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Board Policy #570.0

Pregnancy/Parental/Adoption/Infant/Child Care Leaves

1. Policy Statement‌‌‌

It is the policy of the Board to provide access to pregnancy/parental/adoption and infant/child care leaves.

2. Application

This policy applies to all staff.

Trustees are entitled to a leave of up to 20 consecutive weeks if the absence is the result of their pregnancy, birth or adoption of their child.

3. Responsibilities

3.1 The Board of Trustees is responsible for:

1. adhering to the requirements under the Education Act with regard to a trustee absence resulting from their pregnancy, birth or adoption of a child;

2. reviewing the Pregnancy/Parental Adoption/Infant/Child Care Leaves policy in accordance with the priorities in the Multi-Year Plan and the approved policy review cycle; and

3. understanding and communicating with members of the community about the Pregnancy/Parental/Adoption/Infant/Child Care Leaves policy, as required.

3.2 The Director of Education is responsible for:

1. implementing and operationalizing the Pregnancy/Parental/Adoption/Infant/Child Care Leaves policy.

4. Definitions

4.1 Adoption Leave

A leave of absence for the adoption of a child and can be taken by either parent.

4.2 Basic Benefits

Semi-private hospital room, major medical, basic dental and basic life insurance as stipulated in the carrier’s benefits policy.

4.3 Child Care Leave

A leave of absence that directly follows an adoption/parental leave. To be eligible, all staff members must have been employed by the Board for two years inclusive of the pregnancy/parental/adoption leave. eForms

An electronic way for staff members to submit their leave requests online. They are available on the Employee Self Serve section of the Board’s internal website.

4.4 Infant Care Leave

A leave of absence that directly follows a pregnancy/parental leave. To be eligible, all staff members must have been employed by the Board for two years inclusive of the pregnancy/parental/adoption leave. 

4.5 Optional Benefits

Triple life insurance and dental rider, as applicable.

4.6 Parental Leave

A leave of absence taken by either parent following the birth of a child.

4.7 Pregnancy Leave

A leave of absence taken by the mother for the birth of her child.

5. History‌

Approved: 1997

Working Document: March 2013, October 2017

Revised: 2002, 2008, December 2013, June 2018

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Board Procedure #570.0

Pregnancy/Parental/Adoption/ Infant/Child Care Leaves

This procedure outlines the process for taking pregnancy/parental/adoption leaves and infant/child care leaves.‌‌

1. Responsibilities

1.1 The Director of Education shall:

1. allocate staff and resources to support the Pregnancy/Parental/Adoption/Infant/Child Care Leaves procedure.

    

1.2 Associate Directors, Superintendents, Principals and Managers shall:

1. ensure that leave requests are granted and administered in accordance with applicable legislation, collective agreements, and/or Board policy and/or procedure;

2. ensure that the position is held at the work location while the staff member is on a pregnancy/parental/adoption leave in accordance with applicable legislation, collective agreements, and/or Board policy and/or procedure; and

3. ensure that a position is held with the Board for the staff member while on infant/child care leave.

1.3 Human Resource Services shall:

1. ensure that leave requests made through eForms arereviewed in accordance with the applicable legislation, collective agreements and/or Board policy and/or procedure;

2. ensure that the Board continues to provide benefits in accordance with agreements in effect until the Employees’ Participation Date in the trust; and the staff members are given the opportunity to continue paying into long-term disability plan where applicable;

3. grant experience for seniority purposes and a full salary increment, if eligible, for staff members returning from a pregnancy/parental/adoption leave;

4. process Long-Term Leave Requests and Return to Work Requests received through eForms and follow-up with the staff member, as required;

5. prepare and send a package to the staff member with information about the appropriate forms that includes;

   • a confirmation letter,

   • the benefit continuation form, if applicable,

   • the Supplemental Employee Benefit (SEB) application form,

   • information on Teachers’ Pension Plan (TPP) and Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS), where applicable,

   • Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) fees, where applicable, and

   • Ontario Teachers’ Insurance Plan (OTIP) form, where applicable;

6. process leaves;

7. process Teachers’ Pension Plan leave period; and

8. process pension purchase options upon return from leave for staff governed by the Ontario Municipal Employees’ Retirement System (OMERS), where applicable.

