Employment Standards
Unpaid Leaves
A Summary of Unpaid Leave Options
The Employment Standards Code provides a number of protected leaves to allow employees time to deal with certain events in their lives without risking the loss of their job.
Bereavement Leave
Bereavement leave allows employees unpaid time off to deal with the death of a family member, without fear of job loss.Compassionate Care Leave
Compassionate care leave gives employees the opportunity to take unpaid leave to care for or support a critically ill family member who has a significant risk of death within the next 26 weeks.
Family Leave
Family leave allows employees unpaid time off to deal with family responsibilities or personal illness without fear of job loss.
Leave for Citizenship Ceremony
Leave for a citizenship ceremony allows new Canadians to take up to four hours of unpaid leave for the purpose of attending their Canadian citizenship ceremonies.
Leave for Organ Donation
Leave for organ donation allows employees to take unpaid leave to donate an organ or tissue to another individual.
Leave for Reservists
Members of the Canadian Forces Reserves are entitled to unpaid leave and job protection while they are serving our country.
Leave Related to Critical Illness of a Child
This leave is unpaid time off work for up to 37 weeks to allow parents to provide care and support for a critically ill child who is under 18 years old.
Leave Related to the Death or Disappearance of a Child
This leave allows parents to take a leave of absence from work to help deal with the death or disappearance of a child that occurred as a result of a crime under the Criminal Code.
Maternity Leave
Maternity leave gives expectant mothers the opportunity to take unpaid leave from work, without the fear of job loss.
Parental Leave
Parental leave gives parents the opportunity to take an unpaid leave from work to care for a new child in their family without the fear of job loss.