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Article 16 Sick Leave

16.01 Credits

An employee shall earn sick leave credits at the rate of nine decimal three seven five (9.375) hours for each calendar month for which the employee receives pay for at least seventy-five (75) hours.

16.02 An employee shall be granted sick leave with pay when the employee is unable to perform the employee's duties because of illness or injury provided that:

1. the employee satisfies the Employer of this condition in such a manner and at such a time as may be determined by the Employer,
   and
2. the employee has the necessary sick leave credits.

16.03 Unless otherwise informed by the Employer, a statement signed by the employee stating that because of illness or injury the employee was unable to perform the employee's duties shall, when delivered to the Employer, be considered as meeting the requirements of paragraph 16.02(a) above.

16.04 When an employee is granted sick leave with pay and injury-on-duty leave is subsequently approved for the same period, it shall be considered for the purpose of the record of sick leave credits that the employee was not granted sick leave with pay.

16.05 Where an employee has insufficient or no credits to cover the granting of sick leave with pay under the provision of clause 16.02 above, sick leave with pay may, at the discretion of the Employer, be granted to an employee for a period of up to one hundred eighty-seven decimal five (187.5) hours, subject to the deduction of such advanced leave from any sick leave credits subsequently earned and, in the event of termination of employment for other than death or lay-off, the recovery of the advance from any monies owed the employee.

16.06 Sick leave credits earned but unused by an employee during a previous period of employment in the Public Service shall be restored to an employee whose employment was terminated by reason of lay-off and who is reappointed in the Public Service within two (2) years from the date of lay-off.

16.07 Where, in respect of any period of compensatory leave, an employee is granted sick leave with pay on production of a medical certificate, the period of compensatory leave so displaced shall either be added to the compensatory leave period if requested by the employee and approved by the Employer or reinstated for use at a later date.

16.08 The Employer may, for good and sufficient reason, advance sick leave credits to an employee when a previous advance has not been fully reimbursed.

**

16.09 The Employer agrees that an employee shall not be terminated for cause for reason of incapacity pursuant to paragraph 12(1)(e) of the Financial Administration Act at a date earlier than the date at which the employee will have utilized the employee's accumulated sick leave credits.

Article 17 Other Leave With Or Without Pay

17.01 Validation

In respect to applications for leave made pursuant to this Article, the employee may be required to provide satisfactory validation of the circumstances necessitating such requests.

**

17.02 Bereavement Leave with Pay

For the purpose of this clause, immediate family is defined as father, mother (or alternatively stepfather, stepmother, or foster parent), brother, sister, spouse (including common-law partner resident with the employee), child (including child of common-law partner), stepchild or ward of the employee, grandchild, father-in-law, mother-in-law, the employee's grandparents and relative permanently residing in the employee's household or with whom the employee permanently resides.

1. When a member of the employee's immediate family dies, an employee shall be entitled to a single bereavement period of five (5) consecutive calendar days. Such bereavement period, as determined by the employee, must include the day of the memorial commemorating the deceased or must begin within two (2) days following the death. During such period the employee shall be paid for those days which are not regularly scheduled days of rest for the employee. In addition, the employee may be granted up to three (3) days' leave with pay for the purpose of travel related to the death.
2. An employee is entitled to one (1) day's bereavement leave with pay for the purpose related to the death of his or her son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law.
3. If, during a period of sick leave, vacation leave or compensatory leave, an employee is bereaved in circumstances under which he or she would have been eligible for bereavement leave with pay under paragraphs 17.02(a) and 17.02(b), the employee shall be granted bereavement leave with pay and his or her paid leave credits shall be restored to the extent of any concurrent bereavement leave with pay granted.
4. It is recognized by the parties that the circumstances which call for leave in respect of bereavement are based on individual circumstances. On request, the deputy head of a department may, after considering the particular circumstances involved, grant leave with pay for a period greater and/or in a manner different than that provided for in paragraphs 17.02(a) and 17.02(b).

