Employee and Family Assistance Program, Available 24/7
Visit Homewood Health or Call 1.800.663.1142
Stay at Work
There are multiple resources available to support your well-being at work across the six dimensions of wellness. See RENEW – Resources Now for Employee Well-Being for all the information.
Sometimes a workplace accommodation is necessary to support a medical condition or disability in the workplace. Download the Employee Request for Accommodation Form for more information.
Medical Forms
Please note: Medical diagnoses are not requested. Personal information is kept secure and treated in a confidential manner according to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and standards of practice.
Webinar: Employee Accommodation at VIU
Welcome to this on-demand webinar on Employee Accommodation. Developed by Vancouver Island University in partnership with CUPE 1858, this webinar is available to all employees across all jurisdictions and campuses. Please allow 45 minutes to view and listen to the entire webinar and access the supplementary resources including the slides printout, the learning takeaway handout, and the included resource links.
Questions and feedback are invited at HR@viu.ca or CUPE@viu.ca.
Thank you to the committee members who collaborated in bringing this educational resource to you: Rob Campbell (CUPE); Jannine Grant (CUPE); Megan Bailey (Human Resources) and Josephine McNeilly (Human Resources).
Sick Leave Reporting
If you need to be off work due to illness or injury you will need to:
- Notify your Manager and Time Entry Designate (TED) promptly
- For each day you are off for a short-term leave, check in daily with your Manager and TED, so your leave can be recorded and updated in the system on a daily basis
- If you have more than one position, let your TED know from which position(s) you are taking sick leave
- Inform your TED of how many hours of work you are absent
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If you are on timesheets, submit a timesheet to your manager indicating your sick day. See FAQ: Employment Standards Sick Leave for more information.
If you are going to be off on a medical leave for longer than 2 weeks, please inform your Manager and Benefits Team as soon as possible. If you are unsure about your sick leave entitlement, please email Benefits@viu.ca. Everyone plays a part in ensuring sick leave is up-to-date and accurate. Thank you to TEDs, Managers and all employees!
Workplace Incidents
If any illness or injury is related to a workplace incident, please contact the Health and Safety Team at Safety@viu.ca as soon as possible. If you have missed time, or continue to miss time from work, please follow the steps outlined in the above section Sick Leave Reporting.
Return to Work
Insured Medical Leave
If you are on an approved claim with Manulife or WorkSafeBC, the insurer will be involved in the return-to-work planning process, when you are ready to return to work. All return-to-work situations are supported by medical documentation.
Non-Insured Medical Leave
If you have had a lengthy medical leave or a significant surgery and were not on an approved claim with Manulife or WorkSafeBC, medical clearance for your return to work will be requested, in order to support a safe and sustainable return to work. Depending on the circumstances, VIU may request a doctor’s note with recommendations, a Physician’s Assessment of Work Abilities form, or other documentation deemed necessary to help us support you to return to work safely.
Forms
- Physician's Assessment of Work Abilities Form - For Faculty and Administrators
- Physician's Assessment of Work Abilities Form - For CUPE Support Staff
Joint Rehabilitation Committees
BCGEU, VIUFA, and CUPE each have joint rehabilitation committees (JRCs), existing of union and employer representatives, to support employees to stay at work, access resources during a medical leave, and participate in the return-to-work process.
- BCGEU Joint Rehabilitation Committee Representative: Brad Jannaway
- CUPE Joint Rehabilitation Committee Representatives: Tiffany McLaughlin; Marg Taylor; Melisa Bergeron
- VIUFA Joint Rehabilitation Committee Representative: Dr. Anna Atkinson
- HR Joint Rehabilitation Committee Representative: Josephine McNeilly
VIU/CUPE Joint Early Intervention Program (JEIP)
The Joint Early Intervention Program (JEIP) is completely confidential, is fully supported by VIU and CUPE, and provides a proactive service that facilitates early health and wellness intervention, and a return to work in a caring, safe, and timely manner. Manulife Financial, through the Abilities Management Access Program (AMA), is the provider for our JEIP.
When you have been absent from work for more than five consecutive working days or there has been a pattern of absenteeism from work, a member of the Joint Rehabilitation Committee (JRC) will contact you. If it is determined that you will not be returning to work in the immediate future (2-3 days), the JRC will initiate the intake process. Learn more about the Joint Early Intervention Program here.
Contact Us
For more information about work wellness, medical leaves, and rehabilitation, please contact:
Josephine McNeilly, Specialist, Health, Well-Being and Benefits
Benefits@viu.ca, Fax: 250.740.6605