Leaves of Absence

Conference/Convention Leave Article 22 of the Collective Agreement outlines the terms and conditions for Faculty, Librarians, AAS and Sessional Lecturers to ask for Conference and Convention Leave. In general, a member must apply to his/her Dean, or Head as designate of the Dean for the leave. Members should be aware that the University must ensure the uninterrupted continuation of programs and quality of service when they consider a request for conference and convention leave. In light of this responsibility, leave under this clause shall not be withheld unreasonably. To see the complete text of Article 22, click here. For information on per diem or vehicle travel allowance, click here For information on professional development and membership fees reimbursement (Article I - applicable to conference and convention leave) click here.
 
Leave without Salary 19:01 Leave of absence with full salary and benefits shall be granted to any member, other than a member on leave of absence without salary, to serve on a jury or attend as a witness in a proceeding which requires a member to be in attendance as a matter of civic or public duty in a court of justice or before any legal or statutory body with power to compel the attendances of witnesses before it. The University may grant such leave for such proceeding in a serious action in which the member is a plaintiff if the member's presence as a witness is required. This shall not apply in a case where the member's action is against the University.
 
Political Leave Under Article 18 of the Collective Agreement, Political Leave can be granted to members, including leave of absence for campaign purposes. Certain conditions may apply. For the full text of the Political Leave section of the Collective Agreement, click on the link above.
 
Sabbatical Leave Under Article 17 of the Collective Agreement, a Sabbatical Leave is defined as follows: ‘A period during which a member with tenure or permanence is relieved of normal teaching and administrative duties in order to pursue a program of independent study and research or creative activities. Sabbatical leave has two (2) immediate purposes: to allow members to improve themselves academically or professionally; and to allow members to engage in research activities. A sabbatical leave serves the further objectives of improved teaching, excellence in research and scholarly and artistic or creative publications or activities, and more useful University service.’ A member must have worked continually for at least six years in order to apply for a sabbatical leave of six or twelve months. (Note: six months is paid at 100% nominal salary and 2 weeks vacation IF the previous 6 years have been sabbatical-free. If not, the 6-month sabbatical is at 80% nominal salary. A twelve month sabbatical is paid at 80% nominal salary and includes 1 month vacation.  A first-time sabbaticant who has never had a sabbatical before at any institution will receive 90% of salary.) A tenured member must work at least three years without a break in employment to apply for a six-month sabbatical. This applies equally to librarian members with permanence. Applications for sabbatical must include a detailed written plan of proposed study/research or other planned activity to the Head or Dean by September 1 of the academic year preceding the leave request. The CV which accompanies the application must be submitted in electronic format. For assistance in completing the electronic CV form, contact Purita Bristow, IT Services, ext. 2738. Leave a message; she’s a busy gal. Various conditions can apply to Sabbatical Leave, including Court Leave, Compassionate Leave, Pregnancy & Parental Leave, etc. If you should become so ill that your sabbatrical will be undermined, you should contact your Dean to have your sabbatical changed to sick leave and preserve your sababtical for a later date. A member on sabbatical leave is entitled to 30 days notice of any pending decisions affecting workload, working conditions or his/her status at the University and the onus is on the member to keep the University informed of any address changes so such notices can be forwarded. Denial of sabbatical leave is subject to the grievance process. If the member is involved in a grievance at the time of sabbatical, the process can be suspended for the time of the sabbatical leave. For further information on Sabbatical Leaves, please see Article 17, read the "Sabbatical Handbook" under the Handbooks section of the WUFA website, or contact the Faculty Association at (519) 253-3000 ext. 3366 or wufa@uwindsor.ca
 
Study Leave Under Article 23 of the Collective Agreement, a Study Leave is available to Librarian members, Sessional Lecturers and Ancillary Academic Staff (AAS, AAS:LS) to provide an opportunity for work-related course work or study. The maximum amount of time granted for study leave is sixteen weeks. The leave is normally taken as one block of time but can altered by mutual agreement between the member and his/her Dean. A member must have worked continually for at least three years in order to apply for a study leave. Applications for study leave must include a detailed written plan of proposed study/research or other planned activity to the Dean or designate. Librarians must submit the plan at least 90 days prior to the proposed leave date, and Sessional Lecturers/AAS must submit the plan at least 180 days in advance. A reply must be provided to the applicant no later than 30 days before the proposed start of leave. All successful applicants will receive 80% of their salary during the study leave, and can apply for assistance towards the cost of a study leave for expenses such as fees, books, travel, etc to a maximum 10% of their normal salary. The granting of study leave is subject to certain conditions which are outlined in Article 23. For further information on Study Leaves, please see Article 23 or contact the Faculty Association at (519) 253-3000 ext. 3366 or wufa@uwindsor.ca