ARTICLE 18: LEAVES IN GENERAL
A. Compassionate/Family Leave
18.01 A teacher shall be entitled to leave not exceeding three (3) days with pay in the case of the death of the teacher’s parent, or legal guardian, sibling, child, spouse, grandchild, grandparent, parent-in-law, child-in-law, or near relative who had been living in the same household. Where extensive travel is involved or where extraordinary circumstances prevail, the School Board may extend the leave up to an additional two (2) days.
18.02 A teacher shall be entitled to leave not exceeding one (1) day with pay in the case of the death of the teacher’s sibling-in-law.
18.03
- A teacher shall be granted leave with pay, not exceeding three (3) days in the aggregate in a school year to attend to the temporary care of a sick family member; needs related to the birth of the employee’s child; medical or dental appointments for dependent family members; meetings with child authorities or adoption agencies; needs related to the adoption or fostering of a child; or home or family emergencies.
- (i) A teacher shall be granted leave with pay, not exceeding three (3) days in the aggregate in a school year, where the teacher or a person to whom the teacher is a parent or caregiver has been directly or indirectly subjected to, a victim of, impacted or seriously affected by family violence or witnessed family violence by
(A) a person who is or has been a family member;
(B) a person who is or has been in an intimate relationship or who is living or has lived with the teacher;
(C) a person who is the parent of a child with the teacher; or
(D) a person who is or has been a caregiver to the teacher.
(ii) All personal information concerning domestic violence will be kept confidential in compliance with relevant Legislation.
(iii) An employee who wishes to take a leave of absence under this Clause may be required to provide the employer with reasonable verification of the necessity of the leave.
B. Professional Leave
18.04 A School Board may grant leave to a teacher who:
- has been appointed by the Minister to serve on a departmental education committee; or
- attends such meetings or conferences the Minister may approve, for such time as such teacher attends such departmental educational committee, or such meeting or conference.
18.05 For inservice time there may be six (6) days in the aggregate in the school year available for the purposes of:
- five (5) workshop days per teacher approved by the Board;
- a bank of one (1) day per teacher to the Board to be assigned at the Board’s discretion.
18.06 A teacher who is a member of the Executive of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association or the Board of Directors of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation may be granted leave with pay for such times as the teacher is engaged in business on behalf of such Executive or Board. Such leave will not be unreasonably denied or unreasonably requested.
18.07
- A teacher who is a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association Negotiating Committee shall be granted leave with pay while attending actual negotiating sessions. The Association shall notify the Directors of the teachers affected prior to the commencement of negotiations and teachers shall in all instances give prior notice of absences from work to their Directors or designate, and such notice shall be as far in advance as possible.
- In addition to leave granted under Clause 18.07(a), a teacher who is a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association Negotiating Committee shall be granted leave with pay not to exceed five (5) days in the aggregate prior to the signing of a new Collective Agreement.
C. Other Paid Leave
18.08 Where a school is closed owing to the death of a member of the staff, the teachers in that school shall be considered to be on leave of absence with pay for the period the school is closed.
18.09 A teacher may be granted leave with pay, not exceeding three (3) days in the aggregate in the school year, for reason(s) deemed valid by the Board.
18.10 A School Board shall grant leave with pay to a teacher required to serve on jury duty or duty as a witness in any court to which the teacher has been summoned, in any proceedings to which that teacher is not a party or one of the persons charged. The School Board shall be reimbursed by the teacher for any fees received for such duty.
18.11 When no other provision is made for leave with pay, a teacher may be granted leave with pay upon application to the Minister, where the Minister is satisfied that such leave is warranted.
18.12 A School Board shall grant to a teacher up to two (2) full days of leave with pay to attend pre-retirement sessions organized by the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association or by a Government Department. A teacher may avail of the two (2) days’ leave under this Article only once in their career.
18.13
- When a principal is absent from school in the performance of other duties, every effort shall be made to assure that a substitute teacher is provided for those assigned teaching duties remaining following the reassignment of the principal’s school administrative duties to the vice principal to a maximum of five (5) days in a school year. Where a school has no vice principal, the principal’s administrative duties shall be assigned to a teacher on staff and every effort shall be made to assure that a substitute teacher is provided for the teaching duties remaining.
- Notwithstanding Clause 18.13(a), when a principal, who has teaching duties, is absent from school in the performance of other duties for more than five (5) days in a school year, then a substitute teacher may be provided for those assigned teaching duties.
18.14 A teacher who is serving in the position of Branch President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association may be granted leave with pay to attend to Branch business to a maximum of three (3) days per school year. Such leave will not be unreasonably denied or unreasonably requested.