    

1.4 Superintendents shall:

1. for principals and vice-principals;

   • review the Long-Term Leave Request received through eForms, and

   • forward any supporting documentation received to Human Resource Services, if it is not already attached to the eForm;

2. place principals, vice-principals and teachers who have taken infant/child care leave and are not returning to their same work location in a work location for their expected return date;

3. place principals, vice-principals and teachers who return to work early from a pregnancy/parental/adoption/infant/child care leave in a position, as required; and

4. ensure that the Return to Work eForm and supporting documentation is reviewed for principals, vice- principals, teachers and submitted to Human Resource Services for processing.

1.5 Principals shall:

1. for teachers and school-based support staff, except caretaking staff;

   • review the Long-Term Leave Request received through eForms,

   • forward any supporting documentation received to Human Resource Services, if it is not already attached to the eForm,

   • track all teachers and school-based support staff, except caretaking staff, who are on leave or are going on leave at their school,

   • arrange for a replacement for the staff member except for caretaking staff while on leave, if required,

   • maintain the position held by the staff member, except caretaking staff, for the duration of the pregnancy/parental/adoption leave, and

   • review and submit the Return to Work eForm and forward supporting documentation to Human Resource Services, if not attached to the eForm.

1.6. Managers shall:

1. for caretaking and non-school-based support staff;

   • review the Long-Term Leave Request received through eForms,

   • forward any supporting documentation received to Human Resource Services, if it is not already attached to the eForm,

   • arrange for a replacement for the staff member while on leave, if required,

   • maintain the position held by the staff member for the duration of their pregnancy/parental/adoption leave,

   • place staff members who have taken an infant/child care leave and are not returning to their same work location, in a work location for their expected return date,

   • place staff members who return early from a pregnancy/parental/adoption/infant/child care leave in an alternate position as required, and

   • review and submit the Return to Work eForm and forward supporting documentation to Human Resource Services, if not attached to the eForm.

1.7 Staff members shall:

1. review supporting documents related to pregnancy/parental/adoption and infant/child care leaves;

2. ensure that Long-Term Leave Request and Return to Work  documentation is complete as per applicable legislation, collective agreements and/or Board policy and/or procedure;

3. notify their superintendent, principal or manager as soon as possible of the pregnancy/parental/ adoption;

4. provide a start date for the pregnancy/parental/adoption leave as advised and/or supported by the appropriate documents issued by the attending physician/midwife, birth certificate or legal adoption documents;

5. when applying for a pregnancy/parental/adoption leave, submit a Long-Term Leave eForm Request and supporting documentation to the appropriate superintendent, principal or manager, at least three months before the start of the leave;

6. when applying for an infant/child care leave, submit another Long-Term Leave eForm Request to the appropriate superintendent, principal or manager, no later than 30 or 60 calendar days as per the applicable collective agreement before the end of the pregnancy/parental/adoption leave;

7. contact Human Resource Services if the baby arrives earlier than the original leave start date;

8. in extenuating circumstances, where the start or return date of a leave needs to be changed, submit a new Long-Term Leave eForm Request to the appropriate superintendent, principal or manager;

9. complete and sign where applicable, the benefit continuation, pre-authorized payment and Ontario Teachers’ Insurance Plan forms, and a void cheque and return to Human Resource Services on or before the due date provided;

10. pay the full premiums for any long-term disability and optional benefits, where applicable, by setting up monthly pre-authorized payments for the duration of the leave;

11. be responsible for paying their Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) fees, where applicable;

12. access their Board email account on a regular basis to be informed about important and time- sensitive information from the Board;

13. complete the Return to Work Request eForm at least three months before the approved return to work date.

2. History

Approved: 2008

Revised: December 2013

Working Document: March 2013, October 2017, June 2018