East Central Ambulance Association Collective Agreement 2025 - 2028

Article 19: Leaves of Absence

1. General Leave
   Leave of absence without pay may be granted to an Employee at the discretion of ECAA, and the Employee shall not work for gain during the period of leave of absence except with the express consent of ECAA. Where approval is denied, ECAA will respond in writing and reasons shall be given.
2. Bereavement Leave
   1. Bereavement leave with pay up to four (4) of the Employee’s consecutive scheduled working days shall be granted in the event of the death of a member of the Employee’s immediate family - i.e. child, parent, brother, sister, spouse (including common-law spouse), fiancée, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, step-parent, step-children, step-brother, step-sister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, grandparent-in-law, legal guardian, grandparent, or grandchild “Spouse” shall include common-law or same-sex relationship and shall be deemed to mean a person who resided with the Employee and who was held out publicly as their spouse for a period of at least one (1) year before the death.  In the event of the death of a relative who is not immediate family, ECAA may grant time off with pay to attend the funeral services.

   2. Bereavement leave shall be extended by two (2) additional consecutive working days if travel in excess of three hundred and twenty (320) kilometers one way from the Employee’s residence is necessary for the purpose of attending the funeral.

   3. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 19.02(a) and (b), where special circumstances exist, an Employee may request that Bereavement Leave be divided into two (2) periods. Such request is subject to the approval of the Employer. In no circumstances, however, shall an Employee be eligible for more days off with pay than they would have been eligible to receive had the Bereavement Leave been taken in one (1) undivided period.

3. Maternity Leave 

   1. An Employee who has completed ninety (90) days of employment shall, upon their written request, be granted Maternity Leave to become effective thirteen (13) weeks immediately preceding the expected date of delivery or such shorter period as may be requested by the Employee, provided that they commence Maternity Leave no later than the date of delivery. Maternity Leave shall be without pay and benefits except for the portion of Maternity Leave during which the Employee has a valid health-related reason for being absent from work and is also in receipt of sick leave, Supplemental Unemployment Benefits Plan benefits or LTD. 

   2. A pregnant Employee whose continued employment in their position may be hazardous to themselves or to their unborn child, in the written opinion of their physician or a registered midwife, may request a transfer to a more suitable position if one is available. Where no suitable position is available, the Employee may request Maternity Leave as provided by Article 19.03(a) if the Employee is eligible for such leave. In the event that such Maternity Leave must commence in the early stages of pregnancy which results in the need for an absence from work longer than eighteen (18) months, the Employee may request further leave without pay as provided by Article 19.01.

   3. A pregnant Employee whose pregnancy ends other than as a result of a live birth within sixteen (16) weeks of the estimated due date is entitled to maternity leave. Such maternity leave will end sixteen (16) weeks after the commencement of the leave. 

4. Parental Leave

   1. A parent-to-be who has completed ninety (90) days of employment shall, upon their written request, be granted a leave of absence without pay and benefits for a period up to sixty-two (62) weeks for parenting duties following the birth of a child. 

   2. An Employee who has ninety (90) days of employment shall be granted leave of absence without pay and benefits for a period of up to sixty-two (62) weeks for the purpose of adopting a child provided that:

      1. they make a written request for such leave at the time the application for adoption is approved and keeps the Employer advised of the status of such application; and

      2. they provides the Employer with at least one (1) day’s notice that such leave is to commence.

   3. Parental Leave shall end seventy-eight (78) weeks from the birth of the child or date of adoption, unless mutually agreed otherwise between the Employer and the Employee.

   4. An Employee absent on Parental Leave shall endeavor to provide the Employer with twelve (12) weeks written advance notice of their readiness to return to work but in any event shall provide four (4) weeks written notice, following which the Employer will reinstate them in the same position they held immediately prior to taking such leave and at the same step in the salary scale or provide them with alternate work of a comparable nature at not less than the same step in the salary scale and entitlements accrued to them up to the date they commenced the leave.

   5. Parental Leave of at least one (1) working day with pay shall be granted upon the written request of a parent-to-be to enable such Employee to attend to matters directly related to the birth or adoption of a child.

5. In circumstances where an Employee has been on a leave pursuant to this article for two (2) weeks or more, the Employee must provide advance written notice of an intention to return to the workplace at least one (1) shift rotation prior to their anticipated return date.

6. Where an Employee is on a leave pursuant to this article for six (6) months’ or more, ECAA will make every reasonable effort to facilitate the Employee’s return to the station at which they were previously posted ECAA will have the right, where operational necessary to do so to arrange the return of the Employee to another station upon the Employee’s return.

