If you require assistance with any type of leave from the University, please contact us
General Information
- If you will be requesting sick leave, please review UBC Policy HR4 – Leave Due to Illness of Members of Faculty.
- If you are called in for jury duty, we recommend that you contact Faculty Relations for assistance.
- Other types of leaves are governed by the Collective Agreement: Part 3 Leaves of Absence.
Study Leave and Professional Development Leave
Tenure and tenure-track faculty, and Librarians & Archivists are eligible for a leave of 6 or 12 months when they have served at least 4 years since their appointment or last study leave. The salary while on study leave depends on the length of eligible service and the faculty member’s salary/FTE during the eligibility period.
Lecturers are eligible for professional development leaves of 4 months (January to April or September to December) after 6 consecutive years of service. Salary during a PD leave is 80%.
To learn more about eligibility requirements and compensation options, please see the Collective Agreement: Part 3 Leaves of Absence. Additional information is available at UBC Human Resources.
Maternity Leave
Birth parents are entitled up to 16 weeks of maternity leave following the birth of a child. For more details, See Part 3, Article 7 of the Collective Agreement.
As a Faculty Association member you may be eligible for two different forms of benefit during your maternity leave: Employment Insurance (EI) from the federal government and the Supplemental Employment Benefits (SEB) provided by UBC.
If you meet the eligibility requirements, UBC SEB supplements your income by paying you the difference between the Employment Insurance (EI) benefit you receive from the federal government and 95% of your salary. These benefits are payable for 16 weeks which includes the one-week EI benefit waiting period when no EI benefits are paid and SEB provides 95% of your salary. Birth parents are also eligible for Parental Leave.
Parental Leave
Parental leave of up to 61 weeks may be taken by either parent, or shared between them. And, in the case of a birth parent, parental leave is provided in addition to the maternity leave. (Part 3, Article 7 of the Collective Agreement)
As a Faculty Association member you may be eligible for two different forms of benefit during your parental leave: Employment Insurance (EI) from the federal government and Supplemental Employment Benefits (SEB) provided by UBC. Although parental leave can be up to 61 weeks, not all of the leave is covered by SEB.
If you meet the eligibility requirements, SEB supplements your income by paying you the difference between the Employment Insurance (EI) benefit you receive from the federal government and 95% of your salary. If the birth parent takes the parental leave, SEB will top-up the EI benefits for 20 weeks; if the spouse or common-law partner of the birth parent takes the parental leave, SEB will top-up the EI benefits for 20 weeks and the one-week EI benefit waiting period, if needed.
For those who opt for the extended parental leave of 61 weeks, UBC will spread the SEB amount normally received over the 20 weeks over 61 weekly payments.
Adopting parents are eligible for parental leave and the associated SEB top-up.
Pre-Adoptive Leave
Adoptive parents may also request pre-adoption leave with pay of up to 20 days for each adoption process. The leave may be taken intermittently and for the purpose of adoption courses, suitability evaluations and completion of the associated legal processes in international locations. Please speak to your Head of Department if you are interested in this benefit.
If both parent work at the University, then each is eligible for the 20-days pre-adoptive leave.
For more information on Maternity, Parental and Adoptive Leave, please see UBC’s HR Benefits website.
Additional information on Employment Insurance benefits are available at EI Maternity and Parental Benefits.
Compassionate Care Leave (NEW June 2026)
Up to 27 weeks of Compassionate Care Leave is available to all FA members who must be absent form work to care for a family member (someone with whom you have a family-like relationship) who has a medical condition that requires care and has a significant risk of death in the next 26 weeks (6 months). If the member applies for and receives EI salary benefit during this leave the University will top up their earnings for 16 weeks to 95% of the pre-leave salary.
The Employment Standards Act provides more information about Compassionate Care Leave.
More information about Employment Insurance benefits for caregivers are available at EI Caregiving Benefits.
Funeral Leave (NEW June 2026)
All employees are eligible for 3 days of unpaid bereavement leave under the Employment Standards Act. As of June 2026, UBC will provide 1 of these days with pay per death up to 2 per year for all faculty, except Sessional Lecturers with less than a 50% FTE appointment, who may ask for the paid leave of a reasonable length.
The Employment Standards Act provides more information about Bereavement Leave.
Other Statutory Leaves
In addition to the leaves available under the Collective Agreement, most FA members will be eligible for unpaid, protected leaves under the Employment Standards Act.
Leave without Pay or Benefits
Your Dean may grant you a leave without pay or benefits of up to 2 years. Normally, this leave is granted in one-year terms. You may elect to continue your benefits coverage during this time by paying the full employer and employee portions.
Leave for Improving Basic Qualifications
You may be granted an unpaid leave to improve your basic qualifications (not a study leave), such as completing a PhD or obtaining a professional certification. During this time UBC will continue to make its normal payments to your pension and benefits so long as you continue to contribute your share.
Vacation
The normal vacation of a full-time faculty member is one month. Time off is arranged informally with your Head or Director.
Domestic or Sexual Violence Leave
All bargaining unit members are eligible for up to 5 days without loss of pay or benefits in the case where they, or their dependent, experiences domestic or sexual violence. In special circumstances this paid leave may be extended. All employees are also able to take an additional 5 days of unpaid leave and up to 15 weeks of unpaid protected leave, every calendar year. The unpaid portion of this leave may be covered by Employment Insurance. More information is available through HR at Domestic or Sexual Violence Leave.
Indigenous Leave for Ceremonial, Cultural or Spiritual Events
Indigenous faculty members may request up to 2 days per calendar year of leave to participate in ceremonial, cultural, or spiritual event(s). This leave is paid. Additional unpaid leave may be granted and faculty may use any available vacation time if they wish.
