Your Rights, Explained

Sick Days

HOW MANY SICK DAYS DO I GET?

The following is how the College allots your sick days.

When a teacher is first hired into the Regular sector — and only then — six (6) sick days are automatically added to their sick bank. Every teacher, regardless of their workload, is credited with these six days.

Every year on September 1, seven (7) sick days are credited to each full-time Regular sector teacher; for part-time teachers, that number is prorated to their workload. These seven days constitute your ‘current sick days’ for the year and are not cumulative. However, if the total number of sick days in your bank is less than or equal to thirteen (13) on June 30, your unused current sick days are added to your sick bank. (No unused current sick days are added to your bank if you have more than thirteen sick days in your bank.) Unused days cannot be converted into cash.

If you take a leave (other than a parental leave or a sick leave), the seven current sick days are adjusted on a prorata basis to the impact of the leave on your availability.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I’M SICK?

You must notify the College (your Sector Dean’s office) as soon as possible, and you must identify exactly which classes have to be cancelled. Each Dean has a phone number dedicated to absences, so you can call anytime. Your absence will be posted on the Cancelled Classes board and on the College website.

Upon your return to work, you will need to fill out a Certificate of Absence as promptly as possible. The form is available from Human Resources (4B.7), from your Sector Dean, and on the Dawson website (in the ‘Online Forms’ section). Clearly indicate on the Certificate of Absence whether you were unavailable for only half of a day (e.g. for a medical appointment).

The College may request that you provide a medical certificate any time that you take a sick day. However, it usually does not do so unless your absence extends beyond five (5) days. If the College requests a medical certificate from a teacher absent for fewer than 4 days, it is at their expense.

WILL I GET PAID?

The first five (5) consecutive days of absence are paid at 100% of your salary, provided you have enough sick days available in your sick bank. If you have no sick days remaining, then you are simply not paid. After five working days of illness, you are placed on salary insurance (also referred to as short-term disability insurance). Subsequent sick days are paid at 85% of your normal salary for the first year, and at 66 2/3% for the second year. Note that during your sick leave, you are exempt from paying RREGOP premiums, and your long-term disability and life insurance premiums are waived as of the 30th day of your illness.

After this two-year period, you may be eligible to collect benefits under our long-term disability insurance policy, which is optional for most non-permanent teachers but compulsory for permanent teachers. If you do not have long-term disability insurance, you will not receive any income. Your health insurance premiums will also be waived once you become eligible for long-term disability benefits.

Neither short-term nor long-term disability insurance affects your sick day bank balance.

FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES

You have the right to be absent from work for up to ten (10) days per year to fulfill obligations relating to the care, health or education of your child or your spouse’s child, or for health reasons related to your spouse, father, mother, brother, sister or grandparent. You can use up to six (6) sick days for these absences. The remaining four (4) are without pay. These days may be divided into half-days. You must inform the College of your intention to avail yourself of these days as soon as possible.