**

17.03 Maternity Leave without Pay

1. An employee who becomes pregnant shall, upon request, be granted maternity leave without pay for a period beginning before, on or after the termination date of pregnancy and ending not later than eighteen (18) weeks after the termination date of pregnancy.
2. Notwithstanding paragraph (a):
   1. where the employee has not yet proceeded on maternity leave without pay and her newborn child is hospitalized,
      or
   2. where the employee has proceeded on maternity leave without pay and then returns to work for all or part of the period during which her newborn child is hospitalized,
      the period of maternity leave without pay defined in paragraph (a) may be extended beyond the date falling eighteen (18) weeks after the date of termination of pregnancy by a period equal to that portion of the period of the child's hospitalization during which the employee was not on maternity leave, to a maximum of eighteen (18) weeks.
3. The extension described in paragraph (b) shall end not later than fifty-two (52) weeks after the termination date of pregnancy.
4. The Employer may require an employee to submit a medical certificate certifying pregnancy.
5. An employee who has not commenced maternity leave without pay may elect to:
   1. use earned vacation and compensatory leave credits up to and beyond the date that her pregnancy terminates;
   2. use her sick leave credits up to and beyond the date that her pregnancy terminates, subject to the provisions set out in Article 16, Sick Leave. For purposes of this subparagraph, the terms "illness" or "injury" used in Article 16, Sick Leave, shall include medical disability related to pregnancy.
6. An employee shall inform the Employer in writing of her plans for taking leave with and without pay to cover her absence from work due to the pregnancy at least four (4) weeks in advance of the initial date of continuous leave of absence during which termination of pregnancy is expected to occur unless there is a valid reason why the notice cannot be given.
7. Leave granted under this clause shall be counted for the calculation of "continuous employment" for the purpose of calculating severance pay and "service" for the purpose of calculating vacation leave. Time spent on such leave shall be counted for pay increment purposes.

**

17.04 Maternity Allowance

1. An employee who has been granted maternity leave without pay shall be paid a maternity allowance in accordance with the terms of the Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) Plan described in paragraphs (c) to (i), provided that she:
   1. has completed six (6) months of continuous employment before the commencement of her maternity leave without pay,
   2. provides the Employer with proof that she has applied for and is in receipt of maternity benefits under the Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan in respect of insurable employment with the Employer,
      and
   3. has signed an agreement with the Employer stating that:
      1. she will return to work on the expiry date of her maternity leave without pay unless the return to work date is modified by the approval of another form of leave;
      2. following her return to work, as described in section (A), she will work for a period equal to the period she was in receipt of the maternity allowance;
      3. should she fail to return to work in accordance with section (A), or should she return to work but fail to work for the total period specified in section (B), for reasons other than death, lay-off, early termination due to lack of work or discontinuance of a function of a specified period of employment that would have been sufficient to meet the obligations specified in section (B), or having become disabled as defined in the Public Service Superannuation Act, she will be indebted to the Employer for an amount determined as follows:
         however, an employee whose specified period of employment expired and who is rehired in any portion of the Core Public Administration as specified in the Public Service Labour Relations Act within a period of ninety (90) days or less is not indebted for the amount if her new period of employment is sufficient to meet the obligations specified in section (B).
2. For the purpose of sections (a)(iii)(B), and (C), periods of leave with pay shall count as time worked. Periods of leave without pay during the employee's return to work will not be counted as time worked but shall interrupt the period referred to in section (a)(iii)(B), without activating the recovery provisions described in section (a)(iii)(C).
3. Maternity allowance payments made in accordance with the SUB Plan will consist of the following:
   1. where an employee is subject to a waiting period of two (2) weeks before receiving Employment Insurance maternity benefits, ninety-three per cent (93%) of her weekly rate of pay for each week of the waiting period, less any other monies earned during this period,
   2. for each week that the employee receives a maternity benefit under the Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance plan, she is eligible to receive the difference between ninety-three per cent (93%) of her weekly rate and the maternity benefit, less any other monies earned during this period which may result in a decrease in her maternity benefit to which she would have been eligible if no extra monies had been earned during this period.
4. At the employee's request, the payment referred to in paragraph 17.04(c) will be estimated and advanced to the employee. Adjustments will be made once the employee provides proof of receipt of Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance maternity benefits.
5. The maternity allowance to which an employee is entitled is limited to that provided in paragraph (c) and an employee will not be reimbursed for any amount that she may be required to repay pursuant to the Employment Insurance Act or the Parental Insurance Act in Québec.
6. The weekly rate of pay referred to in paragraph (c) shall be:
   1. for a full-time employee, the employee's weekly rate of pay on the day immediately preceding the commencement of maternity leave without pay,
   2. for an employee who has been employed on a part-time or on a combined full-time and part-time basis during the six (6) month period preceding the commencement of maternity leave, the rate obtained by multiplying the weekly rate of pay in subparagraph (i) by the fraction obtained by dividing the employee's straight-time earnings by the straight-time earnings the employee would have earned working full-time during such period.
7. The weekly rate of pay referred to in paragraph (f) shall be the rate to which the employee is entitled for her substantive level to which she is appointed.
8. Notwithstanding paragraph (g), and subject to subparagraph (f)(ii), if on the day immediately preceding the commencement of maternity leave without pay an employee has been on an acting assignment for at least four (4) months, the weekly rate shall be the rate she was being paid on that day.
9. Where an employee becomes eligible for a pay increment or pay revision that would increase the maternity allowance, the allowance shall be adjusted accordingly.
10. Maternity allowance payments made under the SUB Plan will neither reduce nor increase an employee's deferred remuneration or severance pay.

