Last Update: March 2023

Regular Employment Insurance

Occasional teachers may be paid regular benefits during non-teaching periods: typically summer 2-months July/August break, 2-week December/January break and 1-week March break.

This page on Service Canada can provide you with more information. Note: there are no longer any codes needed.

ETFO has also published a Member's Guide to EI for support which can be found when logged in to the ETFO Secure portal:  https://members.etfo.ca/resources/member-advice/member-advice

Your Record of Employment (ROE) is automatically issued electronically to Service Canada from the BWDSB after your last pay stub is received in the summer. If you require a record of employment to be issued at another time during the school year, you need to request it from [email protected] and include your employee ID.

For bi-weekly reporting purposes, a day of teaching shall be recognized as eight (8) hours and a 1.0 day of work is $253.00 (Sept 1. 2021 Daily OT rate plus vacation and statutory holiday pay) of earnings before deductions. 

Qualifying hours are based on where you live, which can be looked up by Postal Code. 

 

Pregnancy / Parental Leave & Employment Insurance

This Bluewater OT Pregnancy / Parental Checklist will help you prepare for your leave.

 

ETFO has published a Member's Guide to Pregnancy and Parental Leave which can be found when logged in to the ETFO Secure portal: https://members.etfo.ca/resources/member-advice/member-advice

The booklet sets out a general guide to member rights and responsibilities under the Employment Standards Act, the Employment Insurance Act, and a reference to checking your Local Collective Agreement (clauses listed below). 

Will the school board top up my Pregnancy/Parental EI benefits? The ETFO Memorandum of Understanding negotiated with the provincial government outlined changes to employee top-ups or Supplemental Employment Benefits (SEB). Eligible employees include teachers in long-term occasional assignments with the length of benefit limited by the term of the assignment and commencing with the birth of the child. Teachers on daily occasional assignments are not entitled to the benefit. Boards will provide a top-up benefit at 100% of your LTO salary for a total of eight weeks.

For BWDSB Human Resource contact information, please touch base with the Local President. 

 

2019-2022 Bluewater Occasional Teacher Local Collective Agreement Clauses pertaining to Pregnancy and Parental Leaves: 

14.03 Pregnancy/Parental/Adoption Leave
Pregnancy/Parental/Adoption Leave provisions are provided in C10.2 of the Central Agreement.

14.03.01
Pregnancy/Parental/Adoption Leaves will be in accordance with the current Employment Standards Act (Pregnancy and Parental Leave) at the time of application.

14.03.02
A long term occasional teacher’s request for pregnancy/parental/adoption leave must be in writing to the long term occasional teacher’s principal and forwarded to the Superintendent of Education with Responsibility for Human Resources at least two (2) weeks before the date the leave is to begin, or two (2) weeks after the long term occasional teacher stops working due to circumstances where the child comes into custody, care, or control of the parent for the first time sooner than expected. The written request should state the date the leave is to begin and expire.

14.03.03
Upon request by Superintendent of Education with Responsibility for Human Resources, a medical certificate stating the expected birth date shall be supplied by the long term occasional teacher.

14.03.04
A long term occasional teacher intending to adopt a child should give the Superintendent of Education with Responsibility for Human Resources, through the principal, notice, where possible, of the intent to adopt, so that when the child becomes available the long term occasional teacher may cease duty immediately.

14.03.05
The long term occasional teacher shall continue to accrue seniority during pregnancy/parental/adoption leaves.

14.03.06
A long term occasional teacher who has given notice to the Board of the long term occasional teacher’s intention of beginning or ending pregnancy/ parental/adoption leaves may revise those time limits, providing the request is in writing to the Superintendent of Education with Responsibility for Human Resources or designate at least two (2) weeks before the original date the leave was to begin, and at least four (4) weeks before the original date the leave was to end.

20.03
If a pregnant Member, during her regular duties, is exposed to diseases or physical dangers which may cause harm to the unborn child, or, if a Member who has returned to work after a pregnancy leave, is exposed to diseases or physical dangers which may cause harm for the child whom she is breastfeeding, a solution to this situation will be realized by:
a) consideration of altering the commencement date of the pregnancy leave if the dangerous condition relates to the Member’s physical abilities;
b) temporary assignment to another location or duties;
c) use of sick leave credits.

 

Letter of Agreement: Re Employer Insurance
Letter of Agreement
RE: Employer Insurance: Establishing the Number of Insurable Hours
It is understood and agreed by the parties that, subject to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, Federal Department (HRSD) rules, the daily hours of work for a full day assignment, for E.I. Reporting purposes, shall be recognized as eight (8).