Leaves other than sabbaticals

Regular faculty are entitled to a number of leaves—and you really can take them!

What you need to know

Your benefits continue during a leave.
You get an extension on your tenure clock for up to one year for parental leaves (just request this from your dean). Extensions are also possible for other leaves.
You still accrue credit toward sabbatical while you’re on pregnancy/parental leave.
You don't owe any teaching that you "miss" while on leave.
You also have the option to reduce your workload.
Your teaching load is reduced in the term(s) following a parental leave (see Policy 14, section 3).
Waterloo supplements Employment Insurance for eligible pregnancy and parental leaves; EI and your UW top-up will add up to 95% of your salary.

This is a quick overview. Get more detail at the links in the "where to find information" section.

Sick leave: 180 calendar days, with supporting medical documentation required for periods longer than five days.
Pregnancy leave: 6 weeks of birth leave plus 17 weeks of topped-up Employment Insurance pregnancy/parental leave.
Parental leave (including adoption): 10 days of paid leave OR 17 weeks of topped-up EI parental leave.
Unpaid leave: Faculty can take up to 12 months of unpaid leave.
Compassionate care leaves:
- Family caregiver leave: eight weeks per calendar year per specified family member
- Family medical leave: 28 weeks unpaid; employment insurance (EI) covers up to 26 weeks.
- Critical illness leave: 37 weeks in relation to a critically ill minor child, or 17 weeks in relation to a critically ill adult.
- You might be eligible for employment insurance for family medical and critical illness leaves
Emergency leave: 1 to 3 days a year, normally with pay. Employment standards provide 10 unpaid days/year.
Bereavement leave: 1 to 4 days with pay.

Human Resources, for questions about what you’re entitled to and impacts on your pension and benefits.
Occupational Health, to discuss sick leave or adjustments to your work requirements or environment. (Get to know OH nurse Linda Brogden on our blog.)
Your chair or director, for discussions about scheduling.
FAUW, if you have concerns or want to discuss the impacts of a leave on your academic life.

Take your leaves when you need them, and don’t worry about how they affect your department or the University. The financial impact of your leaves should be covered by the central administration, and changes to teaching or service commitments are your chair's responsibility.
Make sure that you check in with your chair or departmental administrator about how to handle:
- Extending research grants
- Accommodations in your performance review
- Delegating signing authority to a colleague on campus
- Student supervision