Prairie Emergency Medical Services Inc. Collective Agreement 2020-2025

Article 24: Sick Leave

1.  
   1. Sick leave is provided by the Employer for any illness, quarantine by a Medical Officer of Health, or because of an accident for which compensation is not payable under The Workers’ Compensation Act.
   2. The Employer recognizes that alcoholism, drug addiction and mental illness are illnesses which can respond to therapy and treatment, and that absence from work due to such therapy shall be considered sick leave.
   3. Sick leave credits can be utilized by an Employee in the event of medical, dental, or specialists’ appointments or illness of their spouse and dependents, which may require written proof of the appointment, satisfactory to the Employer. The Employer agrees to pay for any costs associated with provision of proof of appointments.
2. An Employee shall be allowed a credit for sick leave computed from the date of employment at the rate of one point three three (1.33) days per month to a maximum of sixteen (16) working days as defined in Article 12.01, 12.02,12.03, or 12.04.
3. An Employee granted sick leave shall be paid for the period of such leave at their Basic Rate of Pay, and the number of days thus paid shall be deducted from their accumulated sick leave credits up to the total amount of the Employee’s accumulated credits at the time sick leave commenced.
4. Employees may be required to submit satisfactory proof to the Employer of any illness, non-occupational accident, or quarantine after two (2) consecutive days. The Employer may require satisfactory medical proof to return to work following illness, non-occupational requirement or quarantine. cost of such proof shall be reimbursed by the Employer with receipts.
5. When an Employee has accrued the maximum sick leave credit of sixteen (16) working days, they shall no longer accrue sick leave credits until such time as their total accumulation is reduced below the maximum. At that time, they shall recommence accumulating sick leave credits as per Article 24.02.
6. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Collective Agreement, sick leave pay shall not be granted during any leave of absence.
7. Sick leave credits shall accrue for the first (1st) month during periods of illness, injury, layoff, and/or leaves of absence in excess of one (1) month.
8. 1. No sick leave shall be granted for any illness which is incurred once an Employee commences their vacation; in this event, the Employee will be receiving vacation pay. For the purposes of this Article, vacation is deemed to have commenced on the completion of the last regularly scheduled shift worked prior to the vacation period inclusive of scheduled days off.
   2. Sick leave shall be granted:
      1. if an Employee becomes ill during their vacation period as stated in Article 24.08(a) above, only after the expiry of the Employee’s vacation and provided the illness continues beyond the vacation;
      2. for the period of sick time falling within a scheduled vacation period provided that the Employee becomes ill prior to the commencement of the scheduled vacation. If the Employee so wishes, the number of sick days paid within the scheduled vacation period shall be considered as vacation days not taken and may be rescheduled to a later date.
   3. Notwithstanding the provision of Article 24.08(a), should an Employee demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Employer that they were admitted to hospital as an “in patient” or be on a defined course of medical treatment, excluding medical tourism during the course of their vacation, they shall be considered to be on sick leave for the period of hospitalization and subsequent period of recovery provided they notify their Employer upon return from vacation and provides satisfactory proof of their hospitalization. Vacation time not taken as a result of such stay in the hospital shall be rescheduled to a mutually agreeable time.
9. An Employee may request in writing the status of their sick leave entitlement.
10. Sick Leave - Part-Time and Temporary Employees
    
    Amend Article 24.02 to read:
    
    Part-time and Temporary Employees shall be allowed a credit for sick leave computed from the date of employment at the rate of one point three three (1.33) days for each full month of employment, pro-rated to the regularly scheduled hours they work each month, up to a maximum credit of sixteen (16) working days as defined in Article 12.01, 12.02,12.03, and 12.04
11. An Employee who has been on any extended Sick Leave for a six month   period or longer, shall be provided with a minimum of one (1) tour for re-orientation and re-familiarization.