Northern leave directive

Overview

This directive describes employee entitlements and administrative requirements for Northern Leave.

Northern Leave is five days of paid leave for permanent, temporary salaried, and Wage 2850 employees who are isolated as a result of their employment and residency in locations north of the 57th parallel of north latitude in the Province of Alberta. Wage employees are not eligible for the Northern Leave, with the exception of Wage 2850 employees who became eligible for Northern Leave effective July 1, 2011.

Entitlements

Five days of Northern Leave will be provided annually on January 1st of each calendar year (pro-rated at 5/12 work days for each full calendar month of employment in the designated northern locations).

The Northern Leave will be prorated for new hires and terminating employees where they work for less than a complete year as follows:

• If an employee begins employment on or before the 15th day of a month and works the rest of the month, that month will count as a full calendar month.
• If an employee is terminated on or after the 15th day of a month and worked from the first day of that month, that month will count as a full calendar month.
• If calculating the period of leave for a year results in a fraction of a half day or less, the fraction will be rounded to the next half day. If a fraction of more than a half day results, the fraction will be rounded to the next full day.

Administration

An Employee must obtain prior authorization from their supervisor to take Northern Leave, which may be used in conjunction with their annual vacation leave.

Northern Leave must be taken within the calendar year it is earned. Northern Leave will not be paid out at the end of the year nor will the Northern Leave be carried forward to the following year.

An Employee who has taken the Northern Leave and who subsequently resigns will pay back at the same salary rate the portion of the leave taken but not yet earned for the calendar year.

Earning Northern Leave during paid or unpaid leaves

An Employee continues to earn Northern Leave while on the following paid or unpaid leaves:

• military leave
• financially assisted staff development leave
• for the first 44 consecutive work days of sick leave, supplemental unemployment benefits, or workers' compensation leave
• for the first 22 consecutive work days of all other leaves of absence

About this directive