POLICY:

The Library Board will provide paid sick leave benefits for regular full-time employees who have successfully completed their probationary period.

Regular part-time and casual employees are eligible for job protected unpaid long-term Illness and Injury leave up to sixteen (16) weeks per year.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this policy is to provide full-time employees with guidelines regarding available benefits and how they are earned and taken.

DEFINITIONS:

1. Casual illness means a circumstance in which the employee is prevented from working, due to illness or non-work-related injury, for a period of up to six consecutive workdays.
2. General illness means a circumstance in which the employee is prevented from working, due to illness or non-work related injury, for a period of more than six consecutive working days but no more than 120 working days, or the maximum sick leave credits accrued.

PROCEDURE:

1. Upon successful completion of the employee’s probationary period, a Library Board employee in a full-time position shall be provided with 120 days of general sick leave credits.
2. General illness leaves credits once taken, shall be re-earned by the employee at the rate of 1 ½ days per full calendar month of completed service, to an accumulated maximum of 120 working days of general illness leave credits.
3. After their probationary period, full time employees will be provided with six casual illness days each calendar year.
4. Sick days must be utilized in half or full days.

5. When a day specified as a Named Holiday in the Named Holiday policy, falls within an employee’s period of casual illness leave or general illness leave, it shall be considered to be a paid holiday and not a day of general illness leave.
6. Employee’s are eligible for up to sixteen (16) weeks of job protection per year for long term personal sickness or injury (unpaid if paid benefit eligibility is exceeded).
7. Limitations on Eligibility for Use of Sick Leave Credits

An employee is not eligible to make use of sick leave credits, provided by the Library Board, if:

7. 1. the injury is sustained while working for the Library Board, and the employee is entitled to Workers’ Compensation benefits, or the injury is sustained while working for an employer other than the Library Board and the employee is eligible for Workers' Compensation benefits through the employer for whom the work was being performed; or
   2. the illness or injury occurs within the employee's probationary period; or
   3. the illness or injury occurs while committing or attempting to commit a criminal offence; or
   4. the absence is due to an intentionally self-inflicted injury.
8. Insufficient General Illness Credits

Where the employee's accrued sick leave credits are insufficient to bridge the 120 working day elimination period for Long Term Disability eligibility, the employee may use accrued vacation credits AND/OR accrued overtime credits for those days of absence.

9. Proof of Illness Requirements
   1. The Library Board does not require a Doctor's certificate as proof of casual illness leave unless it exceeds three consecutive days.
   2. A Doctor's certificate is required for all instances of general illness leave.
10. Contact with Library Board During Periods of Illness

Staff are expected to contact their Supervisor to advise the Library Board in respect of absence due to illness or injury, as follows:

1. 1. In the case of casual illness, employees are expected to provide an expected date of return to work.
   2. In the case of general illness, employees are expected to provide a status report every two weeks until their return to work OR until they become eligible for and begin to draw Long Term Disability Benefits. While receiving Long Term Disability Benefits, an employee is required to advise the Library Board on a periodic basis, to be determined by the Library Board, of his or her anticipated return to work date and his or her current status.