Special & Other Leaves

Special leave is available to cover unique situations that require special attention during work hours. There are some cases where taking general leave without pay may be the best option. Contact us to find out which leave best suits your needs.

*IMPORTANT* Whatever the situation, approval from your manager or supervisor is necessary prior to taking any type of leave.

Personal Matters 

See what leave options are available for handling personal matters that can’t be cared for outside of work hours, like when making wedding plans, moving, getting a checkup, or caring for a loved one. Personal Matters >>

Learning, Career Development & Other Opportunities

Growing your knowledge will not only provide personal benefits, it will also enhance job skills and open the door to career opportunities. The B.C. Public Service supports life-long learning by providing options to take time off for training, education, and career development. Learning, Career Development & Other Opportunities >>

Work-Related Requirements

This type of leave allows an employee time from work to cover work-related requirements such as renewing a specialized license, assisting with emergency operations, participating in union-related activities, or obtaining a visa to a foreign country. Work-Related Requirement >>

Attend Legal Hearings

Leave is available to allow an employee to make an appearance in court either for personal or work-related matters. Attend Legal Hearings >>

Elections & Voting

During federal, provincial, aboriginal community government, and municipal elections (including by-elections) it is expected that employees will use their time outside of work while polls are open to vote. If you need time off to vote, talk to your supervisor to arrange some time that works for both of you. 

Paid leave is available on election day if the hours of your shift and polling times do not allow you enough consecutive hours free from work to cast your ballot. You may take up to four consecutive hours for provincial elections and up to three consecutive hours for federal, municipal and First Nations elections. 

Please note, as polls are usually open before and after usual work hours, not all employees will need to take the full entitlement in order to ensure they have enough consecutive hours away from work to vote.