Leave of Absence Policy

PROBLEM:

In the current business climate, managing employee absences might be the toughest part of an HR director’s job. As absenteeism gnaws away at the entrails of Canadian businesses, there’s growing pressure on HR directors to keep track of employees on leave and get them back to work—or off your payroll—as quick as possible. To meet this challenge, it’s essential to keep in regular communication with employees who are on leave so you know what their situation is. But that’s not always easy. One of the biggest challenges: What to do when the employee on leave goes missing. Part of the answer is to establish clear rules of communication in your leave of absence policy.

HOW TOOL HELPS SOLVE THE PROBLEM:

Here’s language for a Model Policy prepared with the help of a Toronto employment lawyer that requires employees on leave to cooperate with the company and provide appropriate information regarding their status. More precisely, this is a provision that you should incorporate into your general policy on leaves of absence. Make sure you modify the policy to fit your own circumstances, including the terms of your collective agreement, if you have one.