Thank you for the question.
Actually, the guidelines provided by the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer are aligned with the provisions in the collective agreements. The guidelines also comply with public health directives.
However, each leave request is assessed on a case-by-case basis. We have seen the situation fluctuate dramatically. At the beginning of the pandemic, of course, there was a period of adjustment, during which employees took leave using code 699. Thereafter, we saw that use drop steadily until the end of January. At that point, the high schools in Ontario closed and we saw a slight increase in the use of code 699.
Whatever the case may be, each employee has a discussion with his or her manager, who assesses all the adjustments that could be made to ensure productivity and that the employee is working to the extent possible. That is done by reorganizing tasks or hours of work.
Once that assessment has been done, the manager must make sure that leave taken under code 699 is not used for regular vacation days, such as those normally taken in the summer. Leave under code 699 is intended for employees who cannot get to work or complete their tasks, for reasons beyond their control.