent on an approved maternity or parental leave;
2. be the primary caregiver for the child; and
3. have completed six months of continuous service as a Regular (OP or FXT) or Limited Term employee.

Details are as follows:

• Top Up is paid during the eighteen weeks of an approved leave to bring an employees income up to 95% of normal salary.
• During the Employment Insurance (EI) waiting period (if applicable): eligible employee receives 95% of normal salary.
• During the remaining period of the leave (seventeen weeks): eligible employee receives Top Up benefit based on EI benefits plus a percentage of income from the university.  If the EI waiting period does not apply, all 18 weeks will be calculated with EI benefits applied to the full top up period.
• Benefit cost sharing remains the same.
• Employee may retain or cancel benefits by signing the Benefit Directive.
• Pension contributions are mandatory during the 18-week Top Up period of Maternity or Parental Leave.
• An employee is not eligible to receive more than 18 weeks of Top Up benefits for the same child.
• Where both parents are employees, their combined Top Up benefits may not exceed 18 weeks.
• Part-time employees will receive pro-rata Top Up benefits based on their normal hours worked.

Birth or Adoptive Parent

A Regular (OP or FXT), Limited Term, or Hourly employee who has been employed at the university for at least ninety continuous days, and who has or will have the actual care or custody of the newborn or newly adopted child, is entitled to unpaid Parental Leave for a period of up to sixty-two weeks within the seventy-eight weeks after the child's birth.

The employee shall provide proof of birth or adoption of the child and give their manager or supervisor reasonable notice in writing of the date on which the leave is to start. The date of the return to work shall be established before the start of the leave. 

Where both parents are employees, the combined total Parental Leave can be restricted to sixty-two weeks.

Employees who are in benefit and pension eligible positions will be offered the opportunity in the Benefit Directive form to extend their benefits (at their own cost) and continue to pay into the pension plan for their Parental Leave. If employees elect to opt out of the pension plan for their Parental Leave, they will be offered an opportunity to buy back their pensionable service upon their return to work. 

Parental Leave taken in combination with either Maternity Leave or Adoption Leave cannot exceed seventy-eight weeks in total.

MaPS who have completed 90 days of continuous service can access up to 62 consecutive weeks of Parental Leave within 78 weeks after the child’s birth. Employees interested in extending their Parental Leave should contact their manager or supervisor.

The Leave Request E-Form (see above sections for navigation)  is used to initiate a request for Leave of Absence. The e-form should be submitted to the employee’s manager or supervisor at least four weeks in advance of the last day worked, and employees must include their expected return to work date when completing this form.

The university is not involved in the administration of Employment Insurance benefits. Employees should consult with Service Canada to determine whether they are able to alter their Employment Insurance claim.

MaPS who have completed 90 days of continuous service are eligible for up to 62 consecutive weeks of Parental Leave within 78 weeks after the child’s birth. If you are currently on Parental Leave and wish to extend your Parental Leave, contact your manager or supervisor.

Top Up Benefits will continue to be administered over one 18 week period for eligible employees, based on the normal Employment Insurance Maternity or Parental benefits (i.e. 55% of average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum amount).

Employees may return to work prior to their previously stated return date by providing at least 4 weeks’ written notice of their intended return to work, although employees are encouraged to advise their manager or supervisor of this request with as much advance notice as possible. 

An employee’s elected health and dental benefits will continue unaffected during an extended Parental Leave, while an employee may elect to continue other benefits at their own cost by completing the Benefits Directive form provided by HR.

Employees who are in pension eligible positions will be offered the opportunity in the Benefit Directive form to continue to pay into the pension plan for their extended Parental Leave. If employees elect to opt out of the pension plan for their extended Parental Leave, they will be offered an opportunity to buy back their pensionable service upon their return to work. If the employee elects to continue to pay into the pension plan (or buy back their pensionable service), the employee is responsible for paying both the employee and employer contributions for the extended Parental Leave.

For further information on extending benefits or continuing pension contributions, contact the Total Rewards team at totalrewards@ucalgary.ca.