ARTICLE 24
ILLNESS AND PROOF OF ILLNESS

24.01 The University and NASA jointly acknowledge their commitment to promoting wellness, encouraging the legitimate use of illness leave, and being proactive in returning employees to work.

24.02 "Illness" means illness, injury or quarantine affecting an employee, but does not include pregnancy, subject to Clause 24.11.

24.03 "Casual illness" means an illness which causes an employee to be absent from duty for a period of three (3) consecutive work days or less for which no medical certificate is required. Where an employee has used his/her casual illness entitlement in any one (1) service year, s/he may provide a medical certificate for additional absences of three (3) work days or less, and the absence shall be considered as general illness.

24.04 "General illness" means certified illness which causes an employee to be absent from duty for a period of more than three (3) consecutive work days.

24.05 "Service year" begins with the initial date of service and continues with each full year of service thereafter, subject to Clause 18.04.

24.06 Medical and Dental Appointments

Time off to attend medical and dental appointments requires authorization of the Department Head in advance and shall be scheduled to least interfere with the employee's regular hours of work. Time off during scheduled hours of work shall be charged against casual illness entitlement.

24.07 Illness Entitlement

Leave of absence with pay is allowable on account of illness from the initial date of service for twenty-six (26) weeks, i.e. one hundred and thirty (130) work days, per service year, of which two (2) weeks, i.e. ten (10) work days, may be used as casual illness.

24.08 Reinstatement of Entitlement

Illness entitlement is reinstated at the beginning of each year of continuous service (i.e., reinstatement of entitlement will be based upon a twelve (12) month period related to an employee's service date), subject to the following provisions:

(a) When an absence on account of illness continues from one service year to the next, the period of leave with pay allowable in respect of that absence is determined according to the year of service in which the absence commenced. The portion of such period of leave which is taken in the succeeding year does not reduce the employee's illness entitlement for that year.

(b) After an employee uses his/her illness entitlement in any one service year, s/he is not entitled to further illness entitlement in the next service year until s/he has completed ten (10) consecutive work days of service from the date of his/her return to work.

(c) Where the AVP(HRS) disputes the validity of the medical certificate submitted by the employee with respect to (b) above, the AVP(HRS) may require the employee to undergo a medical examination by another medical doctor who is not in the employ of the Board. Should the two medical doctors disagree on the medical status of the employee, the dispute shall be settled by a third medical doctor to be selected by mutual agreement of the two medical doctors.

24.09 Hospitalization during Annual Vacation Leave

Should an employee demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Department Head, that s/he was admitted to a hospital as an in-patient during the course of his/her vacation, s/he shall be considered to be on sick leave for the period of stay in hospital subject to the other provisions of this Article. Vacation time not taken as a result of such stay in hospital, shall be taken at a mutually agreeable later date.

24.10 Proof of Illness

(a) Medical certificates shall be provided to the Department Head, with a copy forwarded to Human Resources, for any absence due to illness in excess of three (3) work days. The medical certificate shall specify:

(1) that the employee was unable to attend work and perform his/her regular duties due to illness, and

(2) the duration of the illness.

(b) Medical certificates for absence due to casual illness of three (3) work days or less shall not be required except where the employee has had a maximum of ten (10) work days of uncertified absence due to illness in a service year.

(c) Medical certificates shall be provided for any absence due to illness immediately preceding or following a vacation period or a paid holiday.

(d) For an absence due to illness that continues beyond ten (10) work days or where there is a discernible pattern of shorter duration absences as determined by the Department Head, the employee will be required to submit a medical certificate that specifies the nature of the illness, the duration or expected duration of the illness and a prognosis on recovery. If the employee does not return to work on the specified return date(s), further medical certificates will be required.

24.11 Absence during Pregnancy

Notwithstanding Clause 24.02 a pregnant employee who is absent from work due to a medical condition which is medically certified as an illness, will be eligible for illness benefits. The application of illness benefits shall be suspended during pregnancy from the date on which maternity leave is scheduled to commence pursuant to Clause 28.01, or the actual date of confinement, whichever is earlier, to the date on which the employee is scheduled to return to work pursuant to Clause 28.02, or the date on which the employee actually returns to work, whichever is earlier.

24.12 Employment after Retirement Age

Notwithstanding the above provisions, an employee, whose employment is being continued after s/he has reached retirement age and who suffers any illness that causes him/her to be absent from duty for more than one (1) calendar month, is entitled to leave with pay for the first calendar month of absence only.

24.13 Medical Board

In a case of prolonged absence caused by illness or where chronic illness is believed to be adversely affecting an employee's work, the AVP(HRS) may require that the employee be examined by a medical board consisting of one or more doctors selected by the AVP(HRS). The medical board will submit a medical report as to the condition of the employee and the amount of time considered necessary for his/her complete recovery, an opinion on the employee's ability to continue in his/her present position and whether or not his/her condition can be reversed through treatment.

24.14 Part-time Regular Employees

For part-time regular employees, this Article shall apply except that the pay for absence due to illness shall be based on the employee's normally scheduled work hours.

24.15 Temporary Employees

Clause 24.07 shall not apply to temporary employees. Instead, temporary employees shall earn illness leave at the rate of one (1) work day for each complete month of employment, except that in the case of temporary part-time employees the entitlement shall be pro-rated on the basis of their total number of hours worked or paid for (excluding overtime) per month.

24.16 This Article became effective on January 1, 1990 and shall have application only to days on which the employee would otherwise normally be scheduled to work.