**

17.05 Special Maternity Allowance for Totally Disabled Employees

1. An employee who:
   1. fails to satisfy the eligibility requirement specified in subparagraph 17.04(a)(ii) solely because a concurrent entitlement to benefits under the Disability Insurance (DI) Plan, the Long Term Disability (LTD) Insurance portion of the Public Service Management Insurance Plan (PSMIP) or the Government Employees Compensation Act prevents her from receiving Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance maternity benefits,
      and
   2. has satisfied all of the other eligibility criteria specified in paragraph 17.04(a), other than those specified in sections (A) and (B) of subparagraph 17.04(a)(iii), shall be paid, in respect of each week of maternity allowance not received for the reason described in subparagraph (i), the difference between ninety-three per cent (93%) of her weekly rate of pay and the gross amount of her weekly disability benefit under the DI Plan, the LTD Plan or via the Government Employees Compensation Act.
2. An employee shall be paid an allowance under this clause and under clause 17.04 for a combined period of no more than the number of weeks during which she would have been eligible for maternity benefits under the Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan had she not been disqualified from Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance maternity benefits for the reasons described in subparagraph (a)(i).

**

17.06 Parental Leave Without Pay

1. Where an employee has or will have the actual care and custody of a new-born child (including the new-born child of a common-law partner), the employee shall, upon request, be granted parental leave without pay for a single period of up to thirty-seven (37) consecutive weeks in the fifty-two (52) week period beginning on the day on which the child is born or the day on which the child comes into the employee's care.
2. Where an employee commences legal proceedings under the laws of a province to adopt a child or obtains an order under the laws of a province for the adoption of a child, the employee shall, upon request, be granted parental leave without pay for a single period of up to thirty-seven (37) consecutive weeks in the fifty-two week (52) period beginning on the day on which the child comes into the employee's care.
3. Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) above, at the request of an employee and at the discretion of the Employer, the leave referred to in the paragraphs (a) and (b) above may be taken in two periods.
4. Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b):
   1. where the employee's child is hospitalized within the period defined in the above paragraphs, and the employee has not yet proceeded on parental leave without pay,
      or
   2. where the employee has proceeded on parental leave without pay and then returns to work for all or part of the period during which his or her child is hospitalized, the period of parental leave without pay specified in the original leave request may be extended by a period equal to that portion of the period of the child's hospitalization during which the employee was not on parental leave. However, the extension shall end not later than one hundred and four (104)weeks after the day on which the child comes into the employee's care.
5. An employee who intends to request parental leave without pay shall notify the Employer at least four (4) weeks in advance of the commencement date of such leave.
6. The Employer may:
   1. defer the commencement of parental leave without pay at the request of the employee;
   2. grant the employee parental leave without pay with less than four (4) weeks' notice;
   3. require an employee to submit a birth certificate or proof of adoption of the child.
7. Leave granted under this clause shall count for the calculation of "continuous employment" for the purpose of calculating severance pay and "service" for the purpose of calculating vacation leave. Time spent on such leave shall count for pay increment purposes.

