Illness + Injury for Faculty + Staff Members

Process for Unwell + injured faculty + staff member

If an employee feels unwell, advise them to stay home and/or take the necessary time away from work to fully rest and recover. By taking care of themselves today, they will be in better shape to accomplish their goals tomorrow. Advise your team and relevant colleagues about the absence discreetly and appropriately. You must protect the individual’s privacy.

Management and Professional Staff, Support Staff and Academic Staff may have casual illness days available, providing the flexibility needed to recover. Please see the Employee Types page and speak with your HR Partner with any questions. Review the staff member’s responsibilities with them and go over the required documentation detailed on the Injury and Illness page. 

Short-term Illness 

• Ensure accurate and timely entry of casual and/or general illness hours in PeopleSoft HCM for support staff for absences less than 10 days. Note that the department is responsible to enter absences for any leave type other than general illness (i.e., casual illness, WCB, etc).
• If a support staff member is away for more than 3 consecutive work days but fewer than 10 days, obtain a doctor’s note from your employee. The note must state:
  • that the employee is unable to attend work and perform their regular duties due to illness 
  • the duration of illness
• Note: The department may retain the doctor’s note based on their record retention practices. The medical note is not shared beyond the department at this stage.
• Maintain supportive communication with your staff member throughout their absence. 
• Consider temporary work modifications (modified hours or duties) to help your staff member return to work while they recover.

Extended Illness 

• Proceed through the remainder of this checklist if:
  • a support staff member is away for more than 10 consecutive work days.
  • an academic or management and professional staff member is away for more than 20 consecutive work days.
• The employee must download the appropriate medical certificate form (support staff; academic staff) and have their doctor complete it. The employee or doctor will then fax the completed medical form to Homewood Health. NOTE: Manager or supervisor is not required to collect or retain a copy of medical certificates as this process is managed by Homewood Health. 
• Notify Homewood Health Inc. using the Online Notification (OLN) form. 
  • Homewood Health Inc. provides information to Shared Services about the employee’s absence and duration. Shared Services will then enter the general illness hours for absences greater than 10 days for support staff in PeopleSoft HCM.

Supporting employees on medical leave and their return

• Collaborate with Homewood Health through your staff’s recovery and return to work.
• Participate in return-to-work planning meetings with your staff member and the University's Return to Work Consultant to identify work modifications as needed. 
• Follow up with staff during their modified work plan and recovery, asking for feedback and providing recommendations for success. Discuss issues with your Return to Work Consultant.
• If a faculty or staff member becomes disabled due to illness or injury and the disability is expected to last more than 26 weeks, they may be eligible for Long Term Disability benefits through the University of Alberta.

Work-related injury + illness (WCB)

• Within 72 hours of the injury, complete a Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) Employers Report:
  • Complete the WCB Employers Report online and send a copy to Human Resources, Health, Safety & Environment (HRHSE) at recovery@ualberta.ca.
  • Note that WCB injuries are not reported/managed by Homewood Health. You will work with a U of A Return to Work Consultant if modified duties are required.
• Review the staff member’s responsibilities and required documentation (WCB Worker Report) on our Work-Related Injury page with your staff member. Staff members may continue to be paid directly by the university if they require time away from work due to a work-related injury, depending on their collective agreement or terms and conditions of employment.
• Work with the employee to complete and submit a University of Alberta Incident Report.
• For academic, management and professional employees: Advise Shared Services if the absence is greater than 20 consecutive work days by contacting the Staff Service Centre.
• For support staff: Ensure that WCB time loss is entered into the PeopleSoft HCM System for days lost or time off to attend WCB-approved treatment. 
• Modified duties may be required depending on the severity of the injury. The Return to Work Consultant will contact WCB to confirm any restrictions. 
• Modified work: Offering modified work is our responsibility under WCB legislation. Modified work is a way of adjusting your staff member’s job so they can remain at work while recovering. Modified work can include:
  • changes in job tasks or functions (e.g., less lifting or bending).
  • changes in workload (e.g., hours per day, removal of a particular task).
  • alterations to the work area and environment (e.g., work in the office, shop or front counter) or the equipment used.
  • work normally performed by others (e.g., administrative work).
  • cross-training or job shadowing.
  • self-paced computer training, whether from home or worksite.
• Participate in return-to-work discussions with your staff member and Return to Work Consultant to identify work modifications.
• Follow up with your staff member while they perform modified duties to ensure the plan is on track. 
• Respect your staff member's privacy and comfort level in discussing their medical information while balancing the need to work around any treatment schedule.
• Discuss plan changes or concerns with your Return to Work Consultant.