- Employers are required to grant the employee leaves of absence in each calendar year, not to exceed the total of the
- following:
- up to 10 days, which the employee may take intermittently or in one continuous period, and
- up to 16 weeks in one continuous period.
- The first five days of this leave are paid and the balance of leave is unpaid leave.
- The rate of pay an employee is to be paid shall be an amount equal to the wages the employee would have earned if the employee had worked the regular hours ofwork for the applicable period.
The employee or a child of the employee is a victim of domestic violence, intimate partner violence or sexual violence, and the leave of absence is taken for any of the following purposes:
- to seek medical attention for the employee or the child of the employee for a physical or psychological injury or disability caused by the domestic violence,intimate partner violence or sexual violence;
- to obtain victim services for the employee or the child of the employee from a qualified person or organization;
- to obtain psychological or other counseling from a qualified person for the employee or the child of the employee
- to relocate temporarily or permanently;
- to seek legal or law enforcement assistance,including preparing for or participating in any civil or criminal legal proceeding related to or resulting from the domestic violence, intimate partner violence or sexual violence; and
- for any other purposes related to or resulting from the domestic violence, intimate partner violence or sexual violence.
When the employee advises the employer of his or her intention to take a leave of absence, the employee shall provide the employer in writing with the purposes for which the leave is to be taken, with reference to one or more of the above specific purposes.
All documentation or other material received in relation to the employee’s leave of absence, is confidential and shall not be disclosed unless
- the employee has consented in writing,
- the disclosure is made to an officer, employee or agent of the employer who needs the records in the performance of their duties, or
- the disclosure is authorized or required by law.
For more information regarding domestic violence,intimate partner violence or sexual violence and the impact on the workplace, please contact Women’s Equality Branch via e-mail at [email protected]