STATUTORY LEAVES OF ABSENCE

The ESA sets out several different statutory leaves of absence that can be taken by employees. For a complete list and details regarding each leave, please consult the ESA under Part 14.

When an employee takes a statutory leave of absence, the employee must make management aware by submitting a Form B (Statutory Leave Notice Form), notifying the manager in writing, or both.

Below are the available statutory leaves prescribed by the ESA that require employees to submit a Form B and notify management in writing prior to commencing the leave:

• Bereavement Leave

• Family Responsibility Leave

• Sick Leave

• Pregnancy and Parental Leave

• Reservist Leave

• Organ Donor Leave

Employees must notify their manager in writing as soon as is reasonable before taking the above statutory leaves by submitting a completed Form B, which can be found in the Appendix hereto. However, if, due to their circumstances, they must commence the leave before notifying management, they must submit the

completed Form B as soon as possible. Also, we may require that the employee provides evidence reasonable in the circumstances that they were entitled to the leave.

Below are the available statutory leaves prescribed by the ESA that require employees to notify

management in writing prior to commencing the leave:

• Domestic or Sexual Violence Leave

• Family Medical Leave

• Critical Illness Leave

• Child Death Leave

• Crime-Related Child Disappearance Leave

• Family Caregiver Leave

• Emergency Leave

Employees must notify their manager in writing as soon as is reasonable before taking the above statutory leaves of absence. However, if, due to their circumstances, they must commence the leave before notifying management, they must do so as soon as possible.

PAID SICK DAYS

In addition to the statutory leaves prescribed by the ESA, employees will be eligible for 3 paid days for Sick

Leave. These days cannot be carried into the following year and cannot be used to extend vacation time.

EFFECT OF A LEAVE

The purposes of the foregoing leaves, their length, and eligibility criteria vary. An employee may be entitled

to more than one leave for the same event. Each leave is separate and the right to each leave is independent of any right an employee may have to the other leave(s).

Please read the ESA for a detailed explanation of your leave entitlements. Unless otherwise required by law, while an employee is on a leave, their terms of employment will remain the same and the Business will continue to pay its share of the premiums required to maintain benefits, if any, which were available to the employee prior to the leave. However, if an employee on leave elects in writing not to continue participating in any applicable benefit plans while on a leave of absence, the Business will not continue to make its employer’s contributions to the benefit plans while the employee

remains on leave.

OTHER LEAVES OF ABSENCE

The Business recognizes that there may be times when employees need to take a leave of absence from work for reasons other than those identified above. While it is impossible to define all the circumstances in which an employee will require time away from work, this policy is intended to provide some general

guidelines.

The Business will consider, among other things, the following factors when it receives requests for a leave

of absence not otherwise legislated:

• Previous requests for a leave of absence;

• The availability of suitable replacement staff;

• The time of year at which the request is made; and,

• The purposes of the leave.

All requests for a leave of absence will be considered on an unpaid basis and without a continuation of benefits, unless otherwise stated and expressly indicated in writing by the Business or required by law. If an employee wishes to request an additional leave of absence, they must provide at least 30 days’ notice to their manager by submitting a completed Form C (Non-Statutory Leave Notice Form), which can be found in the Appendix hereto. However, if, due to their circumstances, the employee must commence a

leave before notifying management, then they must submit the completed Form C as soon as possible.