Vacation and 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. 

Leave Without Pay* is considered to be a leave between six days and six months. The Leave Without Pay process involves three steps: preparing for your unpaid leave, returning to work once your elected leave period has ended and finally, reviewing your status once you've returned to work. Approval of a Leave Without Pay is granted at the discretion of the employee's manager or supervisor.

*A leave without pay of five days or less should be administered on the employee's timesheet using the Time Reporting Code “LSU”.

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.

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.

Birth Mother

Regular and Limited Term employees who have completed 6 continuous months of service are eligible for Maternity Leave and Top Up as follows:

• 18 weeks of Maternity Leave
• During the EI waiting period (1 week): eligible employee receives 95% of normal salary
• During the remaining period of the university Maternity Leave period (17 weeks): eligible employee receives Top Up Benefit based on the Sick Leave provisions, EI benefits, plus a percentage of income from the University of Calgary.
• Benefit cost sharing remains the same
• Employee may retain or cancel benefits by signing Benefit Directive
• Pension contributions are mandatory during the 18 week Maternity Leave

An employee who has completed 90 days of continuous service and who has or will have the actual care or custody of the newborn or newly adopted child, will be granted a standard unpaid Parental Leave of up to 37 consecutive weeks or an extended unpaid Parental Leave of up to 62 consecutive weeks. In both cases, the Parental Leave must be taken within 78 weeks after the child’s birth or the child is placed with adoptive parents for the purpose of adoption. 

Provided an employee is in a benefit and pension-eligible position, their elected health and dental benefits will continue unaffected during 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 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. 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 Parental Leave. For further information on extending benefits or continuing pension contributions, contact the Total Rewards team at [email protected].

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.

Adoptive Parent

Regular and Limited Term employees who have completed 6 continuous months of service are eligible for Adoption Leave and Top Up as follows:

• 18 weeks of Adoption Leave
• During the EI waiting period (1 week): eligible employee receives 95% of normal salary
• During the remainder of the University Adoption Leave period (17 weeks): eligible employee receives Top Up payment based on Sick Leave provisions, EI benefits, plus a percentage of income from the University of Cagary.
• Benefit cost sharing remains the same
• Employee may retain or cancel benefits by signing Benefit Directive
• Pension contributions are mandatory during the 18 week Adoption Leave

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 Time Off Request form is used to initiate a request for Leave of Absence. The 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 [email protected].