Illness + Injury Leave
Eligibility for paid illness and injury leave programs varies by staff group and appointment.
If you feel unwell, stay home. By taking care of yourself today, you’ll be in better shape to accomplish your goals tomorrow. Advise your supervisor you'll be away; keep them informed.
Work-related Injury + Illness
If you've had a work-related injury or illness, visit our work-related injury page for information and forms.
Health Issue Affecting Work
If a health issue is affecting your work, visit our recovery and returning to work page for advice and services.
Mental Health Support
Review our staff resources and contact our Employee and Family Assistance Program at 780-428-7587.
If you’re a support staff member who is sick or injured for more than three consecutive work days and are unable to work, you are required to provide a doctor’s note to your supervisor. The note must state that you are unable to work due to illness and the length of the illness. A doctor's note is not required for illnesses related to COVID-19.
If you’ve used more than 10 casual illness days this calendar year, you must provide a doctor's note for every absence due to illness or injury. Review more information about illness and injury leave.
If you will be away for more than 10 working days due to illness or injury, start an illness leave following the steps below.
Starting an illness leave
- Notify your supervisor of your absence from work and the anticipated length of your absence. Your supervisor will complete a referral form to notify Homewood Health, our health recovery partner, of your absence.
- Download the Medical to Support General Illness Benefits form and have your doctor complete it.
- Fax your completed medical form to Homewood Health at 780-429-1747. We do not recommend that medical information be sent by email. Alternatively, your doctor’s office may fax the form directly to Homewood Health. The university will cover the costs of the reporting fee for the form. Please have your doctor's office fax their invoice directly to Homewood Health at 780-429-1747.
- Be available by phone or email. A Health Support Consultant from Homewood Health will typically contact you within 24–48 hours of receiving notification of your absence. The consultant will work with you through your medical treatment and recovery. Regularly communicate with your Health Support Consultant and your immediate supervisor during the duration of your leave.
- Provide updated medical information as required. You will be responsible for faxing information from your doctor to Homewood Health and seeking clarification from your doctor if necessary. If you would like to allow Homewood Health to communicate directly with your physician, fill out a Support Staff Consent for Release of Health Information form and bring it to your doctor’s office.
Participate in return to work planning and return to work as soon as it is safe and healthy for you to do so. Homewood Health will refer you to a U of A return to work consultant with your limitations and or restrictions.
If your illness or injury is prolonged, you may be eligible for the University of Alberta long-term disability leave. Contact a U of A return to work consultant at recovery@ualberta.ca to learn more.
If you're an academic staff member or management and professional staff member who is sick or injured and unable to work, advise your chair you'll be away; keep them informed. Review more information about illness and injury leave.
If you will be away for more than 20 consecutive work days, start an illness leave following the steps below.
Starting an illness leave
- Notify your supervisor of your absence from work and the anticipated length of your absence. Your supervisor will complete a referral form to notify Homewood Health, our health recovery partner, of your absence.
- Download the Medical Certificate form and have your doctor complete it.
- Fax your completed medical form to Homewood Health at 780-429-1747. We do not recommend that medical information be sent by email. Alternatively, your doctor’s office may fax the form directly to Homewood Health. The university will cover the costs of the reporting fee for the form. Please have your doctor's office fax their invoice directly to Homewood Health at 780-429-1747.
- Be available by phone or email. A Health Support Consultant from Homewood Health will typically contact you within 24–48 hours of receiving notification of your absence. The consultant will work with you through your medical treatment and recovery. Regularly communicate with your Health Support Consultant and your immediate supervisor during the duration of your leave.
- Provide updated medical information as required. You will be responsible for faxing information from your doctor to Homewood Health and seeking clarification from your doctor if necessary. If you would like to allow Homewood Health to communicate directly with your physician, fill out an Academic Staff Consent for Release of Health Information form and bring it to your doctor’s office
Participate in return to work planning and return to work as soon as it is safe and healthy for you to do so. Homewood Health will refer you to a U of A return to work consultant with your limitations and or restrictions.
If your illness or injury is prolonged, you may be eligible for the University of Alberta long-term disability leave. Contact a U of A return to work consultant at recovery@ualberta.ca to learn more.