**

17.07 Parental Allowance

1. An employee who has been granted parental leave without pay, shall be paid a parental allowance in accordance with the terms of the Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) Plan described in paragraphs (c) to (i), providing he or she:
   1. has completed six (6) months of continuous employment before the commencement of parental leave without pay,
   2. provides the Employer with proof that he or she has applied for and is in receipt of parental, paternity or adoption benefits under the Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan in respect of insurable employment with the Employer,
      and
   3. has signed an agreement with the Employer stating that:
      1. the employee will return to work on the expiry date of his or her parental leave without pay, unless the return to work date is modified by the approval of another form of leave;
      2. Following his or her return to work, as described in section (A), the employee will work for a period equal to the period the employee was in receipt of the parental allowance, in addition to the period of time referred to in section 17.04(a)(iii)(B), if applicable;
      3. should he or she fail to return to work in accordance with section (A) or should he or she return to work but fail to work the total period specified in section (B), for reasons other than death, lay-off, early termination due to lack of work or discontinuance of a function of a specified period of employment that would have been sufficient to meet the obligations specified in section (B), or having become disabled as defined in the Public Service Superannuation Act, he or she will be indebted to the Employer for an amount determined as follows:
         however, an employee whose specified period of employment expired and who is rehired in any portion of the Core Public Administration as specified in the Public Service Labour Relations Act within a period of ninety (90) days or less is not indebted for the amount if his or her new period of employment is sufficient to meet the obligations specified in section (B).
2. For the purpose of sections (a)(iii)(B), and (C), periods of leave with pay shall count as time worked. Periods of leave without pay during the employee's return to work will not be counted as time worked but shall interrupt the period referred to in section (a)(iii)(B), without activating the recovery provisions described in section (a)(iii)(C).
3. Parental Allowance payments made in accordance with the SUB Plan will consist of the following:
   1. where an employee is subject to a waiting period of two (2) weeks before receiving Employment Insurance parental benefits, ninety-three per cent (93%) of his or her weekly rate of pay for each week of the waiting period, less any other monies earned during this period;
   2. for each week the employee receives parental, adoption or paternity benefit under the Employment Insurance or the Québec Parental Insurance Plan, he or she is eligible to receive the difference between ninety-three per cent (93%) of his or her weekly rate and the parental, adoption or paternity benefit, less any other monies earned during this period which may result in a decrease in his or her parental, adoption or paternity benefit to which he or she would have been eligible if no extra monies had been earned during this period.
   3. where an employee has received the full eighteen (18) weeks of maternity benefit and the full thirty-two (32) weeks of parental benefit under the Québec Parental Insurance Plan and thereafter remains on parental leave without pay, she is eligible to receive a further parental allowance for a period of two (2) weeks, ninety-three per cent (93%) of her weekly rate of pay for each week, less any other monies earned during this period.
4. At the employee's request, the payment referred to in paragraph 17.07(c) will be estimated and advanced to the employee. Adjustments will be made once the employee provides proof of receipt of EI or QPIP parental benefits.
5. The parental allowance to which an employee is entitled is limited to that provided in paragraph (c) and an employee will not be reimbursed for any amount that he or she is required to repay pursuant to the Employment Insurance Act or the Parental Insurance Act in Québec.
6. The weekly rate of pay referred to in paragraph (c) shall be:
   1. for a full-time employee, the employee's weekly rate of pay on the day immediately preceding the commencement of maternity or parental leave without pay;
   2. for an employee who has been employed on a part-time or on a combined full-time and part-time basis during the six (6) month period preceding the commencement of maternity or parental leave without pay, the rate obtained by multiplying the weekly rate of pay in subparagraph (i) by the fraction obtained by dividing the employee's straight-time earnings by the straight-time earnings the employee would have earned working full time during such period.
7. The weekly rate of pay referred to in paragraph (f) shall be the rate to which the employee is entitled for the substantive level to which she or he is appointed.
8. Notwithstanding paragraph (g), and subject to subparagraph (f)(ii), if on the day immediately preceding the commencement of parental leave without pay an employee is performing an acting assignment for at least four (4) months, the weekly rate shall be the rate the employee was being paid on that day.
9. Where an employee becomes eligible for a pay increment or pay revision that would increase the parental allowance, the allowance shall be adjusted accordingly.
10. Parental allowance payments made under the SUB Plan will neither reduce nor increase an employee's deferred remuneration or severance pay.
11. The maximum combined, shared maternity and parental allowances payable under this collective agreement shall not exceed fifty-two (52) weeks.

