Time off

Gen provides the time you need to rest, take care of yourself, and be there for others.

Holidays

Gen observes the following holidays.

Holiday2024 Date
New Year’s Day1 January
Family Day19 February
Good Friday29 March
Victoria Day20 May
Canada Day1 July
Civic Monday5 August
Labour Day2 September
Thanksgiving Day14 October
Remembrance Day11 November
Christmas Eve24 December
Christmas Day25 December
Boxing Day26 December

To receive holiday pay, you must work on your regularly scheduled workdays that immediately precede and follow the holiday.

Part-time team members are paid on a prorated basis.

If your manager schedules you to work on a holiday, you will be entitled to take a different day off in lieu of the holiday, or you may receive pay at time-and-a-half for the holiday worked.

My Time Off (MTO)

The My Time Off (MTO) program gives you the flexibility to take time off when you need it. In most cases, team members are eligible to participate in the MTO program upon hire.

The MTO program is made up of paid time off (PTO) and unlimited time off (UTO).

Paid time off (PTO)

Gen provides paid annual leave of two weeks, increasing to three weeks after five years of service at Gen.

Unlimited time off (UTO)

Once you have used your statutory PTO, you can request UTO through your people leader. Even though time off is automatically approved in Workday, you should discuss your request with your people leader before submitting it in the system, so you can partner and plan

Learn more

You can find more information—including instructions to request time off—on Gen Central.

Leaves of absence

Certain life events may require you to be away from work for an extended period of time. Gen gives you the time you need for these planned or unplanned situations—like bonding with a new addition to your family, recovering from an injury, or caring for a relative. 

The information below provides an overview of leaves of absence. You can find more information—including instructions to request a leave—on Gen Central.

Sickness and carer’s leave

All regular full-time and part-time team members can take up to 80 hours of paid leave per year for their own illness or to care for a family member. You can take the time in half-day or full-day increments. 

Team members hired after July 1 receive 40 hours of sick and carer’s leave in their first year.

Maternity leave

Birth mothers are eligible for 17 consecutive weeks of leave, beginning no earlier than 17 weeks before your due date and no later than the actual birth date. You must be employed for at least 13 weeks to qualify for leave.

Canada Employment Insurance (EI) will pay a maternity benefit of 55% of your pay for up to 15 weeks, with a weekly maximum of $650.

Maternity supplemental benefit plan

Gen offers a supplemental benefit for birth mothers that pays a benefit above the EI benefit. Payments begin immediately, with no one-week waiting period.

WeeksTotal benefit amount after Gen’s supplemental payment
1–4100%
5–666 2/3%
7–866 2/3% (for C-section birth only)

Parental leave

Parental leave benefits are available from Canada Employment Insurance (EI) to parents of a newborn or newly adopted child. You have two options: standard or extended parental benefits.

Benefit nameDurationBenefit rateWeekly maximum
Standard parental leaveUp to 40 weeks can be shared between parents, but one parent cannot receive more than 35 weeks of standard benefits55% of pay$650
Extended parental leaveUp to 69 weeks can be shared between parents, but one parent cannot receive more than 61 weeks of extended benefits33% of pay$390

You must use standard parental leave within 52 weeks of the child’s birth or adoption placement. You must use extended leave within 78 weeks of birth or placement.

For more information, see the Government of Canada website

Personal emergency and family responsibility leave

You can take leave of up to 10 days (two paid and eight unpaid) for:

  • Your own illness, injury, or medical emergency
  • The death, illness, injury, medical emergency, or urgent matter of a family member 
     

Compassionate care leave

Compassionate care leave of 15 to 35 weeks may be available if you need time off for a family member’s care during a critical illness or end of life.

If you’re eligible, Canada Employment Insurance (EI) provides 55% of your earnings, up to a maximum of $650 a week. For additional information and to file an EI claim, visit the Government of Canada website.

If you need to request a compassionate care leave, please submit a ticket through People & Payroll SupportNow in addition to filing for EI benefits.

Unpaid personal leave

Gen will consider requests for a personal unpaid leave of up to four months. Get details on Gen Central.

Ontario statutory leaves

Team members in Ontario may be eligible for these leaves:

  • Critical illness leave
  • Crime-related child death or disappearance leave
  • Family medical leave
  • Domestic or sexual violence leave

Get details on Gen Central.
 

Jury duty

Gen encourages you to fulfil your civic obligations when you are called for jury duty or subpoenaed to testify on behalf of an appropriate public jurisdiction in a criminal proceeding. 

You will receive your regular pay for up to 10 days as a juror or two days as a witness.