Post-Administrative Leave (PAL) Policy for Associate Deans
1. This policy governs the paid leave of Associate Deans (or equivalent) who are Associate Members of the Toronto Metropolitan Faculty Association (TFA). These individuals will be referred to as Associate Deans throughout this policy.
2. Paid leave is considered an investment toward increasing both the quality of programs of study and the scholarly, research, and creative activities at the University by allowing an eligible member:
a. to devote more time to scholarship, research and/or creativity, and/or
b. to acquire relevant experience in areas related to their specialization, with the objective of enabling them to make their teaching more complete and more appropriate to the needs of their department or other units within the University;
c. In particular, leave after a period as an Associate Dean is intended to provide sufficient time to re-establish or enhance research and/or teaching skills to prepare for return to the professoriate.
3. The University acknowledges that the taking of paid leaves of absence by tenured faculty members for the purpose of academic refreshment or expansion of experience is to the benefit of the University and its students. Therefore, the University agrees to grant Associate Deans a paid leave of absence based on the length of their term(s) as Associate Dean. An Associate Dean will normally be eligible for a post-administrative leave after the accumulation of the requisite number of credits as provided in paragraph 7 below.
4. Associate Deans are encouraged to take their post-administrative leaves immediately after the term of their appointment. As this is not always possible, Associate Deans will earn post-administrative leave (PAL) credits throughout the term of their appointment, which they can accumulate and utilize at a later date. The PAL credit schedule is outlined below in paragraph 5.
5. The normal term of an Associate Dean’s appointment is five years. Associate Deans will accrue 1.5 credits for each half year of full time service for the first four years of their term, and two (2) PAL credits for each half year of full time service in their fifth year. If the Associate Dean should continue in their position beyond a fifth year the cycle of awarding of PAL credits will start anew.
The following is an illustration of the schedule of PAL credits:
Year |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||||||||||
1st or 2nd |
1st
|
2nd |
1st |
2nd |
1st |
2nd |
1st |
2nd |
1st |
2nd |
1st |
2nd |
1st |
2nd |
1st |
2nd |
1st |
2nd |
1st |
2nd |
PAL Credits |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
2* |
2* |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
2* |
2* |
*If the fifth year is not completed PAL credits for that year will be prorated based on three (3) PAL credits a year.
6. Associate Deans that do not serve their full term, or those that fill an interim position, will receive PAL credits on a prorated basis. Periods of leave, other than Post Admin Leave, of 6 months or more with or without pay, including periods on long-term disability, do not lead to accrual of PAL credits. Periods on any leave protected by the Ontario Human Rights Code will accrue full credit, except for disability as stated immediately above.
7. Associate Deans with a reduced workload will accrue PAL credits on a prorated basis that is reflective of their reduced workload.
8. PAL credits may be used, by tenured faculty members, to provide a post-administrative leave according to the following schedule:
a. half-year leave at 85% salary, 6 credits
b. half-year leave at 90% salary, 7 credits
c. half-year leave at 95% salary, 8 credits
d. half-year leave at 100% salary, 9 credits
e. full-year leave at 85% salary, 12 credits
f. full year leave at 92.5% salary, 14 credits
g. full-year leave at 100% salary, 16 credits
9. During their term Associate Deans receive their regular TFA salary plus an administrative stipend. The salary noted in paragraph 8 is in reference to Associate Deans’ TFA base salary. Regardless of when the post-administrative leave is taken the member will be paid a percentage (up to 100%) of their TFA base salary (excluding the administrative stipend), based on the number of PAL credits they have accumulated, as outlined in paragraph 8. These individuals will return to regular TFA membership at the beginning of their leave and will pay TFA dues as a regular member of the TFA.
10. The accumulation of PAL credits is separate and distinct from the sabbatical provisions and credits in the TFA collective agreement, and the two cannot be intermixed. While Associate Deans are not permitted to combine their sabbatical credits and post-administrative leave credits to take a sabbatical leave, a post-administrative leave and a sabbatical leave can be taken consecutively, for a total period of twelve months, if approved through their respective approval processes.
11. If the member has sabbatical credits in addition to their PAL credits they are required to use their PAL credits for their paid leave prior to using their sabbatical credits.
12. Unlike sabbaticals, there will be no reduction in credits required for an Associate Dean’s first post-administrative leave.
13. Members may not use credits prior to having accrued them.
14. Members may choose to use as many or as few credits as they wish for their paid leave in accordance with the table in paragraph 8 above. Remaining credits will be retained and may be used for future post-administrative leaves, subject to the provisions of this policy.
15. Taking paid post-administrative leave as salary alone (i.e. monetizing the paid leave) is not permitted.
16. Post-administrative leaves are contingent on the individual returning to TMU upon completion of the leave. A member must return to work for at least half a year after taking a half-year post-administrative leave, and for at least one year after taking a one-year post-administrative leave. However, Associate Deans can take a PAL and sabbatical leave consecutively for a total of twelve months, as outlined in paragraph 9 above. In the event that the Associate Dean begins alternative employment at the conclusion of their administrative appointment, or in the event that they take up alternative employment during their post administrative leave period, their employment relationship with the University shall cease immediately and their salary, benefits, pension will terminate on the date of their deemed resignation. In this circumstance they shall waive any period of paid post-administrative leave not already received by them.
17. An Associate Dean's first work obligation while on post-administrative leave is the fulfillment of the terms of their leave duties. Members may engage in outside employment while on post-administrative leave only to the extent that such employment does not interfere with the faculty member's leave obligations to TMU. A faculty member on post-administrative leave shall report to the University any outside remuneration received while on leave, which would not have been received had he/she not been on leave. Such reporting shall be made at the time of application for post-administrative leave.
18. During the first academic semester after returning from paid leave, a faculty member shall provide to their Dean a written report of activities undertaken and objectives accomplished while on paid leave, including any outside remuneration received whilst on leave, consistent with paragraph 16 above.
19. While on leave the Associate Dean will continue to participate in the medical, dental, extended health, and Group Life Insurance benefits.
20. In addition to the benefits covered above, the Associate Dean must contribute to their pension based on salary while on leave, and will continue to be covered by the provisions of the Long Term Disability Plan. Members of the TMU Pension Plan have the option of contributing to the pension plan on the basis of their notional TFA salary. In the case of disability, the benefit will be 80 per cent of the Associate Dean’s notional TFA salary. The premiums for the benefits will be shared as if the Associate Dean were in active employment.
21. When a post-administrative leave of 12 months is interrupted by parental/maternity leave, or sick leave of more than three months, or other such extenuating circumstances, and when such conditions or circumstances are documented by the member and approved by the University, such approval not to be unreasonably denied, PAL credits shall be returned to the member for time planned but not taken on post-administrative leave. In such cases, credits are rounded to the nearest 0.5 credit. For a post-administrative leave of six months in duration, if the interruption is more than six weeks then this provision will apply.
Updated: April 7, 2020