Scheduling Options and Accommodation Procedures for TFA Members

At the start of the winter term, faculty members are provided the opportunity to request dependent care and/or compressed work week (commonly referred to as a “Research Day”) teaching schedules for the upcoming academic year.  University Scheduling makes considerable efforts to try to meet these requests. Given the number of course offerings and limited classroom availability, requests based on personal preference cannot be considered.   

In addition, TFA members may submit an accommodation request, based on a protected ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code (external link) , as explained in the procedures below.  

Faculty members will receive their teaching schedule no less than 10 weeks prior to the commencement of each term. Changes are difficult to operationalize once the schedule is issued.   

The following is an overview of the steps that must be taken to make scheduling requests. Please do not contact University Scheduling directly or ask your school/departmental staff to forward requests to University Scheduling on your behalf.

Compressed Teaching Week (Research Day)

Faculty members may request their daily teaching span be extended to ten hours to achieve a four day teaching week, requesting a specific non-teaching “research day”. The requested “research day” will be taken into consideration during the scheduling process but the University cannot guarantee any particular schedule (i.e. which day of the week will be used as a research day).

Dependent Care Schedule Requests

Faculty members with dependent care responsibilities that may impact their teaching schedules will be able to request that their teaching be scheduled between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, or 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM.

Faculty members can only request a dependent care schedule when they have dependent caregiving responsibilities. Members may be required to provide documentation to verify their dependent care responsibilities.

Faculty members who require a different dependent care schedule, other than the schedules outlined above, need to proceed through the accommodation request process outlined below. Where possible, this request should be made before teaching schedules are released.

Requesting both a compressed four day teaching week and a dependent care teaching schedule reduces available hours for teaching. In this case, priority will be given to the dependent care schedule requests.

Accommodation Requests

Step 1: Submit Accommodation Request

Those seeking an accommodation under the Ontario Human Rights Code (external link)  or relevant university policy (that is, requests required for reasons such as disability, dependent care, and religious observation, etc.) not otherwise provided through the compressed work week or dependent care request can submit an accommodation request.

Accommodation requests should be submitted as early as possible to allow time for the request to be reviewed. We ask that when possible, these requests be submitted by March 1 for the following academic year. The earlier requests are received, the easier they are to operationalize.

Medical Accommodations

Individuals requiring scheduling accommodations based on a personal medical condition should contact Workplace Wellbeing Services.

Other Accommodations (Dependent Care, Religious Observations, etc.)

If you are seeking a non-medical accommodation that will impact your teaching schedule, please send your request to:

ARTS	Kathryn Rowan (krowan@torontomu.ca)
The Creative School	Dan Greenwood (dan.greenwood@torontomu.ca)
FCS	Yingli Zhang (​​y1zhang@torontomu.ca)
FEAS	Andrea Moon (andrea.moon@torontomu.ca)
FOS	Andrei Cojita (a2cojita@torontomu.ca)
LAW	Sharmaine McKenzie (smckenzie@torontomu.ca)
TRSM	Nancy Amaral (namaral@torontomu.ca)

Step 2: Provide Information to Support Accommodation Request

When making a schedule request based on an accommodation, be prepared to provide relevant information to assist in assessing and verifying the accommodation request.

Requests for accommodation due to illness or disability will be managed by Workplace Wellbeing Services and the Dean. All other types of accommodation requests will be reviewed by the Dean and/or the Faculty’s Senior HR Partner. In order to make an assessment the Dean and/or Senior HR Partner may meet with you to gather information.

Information should not be submitted with the initial request. A representative of Workplace Wellbeing Services or the Senior HR Partner will be in touch following your submission of the request.

Step 3: Coordination with University Scheduling

Verified and approved accommodation requests supported by the Dean or Workplace Wellbeing Services will be forwarded to University Scheduling and the Department/School for implementation as necessary.