Employer FAQs About Leaves

Q. I understand that contributions aren't required when a member is away from work without my approval – is that correct?

A. Yes. This situation would be considered to be an absence, and contributions would not be required.

One way to distinguish between the two would be that an approved leave normally requires some sort of paperwork, while an absence would not.

Q. What if the leave – even if I approve it – is for Employment Standards Act reasons. For example, a family medical leave, an emergency leave, a pregnancy/parental leave, or a strike/lockout period. Are contributions still mandatory?

A. No. In ESA cases, it is up to the member to decide whether or not to make the contributions. If they decide to make them, the employer would have to match them.

Q. How does the "less than 31 day leave" provision work for part timers?

A. Basically, you have to go by the schedule, which is usually predictable, predefined and consistent. If a part-timer takes approved time off for a day when he or she is scheduled to work, contributions are deducted for that day as though the member was at work. If there is no approval, it's an absence, and contributions aren't required.

Q. What about a "scheduled day off" situation?

A. It is really up to your organization to decide how to treat such situations. Employers, and not HOOPP, can decide what types of situations constitute approved leaves, and then set rules around them.

Q. If there's one thing we can do to make this work, what would it be?

A. From the conversations we've had with employers, it appears that updating your payroll system able to accommodate leaves of 31 days or less in duration is a key step to take, as is developing or modifying internal policies and procedures on leaves that work best for your organization.

Q. Why didn't HOOPP make this a voluntary thing – the employees don't like it, sometimes.

A. The concern here was that while an employee may not be happy about making contributions today, that same employee will be a lot more unhappy when he or she finds out 20 years later than his or her contributory service and eligibility service is less than expected. Remind the employee that he or she will get a larger lifetime pension, as well as more favourable early retirement reductions, as a result of these contributions.

HOOPP also has FAQ pages for employers about health leaves, disability and general FAQs.