A leave of absence allows employees to be able to take unpaid and, in some instances, paid, time off from work. An employee may be eligible for a leave of absence regardless if they are full-time, part-time, permanent, or term contract. The various laws in Canada protect employees from being discriminated against for taking a leave of absence.
At Zeilikman Law, we approach leave of absence issues with logical and creative solutions. Our lawyers are, professional, friendly, and determined. We have the know-how to navigate through the psychology of any given leave of absence dispute.
Job-Protected Leaves
In Ontario, certain types of leaves are not discretionary, and therefore employees have a legal right to take time off work. Under the Employment Standards Act, an individual may have the right to take time off in the following situations:
Pregnancy
Parental
Personal emergency
Family caregiver
Family medical
Critical illness
Organ donor
Reservist
Child death or crime-related child disappearance leave.
What are my rights when taking a leave of absence?
Currently, some minimums are specified in legislation regarding an employee’s entitlement to take a leave of absence. These minimums cannot be contracted out of. For each of these non-discretionary leaves of absence, their length and eligibility criteria might vary.
For example, there may be specified criteria about how many days of the leave of absence would be required to be paid, and how many can be unpaid.
An employer can pay more than the required amount of days. However, it is not mandatory. On the other hand, under the Employment Standards Act, an employee has the right to continue to participate in the employer’s group benefit plan, such as health insurance, dental plans, and accidental death.
Most importantly, once the non-discretionary leave has ended, employees are entitled to be reinstated to their employment. In the event that the employee’s position was eliminated, the employer will be required to reinstate the employee in a comparable position.
How can Zeilikman Law help?
If you have questions or concerns regarding your legal entitlement to take a leave of absence, contact one of the experienced lawyers today to discuss your options.
Request a consultation today!
