Sick Leave
Who do I contact if I am sick and unable to come to work?
When an employee is away from work due to illness or injury, they should make every reasonable effort to contact their supervisor, or designate, as early as possible prior to commencement of your regular work day.
How do I find out the balance of my sick leave?
You and your department are responsible for reporting and tracking sick time. Check with your supervisor, or designate, should you have questions regarding your sick leave balance.
What are my sick benefit entitlements?
For regular employees, the rate of accumulation will be 1 ¼ working days per month, less any sick benefits used and any sick benefit bank assessment. Regular employees working less than full time will have pro-rated benefits
Term employees should contact their supervisor about sick benefit entitlements.
What if my illness/injury is a result of a car accident (ICBC) or workplace injury (WorkSafe BC )?
Please advise your physician, supervisor and/or Work Life Consultant if your injury/illness is related to ICBC or WorkSafe BC incident.
When do I contact a Work Life Consultant?
Any time you have questions, concerns or comments regarding sick leave, return to work or medical accommodation you are encouraged to contact your supervisor, Work Life Consultant or union representative.
If an employee is likely to be off work for 2 weeks or more, either you or your supervisor are asked to contact their Work Life Consultant as this early contact will greatly assist in providing employees and departments with the appropriate support.
When is a medical documentation required for sick leave?
Medical documentation maybe required at any time in case of illness or injury. However, requests for medical documentation for illnesses of less than 5 working days can be requested with the appropriate approval of the Associate Vice President of Human Resources.
What information should a medical document contain?
Your Doctor can provide you with medical documentation via a Doctor's note or CLICK HERE for a form which can assist you and your Doctor with capturing the following required information:
- Confirmation of an absence due to illness or injury
- Functional impact of the illness or injury where applicable
- Identify if a return to work is possible with modifications to the workplace or work tasks
- Prognosis for return to work or next medical reassessment date
Where the illness or injury requires medical accommodation in the workplace, additional medical information will be requested.
Who do I give my medical documentation to?
If you are comfortable, forward the medical documentation to your supervisor. Or you can forward your medical documentation to the Work Life Consultant assigned to your department.
Medical documentation received by your Work Life Consultant, is kept separate from your personnel file. After receiving medical documentation, the Work Life Consultant will update your supervisor with the prognosis for return to work and relevant functional limitations impacting you in the workplace.
Will I get reimbursed if my physician charges me for completion of a medical note?
When medical information is required or requested, your department will reimburse you after you have submitted a receipt.
What if I’m out of sick benefits?
You may be eligible to access CUPE 951’s Sick benefit bank, for further details contact your union representative.
What if I’m out of sick benefits and sick bank?
You may use days from your vacation and/or termination account to remain on full salary. You are responsible for giving authorization to your supervisor if you choose to use these days during sick leave.
In the event you have no vacation/termination account days, you can apply for employment insurance (EI) sickness benefits.
You will require a record of employment (ROE) for your EI application. Contact your supervisor or designate, as they will be responsible for completing a Position Status Change Request form and submitting this to HRIS in order for a ROE to be issued.
Who do I call if I have a question about my extended health or dental benefits?
Valerie McCubbin 250-472-4581 in the Human Resources, Benefits Office.
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Long Term Disability
What should I do if I’m likely to require more than 3 months to recover from injury or illness?
If at the end of three months, a medical opinion is provided to the University that your recovery from illness, injury or disability is unlikely within 6 months of the date of commencement of sick leave, you are advised to submit an application for long-term disability insurance benefits. An application for long term disability benefits can be attained by contacting your Work Life Consultant or Suzanne Helston, Manager Benefits, 721.8089.
What is Long Term Disability?
Long Term Disability is sick leave insurance to cover a percentage of your wage loss, after you have been disabled from work for more than 6 months. BC Life is our insurance carrier.
Can I return to work after being on Long Term Disability?
Yes, your supervisor, Work Life Consultant, union representative and a BC Life representative will assist you in safely returning to work, once you are medically able, with or without a medical accommodation.
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Return to Work
What is the return to work program?
The return to work program is a collaborative team process to promote recovery, provide early intervention and facilitate timely return to work. The goal of the return to work program is to establish and maintain professional and accountable working relationships with employees, supervisors, union, and physicians to develop an individualized return to work plan which meets your medical needs and the department’s operational requirements.
What is the purpose of the return to work program?
The purpose of this program is to identify and assist with the removal of any barriers that may inhibit the return to work process for employees with a temporary or permanent injury, illness or disability.
How does the return to work program benefit me?
- Maintains self esteem, family stability, social ties
- Maintains job skills
- Retains productive employment
- Resumes “routine” life activities sooner and with less uncertainty about the future
What’s important to tell my physician about the return to work program at UVIC?
Under the program, there are various options that can be explored on a case-by-case basis to ensure you have a safe and sustainable return to work as soon as you are medically able.
Your Work Life Consultant has a medical form for your physician to complete in order to ensure a safe and sustainable accommodation is arranged.
Who do I contact regarding my return to work?
As soon as you and your physician are discussing your return to work date, please update your supervisor so they can meet their workplace’s operational requirements and start planning for your return. In some cases, additional medical documentation and /or a return to work meeting may be required to ensure your return is safe and sustainable and any medical limitations are understood.
What is a return to work plan?
If you are returning to work part time, or with medical limitations, your return to work should be documented in a return to work plan. An effective return to work plan:
- will be consistent with the individual injury and specific job
- will ensure your safety and the safety of others
- is based on medical information provided by your physician
What might a return to work plan include?
- Work site and job modification
- Change the way a task is done
- Change routine or schedule
- Acquisition of equipment and /or tools
Is there financial assistance for departments when specialized equipment is required to assist an employee?
Yes, the University has set aside a central accommodation fund to assist departments when accommodating employees. This is a cost-sharing fund that covers the purchase of equipment (e.g. chairs, software) and specialized services (e.g. hearing interpreter) that may be needed for a medical accommodation
Can I return to work part time?
Possibly, if your physician has outlined your medical limitations and recommended a graduated return to work, an appropriate schedule can be developed. This may be reviewed and discussed with you, your supervisor, a Work Life Consultant and union representative. As co workers are often affected, the supervisor may also discuss the impact of the accommodation with them.
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Medical Accommodation
What is a medical accommodation?
A medical accommodation is a measure to assist an individual who has demonstrated a medical need resulting in a reduced ability to perform or fulfill the substantive duties of a job. Medical accommodations are developed when there is a request from an employee that is supported by appropriate medical documentation and allows for operational requirements to be met. Supervisors can also inquire with an individual if a medical accommodation is required.; A medical accommodation may be implemented in conjunction with a return to work plan or be requested while you are still working.
What does a medical accommodation look like?
A medical accommodation may include:
- Work site and job modification
- Work assessment
- Change the way a task is done
- Change routine or work schedule
- Acquisition of equipment and /or tools
What do I do if I need a medical accommodation?
As an employee it is your responsibility to:
- establish in writing your need for a medical accommodation
- discuss the request with your supervisor and physician
- provide medical documentation regarding the functional impacts of the disability, injury or illness
- cooperate with the University while they develop a medical accommodation
Any medical accommodation will be based on medical documentation provided by your physician. Your Work Life Consultant has a medical form for your physician to complete. The completed form will assist in the development of your safe and sustainable medical accommodation.
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