Rexall Pharmacies ULC (Edmonton) Collective Agreement 2024-2028

Article 33: Leaves of Absence

1. General Policies Covering Leaves of Absence
   1. An application for leave of absence shall be made, in writing, to the Employer as early as possible. All such requests must be made using the Leave of Absence Form. The application shall indicate the desired dates for departure and return from the leave of absence. The Employer shall indicate approval or disapproval in writing within twenty-eight (28) days of the request for any leave of absence. The approval or disapproval will be at the sole discretion of the Employer but will not be unreasonably denied.
   2. An Employee who has been granted leave of absence of any kind and who overstays their leave without permission of the Employer shall be deemed to have terminated their employment.
   3. Except as provided in Article 33.01(d), where an Employee is granted a leave of absence of more than one (1) months duration, and that Employee is covered by any or all of the plans specified in Article 25, that Employee may, subject to the Insurer’s requirements, make prior arrangement for the prepayment of the full premiums for the applicable plans at least one (1) pay period in advance. The time limits as provided for in this Article may be waived in extenuating circumstances.
   4. For the portion of maternity leave during which an Employee has a valid health-related reason for being absent from work and who is in receipt of sick leave, EI SUB Plan benefits, STD or LTD, benefit plan premium payments shall be administered in the same fashion as an Employee absent due to illness.
   5. In the case of a leave of absence or a deemed leave of absence, an Employee shall accrue vacation credits for the first (1st) month. An Employee’s increment date shall be adjusted by the same amount of time as the leave of absence and the new increment date shall prevail thereafter.
   6. During an Employee’s leave of absence, the Employee may work as a casual Employee with the Employer without adversely affecting the Employee’s reinstatement to the position from which the Employee is on leave.
2. General Leave
   Leave of absence without pay may be granted to an Employee at the discretion of the Employer and the Employee shall not work for gain during the period of leave of absence except with the express consent of the Employer. Where approval is denied, the Employer will respond in writing and reasons shall be given.
3. Educational Leave/Exchange Programs
   1. The Parties to this Collective Agreement recognize the value of continuing education for each Employee covered by this Collective Agreement. Furthermore, the Parties recognize that continuing education is a requirement for some Employees. The responsibility for such continuing education lies not only with the individual but also with the Employer.
   2. A paid leave of absence and/or reasonable expenses may be granted to an Employee at the discretion of the Employer to enable the Employees to participate in education or exchange programs.
   3. Should the Employer direct an Employee to participate in a specific program, such Employee shall be compensated in accordance with the following:
      1. for program attendance on regularly scheduled working days, the Employee shall suffer no loss of regular earnings;
      2. for hours in attendance at such program on regularly scheduled days off, the Employee shall be paid at their basic rate of pay to a maximum of eight (8) hours per day;
      3. the Employer will pay the cost of the course including tuition fees, reasonable travel and subsistence expenses subject to prior approval.
   4. For the purpose of qualifying for an annual increment, an Employee granted educational/exchange leave shall be deemed to remain in the continuous service of the Employer for the first (1st) twenty-four (24) calendar months only of such period of leave. In the event the duration of educational/exchange leave continues for a period in excess of twenty-four (24) months, an Employee’s anniversary date for salary increment purposes shall be delayed by the amount of time that said leave exceeds twenty-four (24) months, and the newly established anniversary date shall prevail thereafter.
   5. An Employee absent on approved educational/exchange leave shall be reinstated by the Employer in the same position and classification held by their immediately prior to taking such leave or be provided with alternate work of a comparable nature.
4. Special Leave
   1. The parties recognize that an Employee may be unable to report to work due to unanticipated circumstances of pressing necessity which require the Employee’s personal attention, and may include illness in the Employee’s immediate family.  The Employer shall approve leave in such circumstances to a maximum of thirty two (32) hours without loss of pay in each calendar year; any requests for additional leave of absence in these circumstances shall be subject to the provisions of Article 33.02.
   2. An Employee may be required to submit satisfactory proof to the Employer demonstrating the need for Special Leave.
5. Bereavement Leave
   1. Bereavement Leave with pay of:
      1. five (5) consecutive working days shall be granted in the event of the death of a member of the Employee’s immediate family. Upon request, the Employee may be granted additional leave of absence without pay. Immediate family of the Employee is defined as spouse, parent, child, brother, sister, fiancé, grandparent and grandchild.  Step-parent, step-children, step-brother, and step-sister, mother-in-law, father-in-law, shall be considered as members of the Employee’s immediate family. “Spouse” shall include common-law or same-sex relationship and shall be deemed to mean a man or woman 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.
      2. three (3) consecutive working days shall be granted in the event of the death of the following members of the Employee's family (i.e. mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and legal guardian).
      3. one (1) day shall be granted in the event of the death of an Employee’s aunt, uncle, niece or nephew.
   2. Bereavement Leave shall be extended by two (2) additional days if travel in excess of three hundred and twenty (320) kilometres one way from the Employee’s residence is necessary for the purpose of attending the funeral.
   3. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 33.04(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.
   4. In the event of the death of another relative or friend, the Employer may grant time off with pay to attend the funeral service.
6. Except as otherwise set out herein, all leaves of absence shall be taken in accordance with the provisions of the Employment Standards Code, as amended. The employer shall provide an Employee with a list of such leaves upon request.
7. Union Business
   1. Representatives of the Union shall be granted time off with pay in order to participate in collective bargaining with the Employer.
   2. Provided operational efficiency shall not be disrupted, leave of absence shall be granted by the Employer to and employee elected or appointed to represent the Union at conventions, meetings, workshops, seminars, schools, Union business; or Union members hired to a paid position in the Union for a period of up to one (1) year.  Such leave shall be with pay.  If the request is denied, reasons shall be given by the Employer.
   3. Members of the Board of Directors of the Union shall be granted a leave of absence with pay to attend Union business.  Such member shall provide the Employer with such request in writing with as much advance notice as possible.
   4. The President or Vice President of the Union shall be granted leave with pay as required to attend to Union business, provided reasonable notice is given.
   5. Subject to operational requirements, time off granted in accordance with Article 33.07 shall be with pay, and the Union agrees to reimburse the Employer for the total cost of the absence plus a fifteen (15) percent administration fee.