**

17.08 Special Parental Allowance for Totally Disabled Employees

1. An employee who:
   1. fails to satisfy the eligibility requirement specified in subparagraph 17.07(a)(ii) solely because a concurrent entitlement to benefits under the Disability Insurance (DI) Plan, the Long-term Disability (LTD) Insurance portion of the Public Service Management Insurance Plan (PSMIP) or via the Government Employees Compensation Act prevents the employee from receiving Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan benefits,
      and
   2. has satisfied all of the other eligibility criteria specified in paragraph 17.07(a), other than those specified in sections (A) and (B) of subparagraph 17.07(a)(iii), shall be paid, in respect of each week of benefits under the parental allowance not received for the reason described in subparagraph (i), the difference between ninety-three per cent (93%) of the employee's rate of pay and the gross amount of his or her weekly disability benefit under the DI Plan, the LTD Plan or via the Government Employees Compensation Act.
2. An employee shall be paid an allowance under this clause and under clause 17.07 for a combined period of no more than the number of weeks during which the employee would have been eligible for parental, paternity or adoption benefits under the Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan, had the employee not been disqualified from Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan benefits for the reasons described in subparagraph (a)(i).

**

17.09 Leave Without Pay for the Care of Immediate Family

Subject to operational requirements, an employee shall be granted leave without pay for the care of immediate family in accordance with the following conditions:

1. For the purpose of this clause, family is defined as spouse (or common-law partner resident with the employee), children (including foster children or children of spouse or common-law partner) parents (including stepparents or foster parent) or any relative permanently residing in the employee's household or with whom the employee permanently resides;
2. an employee shall notify the Employer in writing as far in advance as possible but not less then four (4) weeks in advance of the commencement date of such leave, unless such notice cannot be given, because of an urgent or unforeseeable circumstance;
3. leave granted under this clause shall be for a minimum period of three (3) weeks;
4. the total leave granted under this clause shall not exceed five (5) years during an employee's total period of employment in the Public Service;
5. leave granted under this clause for a period of more than three (3) months shall be deducted from the calculation of "continuous employment" for the purpose of calculating severance pay and from the calculation of "service" for the purpose of calculating vacation leave;
6. time spent on such leave for more than three (3) months shall not be counted for pay increment purposes;
7. time spent on such leave for a period of three (3) months or less, shall be counted for pay increment purposes.

17.10 Leave Without Pay for Personal Needs

Leave without pay will be granted for personal needs, in the following manner:

1. Subject to operational requirements, leave without pay for a period of up to three (3) months will be granted to an employee for personal needs.
2. Subject to operational requirements, leave without pay of more than three (3) months but not exceeding one (1) year will be granted to an employee for personal needs.
3. An employee is entitled to leave without pay for personal needs only once under each of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this clause during the employee's total period of employment in the Public Service. Leave without pay granted under this clause may not be used in combination with maternity or parental leave without the consent of the Employer.
4. Leave granted under paragraph (a) of this clause shall be counted for the calculation of "continuous employment" for the purpose of calculating severance pay and "service" for the purpose of calculating vacation leave. Time spent on such leave shall be counted for pay increment purposes.
5. Leave without pay granted under paragraph (b) of this clause shall be deducted from the calculation of "continuous employment" for the purpose of calculating severance pay and "service" for the purpose of calculating vacation leave for the employee involved. Time spent on such leave shall not be counted for pay increment purposes.

