As part of negotiating the 2022-2025 Facilities collective agreement, your bargaining committee worked to secure a robust package of changes that will help with work-life balance.
There are several maternity and parental leave changes that enhance opportunities for new parents who want to take time away from work to care for their newborn or newly adopted child. The new provisions also align the collective agreement with the Employment Standards Act.
Here’s the list of new and improved maternity and parental leave provisions that took effect on April 1, 2022:
MATERNITY LEAVE
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Leave Commencement Extension - A birthing parent can now begin their leave up to 13 weeks before the expected date of birth.
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Shorter Notice Period - The notice period of pregnancy that a birthing parent must provide to the employer is reduced to four weeks from ten weeks.
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Pregnancy Termination Leave - If the birthing parent pregnancy terminates, they are entitled to six weeks of unpaid leave, in addition, if the member is still unable to return to work, they are entitled to up to six additional consecutive weeks of unpaid leave.
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Extended Maternity Leave - If the birthing parent is unable to return at the end of their leave, they are entitled to up to six more consecutive weeks of unpaid maternity leave.
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Vacation Clawback Eliminated - Vacation and benefits for members who do not return to employment for six months following their maternity and/or parental leaves can no longer be reclaimed by the employer.
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Allowance Waiting Period Reduction - The maternity leave allowance waiting period is reduced to one week from two weeks.
PARENTAL LEAVE
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Paternity Leave Name Change and Increase - To recognize and be inclusive of modern families, “paternity leave” will be renamed parental leave and will increase from one paid day to two paid days for eligible employees.
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Increased Supplemental Employee Benefit - The supplemental employee benefit has been expanded to 12 weekly payments from ten, and it may be shared between two parents who work for the same employer, ensuring both parents are each entitled to the full 61 or 62 weeks of unpaid parental leave.
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Adoption/Parental Leave - Adoption/parental leave is now combined under the special leave provisions in Article 30. As well, leave is now expanded from one paid day to two paid days for eligible employees, plus the parental leave provisions in Article 35 of the agreement continue to apply to adoptive parents.
This bulletin is part of a series of updates about the renewed Facilities collective agreement. Watch this space for future updates. If you have questions about any of these provisions, please contact your shop steward.