A Guide to Leaves Available to LRTA Teachers

Maternity, Adoptive and Parental Leave – Maternity Leave for female teachers provides up to 17 weeks of top-up to 90% of salary.  Adoptive Leave and Parental Leave (Parental Leave is effective January 1, 2007) are available to any teacher and provides up to 10 weeks of top-up to 90% of salary.  See Article 6.01 for eligibility, terms and conditions. 

Religious Leave – This leave provides up to 3 days per school year without loss of pay for a teacher to attend to religious holy days.  See Article 6.02 for details.

Release Time for MTS Business – This leave is used by LRTA Executive members, AGM delegates, and MTS provincial committee members to attend to business of the Association and the Society.  It also provides release time for the LRTA President and Vice Presidents.  See Article 6.03 for details.

Jury and Witness Duty – This leave allows a teacher to fulfill his/her civic responsibilities as a juror or witness.  There is no loss of salary.  See Article 6.05 for details.

Leave of Absence – This allows for an extended leave without pay (usually one school year).  There is a requirement to have worked for 4 years in the Division and there is a limit of 3 such leaves in a career (effective 2004-05).  See Article 6.05 for details.

Temporary Reduction in Contract Time – This leave without pay is used in “exceptional circumstances” and requires mutual agreement between the teacher and the Division.  See Article 6.06 for details.

Bereavement Leave – This provides leave with no loss of pay from 1 to 5 days in the event of the death of a relative.  Additional leave may be granted where travel is necessary.  Where circumstances warrant, additional leave may be granted at no more than cost of a substitute.  See article 6.07 for details.

Compassionate Leave – This provides up to 2 days leave with pay in the event of a serious illness of a family member.  See Article 6.08 for details.

Deferred Compensation Plan (formerly Deferred Salary Leave Provision) – Teachers employed for a minimum of 2 years may apply to the division on or before March 31 to have a percentage (may not exceed 33 1/3%) of salary deferred. Salary may be deferred for a maximum of 6 years prior to the leave of absence. Money deferred is paid to the participant during the leave of absence. Please contact the Association for the details of the plan.

Discretionary Leave –This leave provides up to 2 days per school year for a teacher to attend to personal business.   The first day of the leave is at no cost to the teacher (effective January 24, 2007). The second day of the leave is at cost of substitute per diem. See Article 6.10 for details. In Division policy, there is also an additional 1/2 day leave at no cost to attend your child’s high school or post-secondary graduation or to attend the teacher’s own post-secondary graduation.  See the policy for details (Policy GCCABB).

Retirement Leave –   This leave provides for 5 days paid leave upon submission of written early notice of retirement.  Deadlines for giving notice are February 1st for a June retirement and September 30th for a December retirement.  See Article 6.11 for details.

Recognition of Extra-curricular Activities – Effective September 1, 2007 a teacher may access a one day paid leave of absence per school year for performing 50 hours of eligible extra-curricular duties. See Article 6.12 for details.

Leaves in LRSD Policy Manual

The LRSD Policy Manual can be found on the Louis Riel School Division website

Family Leave – Policy GCCAB/GDCB.  A teacher may use up to 3 days of accumulated sick leave each year for each emergency involving a family member.  There is no deduction of salary – the cost to the teacher is the loss of sick days.  See the policy for details.

Educational Leave – Policy GCCAF/GCCBF.  This leave provides a teacher who has worked 5 years in the Division partial payment while attending to full-time studies.  The teacher receives the net difference between his/her salary and the salary of a first-year teacher in the same salary classification.  A maximum of 20 such leaves may be allocated in a year.  See the policy for details.

Graduation Leave - Policy CCCAB-1. This leave provides teachers 1/2 day at no cost to attend secondary or post secondary graduation ceremonies for their children or their own post-secondary graduation ceremonies. See the policy for details.

Leaves in Practice

This summary is meant as an overview and a guide only.  Please contact the Association at 929-5782 if you have specific questions or concerns.