Requesting a Leave of Absence-LOA

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Sometimes members need time away from work for personal, family, educational, health-related, or other serious reasons. A Leave of Absence — often called an LOA — is one way to request that time.

Your rights start with the ONA Collective Agreement. Employer policies may explain process, but they do not override the Collective Agreement.

Under the Collective Agreement, a personal unpaid leave of absence must be requested in writing.

The request should be submitted as far in advance as possible. There is no fixed number of days listed for a regular personal unpaid leave, but the earlier you submit it, the stronger your position will be.

The Hospital must provide a written response within 14 days, except in an emergency, where a response should be provided as soon as possible.

The important language is this:

A personal unpaid leave “shall not be unreasonably withheld.”

That means the Hospital can review the request, but it should not deny a leave arbitrarily, unfairly, or without properly considering the circumstances.

Yes, an LOA can be denied — but not for just any reason.

If your request is denied, ask for the denial and the reason in writing, then contact the Union.

The Union will look at whether the Hospital considered the request properly, whether the reason makes sense, and whether the denial may be unreasonable under the Collective Agreement.

Before submitting your request, be clear about:

The dates

Include the requested start date, end date, and expected return-to-work date.

The reason

You do not need to over-disclose personal information. Give enough information to explain the basis for the request, but do not provide unnecessary private details.

The impact on benefits, seniority, service, vacation, pension, and wage progression

Extended unpaid leaves can have consequences. For full-time nurses, an unpaid absence of more than 30 continuous calendar days may affect seniority and service accumulation after the first 30 days, unless another Collective Agreement or legal provision protects the leave.

Members may also become responsible for benefit premium costs during certain unpaid leaves. Always ask the Hospital to confirm the impact in writing before the leave begins.

Whether another type of leave applies

Some situations may have stronger protections than a general personal LOA. This may include pregnancy or parental leave, family medical leave, domestic or sexual violence leave, education leave, union leave, accommodation-related leave, WSIB-related absence, or illness/disability-related absence.

If your request is connected to disability, illness, family status, pregnancy, violence, or another protected ground, contact the Union before submitting the request.

Approved leaves should not be treated the same as culpable attendance issues. Leaves under Article 11 and Employment Standards Act leaves are not to be counted for the purpose of being placed on, or progressing through, an attendance management program.

If an approved leave is being used against you in attendance management, contact the Union.

You can use this wording as a starting point:

Pursuant to Article 11.01 of the ONA Collective Agreement, I am requesting a personal leave of absence without pay from [start date] to [end date], with an anticipated return-to-work date of [date].
The reason for this request is [brief general reason].
Please provide your written response in accordance with Article 11.01.
Please also confirm, in writing, the impact of this leave, if approved, on my benefits, HOOPP, seniority, service, vacation, wage progression, and return-to-work rights.

Contact the Union if:

The Hospital denies your LOA without a clear written reason.

The Hospital does not respond in writing within the Collective Agreement timeline.

You are told to resign instead of requesting a leave.

You are asked to provide unnecessary personal or medical details.

The leave is connected to disability, illness, family status, pregnancy, domestic or sexual violence, or another protected ground.

The Hospital says the LOA will affect your job, seniority, benefits, or attendance record and you are not sure if that is correct.

Put the request in writing.

Give as much notice as possible. 

Do not over-disclose. 

Ask for the impact on your rights in writing.

And if the request is denied or feels off, contact your ONA Local.

You do not have to navigate it alone.