7. Leave for Public Office

   1. The Employer recognizes the right of an Employee to participate in public affairs. Therefore, upon written request, the Employer shall allow a leave of absence without pay to permit them to fulfill the duties of that office.

   2. Regular Employees who are elected to public office shall be allowed a leave of absence without pay for a period of time not to exceed four (4) years.

8. Caregiver Leave

   1. Compassionate Care Leave

      1. An Employee who has completed at least ninety (90) days of employment, shall be entitled to leave of absence without pay but with benefits at the normal cost sharing, for a period of twenty-seven (27) weeks to care for a qualified relative with a serious medical condition with a significant risk of death within twenty-six (26) weeks from the commencement of the leave. 

      2. Qualified relative for compassionate care leave means a person in a relationship to the Employee as designated in the Alberta Employment Standards Code regulations.

      3. At the request of the Employee, compassionate care leave may be taken in one (1) week increments.

      4. Where possible, an Employee shall apply for compassionate leave at least two (2) weeks in advance of the commencement of the leave and shall advise the Employer if they want to take the leave in weekly increments.

   2. Critical Illness Leave

      1. An Employee who has completed at least ninety (90) days of employment, and is a family member of a critically ill or injured child or a critically ill qualified adult relative,  shall be entitled to leave of absence without pay or benefits,
         
         •    for a period of thirty-six (36) weeks to care for their critically ill child; or,
         •    for a period of up to sixteen (16) weeks to care for a critically ill qualified adult relative.

      2. “Critically ill child” means a child, step-child, foster child or child who is under legal guardianship, and who is under eighteen (18) years of age for whom the Employee would be eligible for the parents of critically ill child leave under the Employment Standards Code (Alberta) and regulations.

      3. “Critically ill qualified adult relative” means a person in a relationship to the Employee for whom the Employee would be eligible for critical illness leave under the Employment Standards Code (Alberta) and regulations.

      4. At the request of the Employee, critical illness leave may be taken in one (1) week increments.

      5. Where possible, an Employee shall apply for critical illness leave at least two (2) weeks in advance of the commencement of the leave and shall advise the Employer if they want to take the leave in weekly increments.

   3. Employees may be required to submit to the Employer satisfactory proof demonstrating the need for compassionate care leave or critical illness leave.

9. Military Leave
   Upon application by an Employee, the Employee shall grant a leave of absence for military leave. Such leave of absence shall be in accordance with the Government of Canada regulation and any regulations passed by the Employer relative to LAPP and group insurance contributions.

10. Personal Leave

    1. Employees shall be permitted to use up to a maximum of three (3) days per calendar year for Personal leave per calendar year. Under extenuating circumstances, Employees can use the totality of their current sick day bank.

    2. Employees shall request such days as far in advance as possible. These days are for the purpose of attending to personal matters and family responsibilities, including, but not limited to attending appointments with family members.

    3. In these circumstances, the Employer shall approve Personal Leave requests to the extent that operational requirements permit. Such requests shall not be unreasonably denied. Where approval is denied, the Employer will respond in writing and reasons shall be given.

11. Death or Disappearance of a Child Leave
    An Employee who meets the criteria for death or disappearance of child leave specified in the Employment Standards Code shall be entitled to a leave of absence without pay for a period up to:

    1. Fifty-two (52) weeks in the event of the disappearance of a child; or 

    2. One hundred and four (104) weeks in the event of the death of a child.

12. Domestic Violence Leave

    1. An Employee who has been subjected to domestic violence may require time off from work to address the situation and shall be entitled to leave of absence with pay for up to five (5) days per calendar year. This leave may be taken as consecutive or single days or as a fraction of a day.

    2. An Employee may access applicable leaves of absence or banks such as sick leave, personal leave, court appearance leave, or general leave without pay for an additional ten (10) days per calendar year.

    3. Personal information concerning domestic violence shall be kept confidential by the Employer.

    4. When an Employee reports that they are experiencing domestic violence, the Employer shall complete a hazard assessment and, where appropriate, may facilitate alternate work arrangements.

13. Citizenship Ceremony Leave
    An Employee who has completed ninety (90) days of employment is entitled to one half (1/2) day of leave without pay to attend a citizenship ceremony to receive a certificate of citizenship, as provided for under the Citizenship Act (Canada).

14. To the extent that any of the leaves in this Article 19 overlap with statutorily permitted leaves in the Employment Standards Code, it is understood that leave days provided pursuant to this Collective Agreement shall also count towards the Employer’s overlapping compliance with the Employment Standards Code. Further any leaves permitted pursuant to the Employment Standards Code that exceed the entitlement of this Collective Agreement, shall also be available to Employees, as required by the Employment Standards Code.