General illness leave directive

An employee may voluntarily request participation in the Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP​) at any time during their absence for general illness.

If the employee's illness lasts longer than eighty (80) work days, the employee may be eligible to receive benefits under the Long Term Dis​ability In​come Continuance Plan Regulation (PDF, 880 KB).

An employee is not eligible to receive general illness benefits if:

• the employee is absent because of an injury that is covered by workers' compensation and the employee qualifies for benefits
• the employee was injured while working for another employer
• the employee has subsequent absences as a result of these injuries

Administration

Once an employee's absence qualifies for general illness leave, the employee may take the balance of the employee's entitlement on an hourly equivalent basis if the illness will result in ongoing periods of absences or treatments mixed with periods when the employee can return to work—for example, if the employee was being treated for cancer.

General illness leave of less than eighty (80) days is reinstated for future use at 70% upon the employee's return to work if the employee returns to work in the same year of employment. If the employee returns to work in the next year of employment, the employee's entitlements are reinstated according to the entitlement schedule.

A manager's general illness leave benefits are reinstated the day the manager returns to work.

An opted out or excluded employee's general illness leave benefits are effective after ten (10) consecutive work days without an absence for the same or related illness. Reinstatement shall only occur where the employee has not taken any general illness leave for the same or related illness during the first ten (10) consecutive days following the date of return to active work.

When a paid holiday falls during a period of general illness, it will be paid as a day of general illness. An employee will not receive additional compensation for the paid holiday.

Proof of illness

Any employee may be requested to provide a medical certificate for any period of general illness the employee takes. An opted out or excluded employee will be required to provide a medical certificate for any period of general illness lasting twenty (20) work days or more.

Where an employee must pay a fee for a proper medical certificate or other satisfactory proof of illness, the Employer shall reimburse the employee to a maximum of fifty dollars ($50.00).

While balancing an Employee’s right to privacy, a proper medical certificate or other satisfactory proof of illness should generally include:

• a certification by a licensed physician, psychiatrist or midwife that the Employee is unable to attend work for medical reasons
• the dates on which the Employee is unable to attend work due to the medical reason
• if the illness is continuing, the Employee’s prognosis and estimate as to the earliest date the Employee is expected to return to work and/or next medical assessment date

Where appropriate, medical certificates should also generally include:

• if the Employee can return to work but with some restrictions or limitations, a statement of those restrictions or limitations
• whether the illness is anticipated to be temporary, chronic or permanent
• whether the Employee is under a treatment plan

Recognition of prior service

Employees who have prior service as former employees will not have that service recognized in establishing their level of general illness entitlement, unless they are appointed during their vesting period because their position was abolished, or unless their prior service is recognized under the directive Recognition of Prior Service.

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