Which leaves you can buy - Teachers
Buying service for a leave
Learn more about leave types, purchase options, the value of purchasing service, costs, and deadlines.
Which leaves you can buy
A leave of absence is time away from work that your employer approves. You may be able to buy service for different types of leave, including:
- Employment Standards Act (ESA) leaves
- General leaves
- General shared leaves
- Other unpaid leaves
The type of leave you take matters. It affects:
- How much it costs
- How you can pay for it
Keep reading to learn what applies to your situation.
Employment Standards Act (ESA) leaves
Provincially regulated leaves you’re eligible to take. The cost to buy service is shared between you and your employer.
Some ESA leaves may be taken in more than one period. For example, serious illness or injury leave may be taken in one-week periods, up to a maximum of 27 weeks within a 52-week period.
Refer to the table below for ESA leave limits by type of leave. Although this list is regularly updated, you should consult your employer or the ESA for the most up-to-date leaves and additional important information.
| Leave of absence type | Leave limits |
|---|---|
| Maternity | 17 weeks |
| Parental - Birth parent that has taken Maternity leave | 61 weeks |
| Parental – Non-birth parent | 62 weeks |
| Adoption | 62 weeks |
| Compassionate Care | 27 weeks |
| Disappearance of a Child | 52 weeks |
| Death of a Child | 104 weeks |
| Critical Illness/Injury for family members under 19 | 36 weeks |
| Critical Illness/Injury for family members over 19 | 16 weeks |
| Domestic or Sexual Violence | 5 days paid, 5 days unpaid |
| Bereavement | 3 days |
| Covid-19 Related | As circumstances apply |
| Personal Illness or Injury | 5 days paid, 3 days unpaid |
| Serious Illness or Injury | 27 weeks |
| Family Responsibility | 5 days |
General leaves
If you have taken an employer-approved leave of absence that does not fall under any of the ESA leave types, it is a “general” leave. This includes reservists’ leave. You can buy service after the leave has ended.
General shared leaves
General shared leaves are general leaves where your employer pays its share of the cost, if this is included in your collective agreement.
Other unpaid leaves
If you take unpaid or partially paid leave, you can buy service for the time you were not contributing to the plan.
If your leave is fully paid, you continue to earn service and do not need to buy it. Your pension contributions continue during a paid leave.
Layoff periods
You can buy service for a period of layoff as a general leave of absence if:
- You were laid off and placed on a recall list.
- You worked a continuing contract or had seniority rights at the time of layoff and were eligible and chose to join the recall list.
- You worked a temporary contract and were laid off before the contract expired, and were eligible and chose to join the recall list. In this case, you can apply to purchase the remaining months of your temporary contract
You must apply to buy service for a layoff period either while you are an active member or within 30 days of ending employment with all plan employers.
If you expect your layoff will extend beyond six months, and your recall rights have not expired, you must apply within 30 days after the six-month period ends. This is because after six months the plan considers you to have terminated employment for pension purposes.