ARTICLE 29 – LEAVES IN GENERAL
A. Compassionate Leave
29.01 A teacher shall be entitled to leave not exceeding three (3) days with pay in the case of the death of that teacher’s mother, father, or legal guardian, brother, sister, child, spouse, grandchild, grandmother, grandfather, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, or near relative who had been living in the same household. In the context of this Agreement, parent, brother, sister shall include step relatives. Where extensive travel is involved or where extraordinary circumstances prevail, the School Board may extend the leave up to an additional two (2) days.
29.02 A teacher shall be entitled to leave not exceeding one (1) day with pay in the case of the death of his/her brother-in-law or sister-in-law.
29.03 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 of a child; or home or family emergencies.
B. Professional Leave
29.04
(a) For in-service time there may be six (6) days in the aggregate in the school year available for the purpose 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.
(b) A School Board may grant leave with pay to a teacher:
- to attend meetings of Departmental Educational Committees to which he/she has been appointed by the Minister; or
- to attend such meetings or conferences as the Minister may approve.
29.05 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.
29.06
(a) A teacher who is a member of the Negotiating Committee of the Labrador West Branch shall be granted leave with pay while attending actual negotiating sessions on the renewal of this Agreement, providing that the number of teachers in attendance shall be kept to a reasonable limit.
(b) In addition to leave granted under Clause 29.06(a), a teacher who is a member of the Negotiating Committee of the Labrador West Branch shall be granted leave with pay not to exceed four (4) days in the aggregate prior to the signing of a new Collective agreement.
29.07 A teacher who is President of the Labrador West Branch of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association may be granted leave with pay to attend Branch Presidents’ Meetings to a maximum of five (5) days per school year. Such leave will not be unreasonably denied or unreasonably requested.
C. Other Paid Leave
29.08 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.
29.09 A teacher may be granted, at the discretion of the School Board, additional leave with pay, not to exceed three (3) days in the aggregate in the school year, for any reason deemed valid by the Board.
29.10 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 that teacher has been summoned, in any proceedings to which that teacher is not a party, or one of the persons charged. The board shall be reimbursed by the teacher for any fees he/she receives for any such duties.
29.11 Where no other provision is made for leave with pay, a teacher may be granted leave with pay upon application to the Minister or Chairperson of the Board, where the Minister or Chairperson is satisfied that paid leave is warranted.
29.12 A School Board shall grant to a teacher up to two (2) full days 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 his/her career.
29.13
(a) 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.
(b) Notwithstanding Clause 29.13(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.
