Leave of Absence Request Completion Instructions

Purpose and scope

The purpose of this instruction is to clearly identify the steps required to effectively process a request for a Leave of Absence related to Policy 39 – Leaves of Absence for Staff Members. 

The Staff Leave of Absence Request (PDF) is to be utilized to request a Leave of Absence as outlined in Policy 39 for:

  • Unpaid Leave of Absence – Less than 4 months
    • This leave of absence type would include reporting approved unpaid days off such as vacation time or additional time off for temporary employees with a period of employment of less than 1 year.
  • Unpaid Leave of Absence – 4 to 12 months
  • Paid Study Leave of Absence

Note: Benefit coverage must be maintained, and therefore the requestor may need to make contributions. There is an option of contributing to the pension plan while on leave. Ensure that all pension and benefit implications are understood before submitting the request.

Roles and Responsibilities

Applicant:

To apply for a leave of absence, the applicant must:

  • Complete the Leave Of Absence Request form in a timely and comprehensive manner.
  • Obtain the required signatures.
  • Send the original required documentation to Human Resources, Administration in a timely manner once the required approval signatures have been obtained.

The Manager/Department:

  • Review the request and, if approved, ensure all applicable signatures are provided.
  • Ensure the applicant/requestor understands the implications the leave may have for their benefits, pension, vacation entitlement, and length of service.
  • Contact Human Resources at extension 45935 or hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca for further information.
     

Human Resources:

  • Review and validate the information captured on the Leave of Absence Request form. If information is missing, Human Resources will be responsible to send the form back and requesting the missing information.
    • Note: If information is missing, this will affect the timely processing of the request.
  • Process the approved Leave of Absence through Workday

Key Terms and Definitions

Term

Definition

Unpaid Leave of Absence

A staff member may request approval for an unpaid leave of absence. There must be an expectation that the staff member will return to the University at the end of the requested unpaid leave. Normally, the duration of the leave will not exceed 12 months. Pension and benefits implications should be reviewed with Human Resources before an unpaid leave of absence is requested. During an unpaid leave of absence, the employee is not performing work in any capacity for the University and does not receive any payment during this period of time. Please refer to Policy 39 for full details.

Paid Study Leave of Absence

A study leave is defined as a leave of longer duration than the usual conference or short course, which may be attended by a staff member with the approval of her/his department head. Requests will be judged based on the ultimate benefit to the University. The Vice-President, Academic & Provost must give final approval to the terms and conditions of the paid study leave.

Employee ID (if known)

An individual who has previously worked with Waterloo will have a 6-digit identification number assigned. If the individual is a new employee, or if the previous number is unknown, leave blank.

Instructions

1. Complete the Employee Information Section:

  • Complete the Last Name and First Name.
  • Complete the department name.
  • Complete the Employee ID (if known).
  • Complete the Type of Leave of Absence Section:
    • Check the box to indicate the Type of Leave of absence requested.
    • If the Type of Leave is anUnpaid Leave of Absence, complete the following:
      • Less than 4 months duration or;
      • 4 to 12 months duration.
    • If the Type of Leave is a Paid Study Leave of Absence, complete the following:
      • Paid study leave;
      • Unpaid study leave
  • Complete the Additional Details as necessary.
    • Complete the Duration Section:
    • Enter the Leave Begin Date,
    • the Last Day Worked (as well as the date of the Expected Return to Work).
  • Sign and date the request form.

2. Complete the Approvals section:

  • Obtain the signature of the Manager.
  • Obtain the signature of the Department Head.
  • Obtain the signature of the Senior Administrative Officer if the Unpaid Leave of Absence is 4 months or longer.
  • Obtain the signature of the Vice-President, Academic & Provost if the requested Leave of Absence is for a Paid Study Leave.

3. Submit the form before your leave date: 

  • Submit the completed request to Human Resources, Administration for processing. It must be processed by HR for a leave to be approved.  

Resources:

Contact Human Resources at extension 45935 or hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca for further information.