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Sick Leave
Maternity, Parental and Adoption Leave
General Leave
Compassionate Care Leave
Jury Duty or Court Witness Leave
Postdoctoral Fellows (Employees) are eligible for paid sick leave benefits up to a maximum of six months. The first month of continuous sick leave is paid for by the grant or contract, or failing that, from other sources; the next five months will be paid by the Extraordinary Expense Fund (grant or contract pays the salary for the next five months and once the Postdoctoral Fellow returns to work or after six months, whichever occurs first, the grantholder can seek reimbursement through the Extraordinary Expense Fund (UBC Policy #86).
After six months, the Postdoctoral Fellow (Employee) will be placed on an unpaid medical leave. Postdoctoral Fellows (Employees) are not eligible for long-term disability.
Birth mothers are entitled to up to 17 weeks of unpaid maternity leave. Further unpaid maternity leave of up to 6 consecutive weeks may be granted where the birth mother is unable to return to work for reasons related to the birth or the termination of the pregnancy, as certified by a medical practitioner.
Birth mothers may be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI benefits) from Human Resources Development Canada during their unpaid maternity leave. For the purposes of EI maternity benefits, up to 15 weeks of EI benefits may be claimed by the birth mother after a 2-week waiting period is served. The mother can start collecting maternity benefits either up to 8 weeks before she is expected to give birth or at the week she gives birth. Maternity benefits can be collected within 17 weeks of the actual or expected week of birth, whichever is later.
If eligible, UBC’s Supplemental Employment Benefits (SEB) Program pays the difference between the EI benefit received from Human Resources Development Canada and 95% of salary. If eligible, UBC’s Supplemental Employment Benefits (SEB) Program pays the difference between the EI benefit received from Human Resources Development Canada and 95% of salary. EI benefits are payable for 15 weeks and SEB benefits are payable for a maximum of 17 weeks (the two-week EI waiting period where it pays 95% of salary, plus 15 weeks of topping up EI to 95%).
Birth mothers are entitled to up to 35 weeks of unpaid parental leave in addition to maternity leave following the birth of a child. The maximum length of unpaid leave for a birth mother is 52 weeks (17 weeks maternity + 35 weeks parental). If a birth mother does not take unpaid maternity leave, she is entitled to 37 weeks of unpaid parental leave.
Birth fathers are entitled to up to 37 weeks of unpaid parental leave.
Further unpaid parental leave up of to 5 additional weeks may be granted where the child is certified by a medical practitioner to be suffering from a physical, psychological or emotional condition.
Birth mothers and birth fathers may be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI benefits) from Human Resources Development Canada during their unpaid parental leave. If you are eligible, UBC’s Supplemental Benefits (SEB) Program pays the difference between the EI benefit received from Human Resources Development Canada and 95% of salary for the length of time specified below:
If EI parental benefits are claimed by the birth mother or shared between the birth mother/father: EI benefits are payable for up to 35 weeks and SEB benefits are payable for a maximum of 10 weeks (10 weeks of topping up EI to 95% of salary). The 2-week EI benefits waiting period is not required if previously satisfied by the birth mother when claiming EI maternity benefits.
If the birth mother and birth father are both Postdoctoral Fellows (Employees) employed by UBC, each parent can access SEB parental benefits up to the maximum length of time specified above (i.e. a maximum of 10 weeks top-up for each parent).
If EI parental benefits are claimed by the birth father only: SEB benefits are payable for a maximum of 12 weeks (the 2-week EI benefits waiting period where it pays 95% of salary, plus topping up EI to 95%).
Adopting parents are entitled to up to 37 weeks of unpaid parental leave. An adopting parent may be the same-sex partner of an adopting parent or birth mother. Further unpaid parental leave up of to 5 additional weeks may be granted where the child is certified by a medical practitioner to be suffering from a physical, psychological or emotional condition.
Adopting parents may be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI benefits) from Human Resources Development Canada during their unpaid parental leave. If eligible, UBC’s Supplemental Employment Benefits (SEB) Program pays the difference between the EI benefit you receive from Human Resources Development Canada and 95% of salary for the length of time specified below:
If EI parental benefits are claimed by one adoptive parent only: EI benefits are payable for up to 35 weeks and SEB benefits are payable for a maximum of 12 weeks (the 2-week EI benefits waiting period where it pays 95% of salary, plus 10 weeks of topping up EI to 95%).
If EI parental benefits are shared between adopting parents: EI benefits are payable for up to 35 weeks and SEB benefits are payable for a maximum of 12 weeks (the 2-week EI benefits waiting period where it pays 95% of salary, plus 10 weeks of topping up EI to 95%). Only one adoptive parent is required to serve the 2-week EI benefits waiting period.
between the birth mother and adopting parent: EI benefits ar payable for up to 35 weeks and SEB benefits are payable for a maximum of 10 weeks (10 weeks of topping up EI to 95% of salary). The 2-week waiting period is not required if previously satisfied by the birth mother when claiming EI maternity benefits.
If the adopting parents or birth mother and adopting parent are both Postdoctoral Fellows (Employees) employed by UBC, each parent can access SEB parental benefits up to the maximum length of time specified above (i.e. a maximum of 10 weeks top-up for each parent).
SEB benefits may be extended by 5 additional weeks in the case of a child who is 6 months or older at the adoption and who has a physical, psychological or emotional condition that requires longer parental care.
Postdoctoral Fellows (Employees) may have up to two years leave of absence without pay and benefits for personal reasons, upon written application.
Applications for a leave of absence without salary are available online. Requests for leave are subject to the approval of your Department and Faculty (or equivalent office).
Compassionate Care Leave Employment Insurance Benefits were introduced in January 2004 by the Canadian Government. On April 27, 2006, the BC Government amended the Employment Standards Act to provide for an entitlement to job-protected leave for Compassionate Care. Therefore, there are two parts to compassionate care leave as described below, the unpaid portion that is an entitlement under the BC Employment Standards Act and the Employment Insurance (EI) benefits that is subject to certain eligibility requirements as determined by HRSDC.
Compassionate Care Leave provides up eight weeks of unpaid leave for an employee to care or support a family member* if a medical practitioner issues a certificate stating that the family member has a serious medical condition with a significant risk of death within 26 weeks.
*A definition of “family member” as per Employment Standards may be found in Section 52 of the BC Employment Standards Act.
The Compassionate Care Benefit is a type of Employment Insurance (EI) benefit from Human Resources and Social Development Canada. Up to six weeks of EI Compassionate Care benefits may be available to those on Compassionate Care leave, after a two-week waiting period is served. A definition of “family member” for EI purposes may be found by clicking here.
If you wish to take additional leave after the expiry of your Compassionate Care leave, please refer to General Leave.
Postdoctoral Fellows (Employees) who have been called for jury selection are asked to contact Faculty Relations for assistance. General information on jury duty can be found online at the Employment Standards Branch and Court Services, Ministry of Attorney General.
