You are eligible for family and medical leave if you have worked for the Company for at least 6 months.
You are entitled to take up to 1 week per annum of unpaid leave:
To attend to the birth, adoption or foster care placement of your child
To attend to the serious health condition of your child, spouse, or parent
To receive care for your own serious health condition
A serious health condition means an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition during which you are incapable of working that involves either:
Treatment requiring inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential care facility
Continuing treatment by a health care provider for a condition that lasts more than three consecutive days
Treatment for pregnancy or prenatal care
Treatment for a chronic health condition that requires periodic visits to a health care provider
Treatment for a chronic health condition that may involve occasional episodes of incapacity, such as serious asthma or diabetes
It also includes a permanent or long-term condition such as Alzheimer's, a severe stroke and terminal cancer. In addition, leave may be used to cover absences due to multiple treatments for restorative surgery or for a condition which would likely make you incapable of working for more than three days if not treated, such as chemotherapy or radiation treatments for cancer.
Leave due to the birth or placement of a child in your home for adoption or foster care must be taken in one continuous segment and must be taken within 12 months of the birth or placement of the child. You may take leave due to your own or a family member’s serious health condition in:
one continuous segment
an intermittent schedule, such as one day off each week
a reduced schedule, such as beginning two hours late, twice a week
If your need for leave is foreseeable, you must give 30 days prior notice if possible. If you do not give such notice, the leave may be delayed for up to 30 days.
If your need for leave is due to a planned medical treatment, make every attempt to schedule the treatment so as not to unduly disrupt the work of your department. If your need for leave is not foreseeable, you must request it as soon as practicable, no later than two business days after the need for leave arises.
If your leave is due to your own medical condition, you are required to provide medical certification that you can resume work before returning. Both you and your health care provider must complete a Return to Work Medical Certification.
Upon returning to work, you will ordinarily be entitled to be restored to your former position or to an equivalent position with the same employment benefits and pay if possible. If you do not return to work at the end of the leave and do not notify the Company of your status, you may be terminated.
Taking family and medical leave will not cause you to lose any employment benefits accrued prior to the first day of leave. The leave period will be treated as continued service for purposes of determining vesting and eligibility to participate in any retirement plan in effect. However, employees on FMLA leave normally will not accrue any other additional benefits during the leave period, unless it is paid leave under which benefits would otherwise accrue.
The Company will maintain your insurance benefits while you are on leave, although you may be required to pay your portion of the premium. However, if you do not return to work after the leave, you may be asked to reimburse us for the cost of maintaining insurance coverage during the leave. This provision will not apply in cases where your inability to return is through no fault of your own -- for example, at the end of leave you remain physically unable to return due to your serious health condition.
If you intentionally misrepresent the reasons for requesting family and medical leave, you may be discharged.
Full-time employees who have worked at the Company for at least 6 months are permitted to use any accrued vacation, if applicable (see below), to attend the funeral of an immediate family member, which includes a spouse, child, or parent. Thereafter, up to 5 additional days may be taken without pay. Eligible employees may be permitted 2 days without pay for the death of a relative who is not an immediate member-including an aunt, uncle, nephew, niece, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, or parent-in-law.
Your supervisor must approve all bereavement time, and the Company may request verification of the facts surrounding the leave and grant or deny the leave as deemed appropriate.
Full-time employees with a minimum of 6 months of employment are eligible to accrue sick day credits, limited to ten workdays per employment year.
Sick day credits expire on December 31 and do not roll over to the next calendar year. It is important to note that sick days cannot be used as vacation. The initial five qualifying sick days are compensated at 100% of regular pay, while any additional qualifying sick days are paid at the regular rate minus the NIB sickness benefit, contingent upon eligibility.
To qualify for a sick day, employees must inform their supervisor by calling in no later than 15 minutes after their regular start time for work. Failure to provide timely notification will result in an unexcused absence, leading to non-compensation. Full-time exempt employees may access sick days at the discretion of their supervisor.
The Company reserves the right to request a doctor's certificate for any sick days, excluding the first day of sick leave. Failure to furnish the requested certificate may result in considering the absence as unexcused, leading to non-compensation.
If leave is requested due to your own or a family member's serious health condition, you must provide medical certification from an appropriate health care provider. The medical certification must include the date on which the condition began and its probable duration. You may be denied leave if you do not provide satisfactory certification. The Company may also require a second opinion or third opinion regarding certification of a serious health condition, at our expense.
You are not eligible for paid maternity leave within the first year of employment. However, once you complete one year of service, you become eligible for paid maternity leave once every three years.
Maternity leave shall be granted for a period not less than 12 weeks, as recommended by medical professionals. (Note: The specific duration can be discussed and adjusted, considering industry standards and practices.)
During the maternity leave period, you will receive compensation equal to one third of your regular salary. This compensation is intended to support you during the period of leave.
You have the option to combine your maternity leave with accrued vacation time. However, the combined duration of maternity leave and vacation should not exceed a total of 16 weeks. This provision allows you to extend their time away from work while ensuring that we can manage staffing requirements effectively.
To avail maternity leave benefits, you must provide a letter from a qualified medical practitioner specifying the expected date of confinement. This documentation is essential for record-keeping and to ensure compliance with the maternity leave policy.
If you intend to take maternity leave, you must notify your supervisor at least 8 weeks prior to the expected start date of the leave. This notification allows us to make necessary arrangements and plan for your temporary absence.
Upon returning from maternity leave you will be reinstated to your previous position or an equivalent role with the same terms and conditions of employment. We are committed to providing a supportive environment for employees returning from maternity leave.
During maternity leave, you will continue to receive applicable employment benefits, such as health insurance, as per our policies.
We recognize the significance of the maternity period and are committed to providing additional support and accommodations as needed. You are encouraged to discuss any specific needs or concerns with your supervisor.
This maternity leave policy is subject to periodic review and may be amended as needed to align with legal requirements, industry standards, and our evolving needs.
You are encouraged to contact your supervisor for any clarifications or assistance related to maternity leave.
Employees who are eligible to vote but do not have sufficient time outside of regular working hours to vote in a government election, may request time off to do so unless the Company has closed the business for such purposes.
You may not work for outside employers while on family and medical leave with the Company.
The Company observes the following public holidays, for which full time employees will be paid:
New Year’s Day
Majority Rule Day
Good Friday
Easter Monday
Whit Monday
Labour Day
Independence Day
Emancipation Day
National Heroes Day
Christmas Day
Boxing Day
Due to business needs, some employees may be required to work on Company holidays. Your supervisor will notify you if this may apply to you.
The Company provides full-time employees who have completed any mandatory Introductory Period the following paid vacation days, subject to contiguous employment with the Company:
Number of years contiguous employment | Number of paid vacation days |
0 – 5 years | 15 |
6 – 10 years | 20 |
11+ years | 25 |
You must use vacation days by December 31 of each year, as unused vacation days may not be carried over to the next calendar year. Four (4) days are to be taken at the company’s direction due to office closure for annual holidays. One (1) day is to be taken during the week of the employee’s birthday.
Only active, full-time employees are eligible for paid vacation, and all vacation must be earned before being taken. You may not substitute pay for unused vacation unless you have your supervisor's written approval. Should a Company holiday occur during your vacation, you may add an additional day, either at the beginning or end of the vacation period, with your supervisor's approval.
The Company reserves the right not to approve a vacation request if it will interfere with Company operations or adversely affect coverage of job and staff requirements. Whenever possible, employees' requests for vacation will be accommodated, but where scheduling conflicts arise, seniority will prevail.