699 Leave Policy Grievance

Bargaining agents have been actively engaged in consultations with TB in relation to 699 leave.  You will recall that those who are unable to work all their hours on account of competing family obligations, can use 699 leave to make up the difference.  Now that some school and day cares are reopening, we received many questions, most of which have been addressed by DOJ and PPSC where they both have taken the position that 699 leave will continue to be available.  

Since then, TB has issued a document providing further guidance to departments on 699 leave and essentially allows managers to exercise discretion as it relates to circumstances where parents feel conflicted on sending their children to school or daycare.  While some departments are expected to continue to make 699 leave available and respect parents’ right to choose, the Immigration Review Board of Canada has since adopted TB’s recently issued guidelines.   Other departments may be following suit.

As such, on behalf of all our members, the AJC has filed a CoViD-19 related policy grievance on the use of 699 leave where schools and/or day cares have reopened so that members are not forced to choose between their children’s safety and the risk of losing their income.   This policy grievance focuses on provisions within the Collective Agreement related to management rights, non-discrimination and the Charter rights of lawyers and their loved ones. 

We will keep you informed of the developments in this grievance process in coming weeks.