Policy 63

Refresher Leave

Approved by the Administration Committee October 18, 1988.

Amendments:
Date: December 9, 1976
Date: March 29, 2023

PURPOSE:
1. The purpose of this Policy is to recognize the usefulness and the value of education and career development to improve the knowledge and capabilities of its employees.
DEFINITIONS:
1. 2.1 The following words and expressions have the corresponding meaning for the purposes of applying this Policy and any procedures established pursuant to this Policy:
  1. Refresher Leave: is a period during which the Regular staff member is absent from work, for varying continuous periods of up to a maximum period of eight continuous months to achieve the purpose as set out in Section 4.1 of this Policy.
  2. Regular staff member: Any administrative and support staff members of the University who holds an indeterminate position and who are non-unionized or unionized.
APPLICATION:
1. This Policy applies to Regular staff members.
PURPOSE OF A REFRESHER LEAVE AND ELIGIBILITY:
1. A Refresher Leave must serve to provide the Regular staff member with the opportunity to achieve the following purpose:
  1. to attend a recognized post-secondary or other academic institution or professional association to complete studies or enhance the Regular staff member’s skills or knowledge that directly relate to, or complement, the Regular staff member’s current or future University job responsibilities; and/or
  2. to undertake career development activities which is likely to be of assistance to the Regular staff member in furthering their career development at the University and to the University achieving its goals. Such career development activities may include but are not limited to seminars, courses or conferences offered by the University, other academic institutions or professional associations.
2. Regular staff members who meet the following requirements are eligible to submit a request for Refresher Leave:
  1. for an initial request for Refresher Leave, they must be employed by the University and have completed a minimum of four continuous years of active full-time service as of the date of the Regular staff member’s initial request for Refresher Leave, and
  2. for a second or subsequent request for Refresher Leave, they must be employed by the University and have completed a minimum of four continuous years of active full-time service since the Regular staff member’s last period of Refresher Leave.
3. The Regular staff member must submit a written request for Refresher Leave to their supervisor for evaluation who in turn submits the request to the Dean, Vice-Provost or Associate Vice- President for approval/disapproval.
4. A Refresher Leave is a privilege and not a right. Despite meeting the requirements contained in this Policy and any related procedure, a request for a Refresher Leave is subject in every case to the interests of the University and the requirements of the relevant faculty, service or unit and accordingly, the University reserves the right to deny a request for a Refresher Leave.
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL OF A REFRESHER LEAVE:
1. As a condition of approval of a request for Refresher Leave, the Regular staff member agrees that at the end of the Refresher Leave, they must:
  1. return to the University position held by the Regular staff member at the commencement of the Refresher Leave and if the position no longer exists, take such other available and equivalent University position as may be offered by the University;
  2. continue working for the University for a period equal to twice the duration of the Refresher Leave, failing which the Regular staff member must refund the University an amount representing the salary paid to the Regular staff member by the University plus the employer contributions paid by the University to the pension plan and employee group insured benefits during the Refresher Leave; and
  3. submit a written report to their immediate supervisor on their Refresher Leave activities and the outcomes accomplished by the Regular staff member during the Refresher Leave and to submit such report within one month after the end of the Refresher Leave.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Human Resources Service is responsible for the following:
  1. developing, maintaining, and implementing written procedures for the approval of the Vice-President, Finance and Administration related to Refresher Leave;
  2. ensuring that this Policy, any procedure established pursuant to it are applied in compliance with applicable laws as may be amended from time to time (including without limitation to, the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000, the Ontario Human Rights Code, and the Income Tax Act);
  3. assist and advise the supervisor, the Dean, Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President on the human resources details associated with the Refresher Leave.
2. The Regular staff member is responsible for the following:
  1. preparing and sending their written request for Refresher Leave to their immediate supervisor and entering their request in the leave system for approval;
  2. respecting the requirements of the Refresher Leave as stated in this Policy, in any related Procedure and respecting any other terms and conditions as set out in a written agreement to be signed by the Regular staff member and the University.
3. The supervisor, the Dean, Vice-Provost or Associate Vice-President are responsible for the following:
  1. the evaluation of the Regular staff member’s the request for Refresher Leave, considering the requirements set out in this Policy, the Procedure for Refresher Leave and any other related procedures;
  2. ensuring the budget under their responsibility can fund Refresher Leave and that the operations within their faculty, service or unit are maintained during the Refresher Leave.
  3. the approval of the request for Refresher Leave, the recording of it in the leave system and the signature of any document or agreement to be entered into with the Regular staff member related to the Refresher Leave;
4. The Associate Vice-President, Human Resources has the authority to make final decisions over all related matters and disputes.
REVIEW AND IMPLEMENTATION:
1. The Vice-President, Finance and Administration is responsible for ensuring a periodic review of this Policy every five years or as necessary.
2. Human Resources is responsible for the implementation of the Policy.
APPROVAL AND AMENDMENTS:
1. The Vice-President, Finance and Administration is responsible for recommending amendments to this Policy for approval by the Administration Committee.
2. Notwithstanding clause 8.1 of this Policy, the Secretary-General may amend this Policy without the need to submit such amendment to the Administrative Committee for approval if such amendment is required to,
  1. update or correct the name or title of a position, unit, law, regulation, policy, procedure or authority; or
  2. correct punctuation, grammar, typographical errors, revisions to format and other technical revisions, where appropriate, if the correction does not change the meaning of a provision or make such other correction if it is patent both that an error has been made and what the correction should be; or
  3. correct the form of expression of a provision in French or in English to be more compatible with its form of expression in the other language; or
  4. make consequential amendments to conform with or arising from another University by-law, resolution, policy or procedure.
3. The Vice-President, Finance and Administration may establish, amend, and abrogate procedures for purposes of the effective implementation of this Policy, provided that such procedures are consistent with the provisions of this Policy.