17.11 Leave Without Pay for Relocation of Spouse

1. At the request of an employee, leave without pay for a period of up to one (1) year shall be granted to an employee whose spouse is permanently relocated and up to five (5) years to an employee whose spouse is temporarily relocated.
2. Leave without pay granted under this clause shall be deducted from the calculation of "continuous employment" for the purpose of calculating severance pay and "service" for the purpose of calculating vacation leave for the employee involved except where the period of such leave is less than three (3) months. Time spent on such leave which is for a period of more than three (3) months shall not be counted for pay increment purposes.

17.12 Leave With Pay for Family-Related Responsibilities

1. For the purpose of this clause, family is defined as spouse (or common-law partner resident with the employee), children (including foster children, children of legal or common-law partner), parents (including stepparents or foster parents), or any relative permanently residing in the employee's household or with whom the employee permanently resides.
2. The Employer shall grant leave with pay under the following circumstances:
   1. an employee is expected to make every reasonable effort to schedule medical or dental appointments for family members to minimize or preclude his absence from work; however, when alternate arrangements are not possible an employee shall be granted leave for a medical or dental appointment when the family member is incapable of attending the appointment by himself, or for appointments with appropriate authorities in schools or adoption agencies. An employee requesting leave under this provision must notify his supervisor of the appointment as far in advance as possible;
   2. to provide for the immediate and temporary care of a sick or elderly member of the employee's family and to provide an employee with time to make alternate care arrangements where the illness is of a longer duration;
   3. leave with pay for needs directly related to the birth or to the adoption of the employee's child.
3. The total leave with pay which may be granted under subparagraphs 17.12(b)(i), (ii) and (iii) shall not exceed five (5) days in a fiscal year.

17.13 Volunteer Leave

Subject to operational requirements as determined by the Employer and with an advance notice of at least five (5) working days, the employee shall be granted, in each fiscal year, seven decimal five (7.5) hours of leave with pay to work as a volunteer for a charitable or community organisation or activity, other than for activities related to the Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign;

The leave will be scheduled at a time convenient both to the employee and the Employer. Nevertheless, the Employer shall make every reasonable effort to grant the leave at such time as the employee may request.

**

17.14 Court Leave With Pay

The Employer shall grant leave with pay to an employee for the period of time the employee is required:

1. to be available for jury selection;
2. to serve on a jury;
   or
3. by subpoena or summons to attend as a witness in any proceeding held:
   1. in or under the authority of a court of justice;
   2. before a court, judge, justice, magistrate or coroner;
   3. before the Senate or House of Commons of Canada or a committee of the Senate or House of Commons otherwise than in the performance of the duties of the employee's position;
   4. before a legislative council, legislative assembly or house of assembly, or any committee thereof that is authorized by law to compel the attendance of witnesses before it;
      or
   5. before an arbitrator or umpire or a person or body of persons authorized by law to make an inquiry and to compel the attendance of witnesses before it.

17.15 Personnel Selection Leave With Pay

Where an employee participates in a personnel selection process, including the appeal process where applicable, for a position in the Public Service, as defined in the Public Service Labour Relations Act, the employee is entitled to leave with pay for the period during which the employee's presence is required for purposes of the selection process, and for such further period as the Employer considers reasonable for the employee to travel to and from the place where the employee's presence is so required. This clause applies equally in respect of the personnel selection processes related to deployment.

17.16 Injury-on-Duty Leave With Pay

An employee shall be granted injury-on-duty leave with pay for such reasonable period as may be determined by the Employer where it is determined by a Provincial Worker's Compensation Board that the employee is unable to perform the employee's duties because of:

1. personal injury accidentally received in the performance of the employee's duties and not caused by the employee's willful misconduct,
2. sickness resulting from the nature of the employee's employment,
   or
3. exposure to hazardous conditions in the course of the employee's employment,

if the employee agrees to pay to the Receiver General of Canada any amount received for loss of wages in settlement of any claim the employee may have in respect of such injury, sickness or exposure, providing, however, that such amount does not stem from a personal disability policy for which the employer or the employee's agent paid the premium.

17.17 Examination Leave

Leave with pay to take examinations or defend dissertations may be granted by the Employer to an employee who is not on education leave. Such leave will be granted only where, in the opinion of the Employer, the course of study is directly related to the employee's duties or will improve the employee's qualifications.

