If you require assistance with any type of leave from the University, please contact us.
General Information:
- If you will be requesting sick leave, please review UBC Policy HR4 – Leave Due to Illness of Members of Faculty.
- If you are called in for jury duty, we recommend that you contact Faculty Relations for assistance.
- Other types of leaves are governed by the Collective Agreement: Part 3 Leaves of Absence.
Study Leave and Professional Development Leave
Faculty in the Research and Educational Leadership Streams are eligible to take study leaves of 6 or 12 months when they have served at least 4 years since their appointment or last study leave. Lecturers are eligible for professional development leaves of 4 months after 6 consecutive years of service. These leaves permit faculty to pursue study or research and to undertake activities to improve their teaching or educational leadership. To learn more about eligibility requirements and compensation options, please see the Collective Agreement: Part 3 Leaves of Absence. Additional information is available at UBC Human Resources.
Maternity Leave
Birth parents are entitled up to 16 weeks of maternity leave following the birth of a child. For more details, See Part 3, Article 7 of the Collective Agreement.
As a Faculty Association member you may be eligible for two different forms of benefit during your maternity leave: Employment Insurance (EI) from the federal government and the Supplemental Employment Benefits (SEB) provided by UBC.
If you meet the eligibility requirements, UBC SEB supplements your income by paying you the difference between the Employment Insurance (EI) benefit you receive from the federal government and 95% of your salary. These benefits are payable for 16 weeks which includes the one-week EI benefit waiting period when no EI benefits are paid and SEB provides 95% of your salary. Birth parents are also eligible for Parental Leave.
Parental Leave
Parental leave of up to 61 weeks may be taken by either parent, or shared between them. And, in the case of a birth parent, parental leave is provided in addition to the maternity leave. (Part 3, Article 7 of the Collective Agreement)
As a Faculty Association member you may be eligible for two different forms of benefit during your parental leave: Employment Insurance (EI) from the federal government and Supplemental Employment Benefits (SEB) provided by UBC. Although parental leave can be up to 61 weeks, not all of the leave is covered by SEB.
If you meet the eligibility requirements, SEB supplements your income by paying you the difference between the Employment Insurance (EI) benefit you receive from the federal government and 95% of your salary. If the birth parent takes the parental leave, SEB will top-up the EI benefits for 20 weeks; if the spouse or common-law partner of the birth parent takes the parental leave, SEB will top-up the EI benefits for 20 weeks and the the one-week EI benefit waiting period, if needed.
Adoptive Leave
Adopting parents are entitled to parental leave as well. (Part 3, Article 7 of the Collective Agreement)
As a Faculty Association member you may be eligible for two different forms of benefit during your adoption leave: Employment Insurance (EI) from the federal government and Supplemental Employment Benefits (SEB) provided by UBC.
If you meet the eligibility requirements, UBC SEB “tops-up” the difference between the Employment Insurance (EI) benefit you receive from the federal government and 95% of your salary. SEB will top-up the EI benefits for 11 weeks, which includes the one-week EI benefit waiting period when no EI benefits are paid and SEB provides 95% of your salary.
Adoptive parents may also request pre-adoption leave with pay of up to 20 days for each adoption process. The leave may be taken intermittently and for the purpose of adoption courses, suitability evaluations and completion of the associated legal processes in international locations. Please speak to your Head of Department if you are interested in this benefit.
For more information on Maternity, Parental and Adoptive Leave, please see UBC’s HR Benefits website.
For an overview of EI Maternity Benefits please visit this link.
Domestic or Sexual Violence Leave
All bargaining unit members are eligible for up to 5 days without loss of pay or benefits in the case where they, or their dependent, experiences domestic or sexual violence. In special circumstances this paid leave may be extended. All employees are also able to take an additional 5 days of unpaid leave and up to 15 weeks of unpaid protected leave, every calendar year. The unpaid portion of this leave may be covered by Employment Insurance. For more information please see: https://hr.ubc.ca/benefits/benefit-plan-details/vacation-leaves/domestic-violence-leave
Indigenous Leave for Ceremonial, Cultural or Spiritual Events
Indigenous faculty members may request up to 2 days per calendar year of leave to participate in ceremonial, cultural, or spiritual event(s). This leave is paid. Additional unpaid leave may be granted and faculty may use any available vacation time if they wish.
