Sick Leave Protocol for CUPE 3338 Members (Continuing) - Relaunching effective July 1, 2023
Absences of more than 5 days (35 hours)
For extended absences more than 5 continuous days, the University may require a medical note satisfactory to the University.
Absences of 4 weeks or more
For extended absences that will extend, or have extended to 4 weeks or more, the supervisor will advise their staff that the University requires an Attending Physician Statement (APS) completed by the employee’s medical practitioner. The APS form must be submitted directly to the Wellness & Recovery (W&R) office as soon as possible during or after the 4 week period.
The supervisor will stay in touch with their employee during their sick leave and will refer them to the W&R office.
W&R staff will connect with the employee to offer support and resources if applicable. They will stay in touch for the duration of the sick leave.
Absences totaling 4 occurrences AND 14 days (98 hours) in any 12 month period
The new threshold for casual sick leave is 4 occurrences (full or partial sick days) AND a total of 14 days (98 hours) in the preceding 12 month period.
The direct supervisor will receive a system-generated email when the threshold is reached and will discuss this with the employee. If the employee has not disclosed the existence of a chronic illness which has impacted their sick leave, the supervisor will provide a letter confirming their discussion. The letter will indicate that medical certificates will be required for all future sick leaves for the next 6 months, and that they have been referred to the W&R office.
Once the 6 months has expired, the Supervisor will advise the employee in writing that medical certificates will no longer be required for each sick leave.
We encourage you to review the Q&A page in detail as it explains the new protocol and provides examples.
If you have any questions regarding the new protocol, please contact the Organizational Health office org_health@sfu.ca, or your applicable HR Business Partner Team or CUPE representative info@cupe3338.ca.