17.18 Religious Observance

1. The Employer shall make every reasonable effort to accommodate an employee who requests time off to fulfill his religious obligations.
2. Employees may, in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, request annual leave, compensatory leave or leave without pay for other reasons in order to fulfill their religious obligations.
3. Notwithstanding paragraph 17.18(b), at the request of the employee and at the discretion of the Employer, time off with pay may be granted to the employee in order to fulfill his religious obligations. The number of hours with pay so granted must be made up hour for hour within a period of six (6) months, at times agreed to by the Employer. Hours worked as a result of time off granted under this clause shall not be compensated nor should they result in any additional payments by the Employer.
4. An employee who intends to request leave or time off under this Article must give notice to the Employer as far in advance as possible but no later than four (4) weeks before the requested period of absence.

**

17.19 Maternity-related Reassignment or Leave

1. An employee who is pregnant or nursing may, during the period from the beginning of pregnancy to the end of the twenty-fourth (24^th) week following the birth, request the Employer to modify her job functions or reassign her to another job if, by reason of the pregnancy or nursing, continuing any of her current functions may pose a risk to her health or that of the foetus or child.
2. An employee's request under paragraph 17.19(a) must be accompanied or followed as soon as possible by a medical certificate indicating the expected duration of the potential risk and the activities or conditions to avoid in order to eliminate the risk. Dependent upon the particular circumstances of the request, the Employer may obtain a medical opinion from Health Canada or its authorized agent.
3. An employee who has made a request under paragraph 17.19(a) is entitled to continue in her current job while the Employer examines her request, but, if the risk posed by continuing any of her job functions so requires, she is entitled to be immediately assigned alternative duties until such time as the Employer:
   1. modifies her job functions or reassigns her,
      or
   2. informs her in writing that it is not reasonably practicable to modify her job functions or reassign her.
4. Where reasonably practicable, the Employer shall modify the employee's job functions or reassign her.
5. Where the Employer concludes that a modification of job functions or a reassignment that would avoid the activities or conditions indicated in the medical certificate is not reasonably practicable, the Employer shall so inform the employee in writing and shall grant leave of absence without pay to the employee for the duration of the risk as indicated in the medical certificate. However, such leave shall end no later than twenty-four (24) weeks after the birth.
6. An employee whose job functions have been modified, who has been reassigned or who is on leave of absence shall give at least two (2) weeks notice in writing to the Employer of any change in duration of the risk or the inability as indicated in the medical certificate, unless there is a valid reason why that notice cannot be given. Such notice must be accompanied by a new medical certificate.
7. Notwithstanding paragraph (e), for an employee working in an institution where she is in direct and regular contact with offenders, if the Employer concludes that a modification of job functions or a reassignment that would avoid the activities or conditions indicated in the medical certificate is not reasonably practicable, the Employer shall so inform the employee in writing and shall grant leave of absence with pay to the employee for the duration of the risk as indicated in the medical certificate. However, such leave shall end no later than at the time the employee proceeds on Maternity Leave Without Pay or the termination date of the pregnancy, whichever comes first (1^st).

17.20 Medical Appointment for Pregnant employees

1. Up to three decimal seven five (3.75) hours of reasonable time off with pay will be granted to pregnant employees for the purpose of attending routine medical appointments.
2. Where a series of continuing appointments are necessary for the treatment of a particular condition relating to the pregnancy, absences shall be charged to sick leave.

17.21 Leave With or Without Pay for Other Reasons

1. At its discretion, the Employer may grant:
   1. leave with pay when circumstances not directly attributable to the employee prevent his reporting for duty; such leave shall not be unreasonably withheld;
   2. leave with or without pay for purposes other than those specified in this Agreement.
2. Personal Leave
   • Subject to operational requirements as determined by the Employer and with an advance notice of at least five (5) working days, the employee shall be granted, in each fiscal year, seven decimal five (7.5) hours of leave with pay for reasons of a personal nature.
   • The leave will be scheduled at a time convenient to both the employee and the Employer. Nevertheless, the Employer shall make every reasonable effort to grant the leave at such time as the employee may request.

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