Service Leaves

Reserve force service leave is an unpaid, job-protected leave for the required period of service.

Employees with more than 13 consecutive weeks of service with the employer, who are military reservists and are deployed to an international operation or an operation within Canada, that is or will be providing assistance in dealing with an emergency or its aftermath, training, and regular deployment, are eligible for reserve force service leave.

Upon returning, an employee is entitled to return to the same job if the employment leave is for 60 days or less. If the leave is longer than 60 days, the employee can be reinstated to a comparable job. The employee must receive at least the same wages and benefits as before the leave.

Regular Deployment

Written notice must be provided to the employer at least four weeks before leave will begin. The notice should state when leave will begin and when the employee expects to return to work.

The employer may ask the employee to provide confirmation from a reserve force official of the employee's reserve force status, and the anticipated period of service.

Emergency Deployment

If it is not possible to give four weeks' written notice due to the emergent nature of the leave, then an employee must give notice as soon as possible. The employee must also notify the employer as soon as possible of his or her anticipated period of service.

Nomination/election and candidate/public office leaves is an unpaid leave for a reasonable period for nomination or, if elected, the length of the term of office. The entitlement is for one period of leave. This leave applies to municipal, provincial, federal, school board and band council nominations, elections and offices.

An employee must have worked with the employer for more than 13 consecutive weeks to be eligible for this leave. Written notice must be provided to the employer at least four weeks before the leave begins. The employee must also notify the employer four weeks before their return date on when they will be returning.

Upon returning, an employee is entitled to return to the same job if the employment leave is for 60 days or less. If the leave is longer than 60 days, the employee can be reinstated to a comparable job. The employee must receive the same wages and benefits as before the leave.

Employees who have worked with an employer for more than 13 consecutive weeks and who are new Canadian citizens are eligible for one day of unpaid Citizenship Ceremony Leave. Employees must provide notice to the employer as soon as possible before the leave.