Critically ill child

An employee who has worked for an employer for six consecutive months to take an unpaid leave of up to 37 weeks to care for or support a critically ill child who is a family member.

The employee must provide a certificate from a qualified medical practitioner or nurse practitioner stating that the child requires care or support.

The leave period starts on the first day of the week in which the certificate is issued and ends either when the child dies or after 52 weeks.

If the employee is caring for more than one critically ill child, the leave period starts on the first day of the week in which the first certificate is issued for any of the children and ends either when the last child dies or after 52 weeks.

Multiple employees can take a leave of absence for the same critically ill child, but the aggregate amount of leave cannot exceed 37 weeks during the same period. The employee must give the employer written notice at least two weeks before taking the leave, and the leave must be taken in periods of at least one week.

Critically ill adult

Employees are entitled to take up to 17 weeks of unpaid leave from their job to care for a critically ill adult family member.

To qualify for this leave, the employee must:

• have worked for their employer for at least six months and

• have a certificate from a qualified medical or nurse practitioner stating that the adult family member requires care and support.

The leave can only be taken in periods of at least one week, and the employee must give their employer written notice at least two weeks before the leave starts (unless the circumstances require a shorter notice period).

The total amount of leave that can be taken by multiple employees for the same critically ill adult cannot exceed 17 weeks.

YK ESA s.60.02, 60.02.01