{"id":15020,"date":"2026-03-26T23:02:50","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T03:02:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/?p=15020"},"modified":"2026-03-26T23:02:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T03:02:52","slug":"guide-to-leave-without-pay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/blog\/guide-to-leave-without-pay\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding leave without pay in Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull blog-template-header has-neutral-100-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--16)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div style=\"--bb--crumb-gap:.4em;\" class=\"blog-template-breadcrumb wp-block-employmentherocom2025-breadcrumb-block\"><nav role=\"navigation\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"breadcrumb\"><ol class=\"breadcrumb-items\"><li class=\"breadcrumb-item breadcrumb-item--current breadcrumb-item--home\"><span class=\"breadcrumb-item-name\">Home<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"item\":{\"name\":\"Home\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/employmenthero.com\\\/en-ca\\\/\"}}]}<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-template-tags-row is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--9)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-template-tags is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-ghost is-style-ghost--1\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-btn-black-background-color has-background wp-element-button has-icon__eye\"><span class=\"wp-block-button__link-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"> <g clip-path=\"url(#clip0_5893_17419)\"> <path d=\"M19.8727 9.55732C19.7127 9.30315 15.8927 3.33398 10.0002 3.33398C4.10771 3.33398 0.287713 9.30315 0.127713 9.55732C0.0442677 9.69013 0 9.8438 0 10.0007C0 10.1575 0.0442677 10.3112 0.127713 10.444C0.287713 10.6982 4.10771 16.6673 10.0002 16.6673C15.8927 16.6673 19.7127 10.6982 19.8727 10.444C19.9562 10.3112 20.0004 10.1575 20.0004 10.0007C20.0004 9.8438 19.9562 9.69013 19.8727 9.55732ZM10.0002 15.0007C5.88605 15.0007 2.80271 11.299 1.84855 10.0007C3.12342 8.22835 4.79779 6.78123 6.73605 5.77648C6.15544 6.50283 5.83739 7.40411 5.83355 8.33398C5.83355 9.43905 6.27253 10.4989 7.05394 11.2803C7.83534 12.0617 8.89514 12.5007 10.0002 12.5007C11.1053 12.5007 12.1651 12.0617 12.9465 11.2803C13.7279 10.4989 14.1669 9.43905 14.1669 8.33398C14.1629 7.40674 13.8468 6.50785 13.2694 5.78232C15.2033 6.78886 16.8752 8.23337 18.1519 10.0007C17.201 11.3015 14.1277 15.0007 10.0002 15.0007Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/> <\/g> <defs> <clipPath id=\"clip0_5893_17419\"> <rect width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"white\"\/> <\/clipPath> <\/defs> <\/svg><\/span>Blog<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-template-social-desktop is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-3 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2)\"><div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"facebook\" data-social-type=\"facebook\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"24px\" height=\"24px\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"> <title>Group<\/title> <path d=\"M14.4446 6.47609H11.4173V4.40033C11.4173 3.62078 11.9115 3.43904 12.2596 3.43904C12.6068 3.43904 14.3958 3.43904 14.3958 3.43904V0.0120058L11.4537 0C8.18772 0 7.44447 2.55599 7.44447 4.19168V6.47609H5.55566V10.0075H7.44447C7.44447 14.5394 7.44447 20 7.44447 20H11.4173C11.4173 20 11.4173 14.4856 11.4173 10.0075H14.0981L14.4446 6.47609Z\"><\/path><\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"twitter\" data-social-type=\"twitter\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"17\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 18\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"> <g clip-path=\"url(#clip0_2187_1527)\"> <path d=\"M6.88269 10.3821L0.554058 18H2.05374L7.54889 11.3855L11.9379 18H17L10.363 7.99774L17 0.00924304H15.5002L9.69721 6.99436L5.06215 0.00924304H-5.51343e-07L6.88306 10.3821H6.88269ZM8.93683 7.90961L9.60929 8.90561L14.9598 16.8309H12.6563L8.33833 10.4349L7.66587 9.43894L2.05303 1.12518H4.35659L8.93683 7.90923V7.90961Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path> <\/g> <defs> <clipPath id=\"clip0_2187_1527\"> <rect width=\"17\" height=\"18\" fill=\"white\" transform=\"matrix(-1 0 0 -1 17 18)\"><\/rect> <\/clipPath> <\/defs> <\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"linkedin\" data-social-type=\"linkedin\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"17px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"> <title>Shape<\/title> <g id=\"Symbols\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"> <g id=\"Icons\/Social\" transform=\"translate(-74.000000, -2.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\" fill-rule=\"nonzero\"> <path d=\"M74.2155762,7.20409322 L77.8588786,7.20409322 L77.8588786,18 L74.2155762,18 L74.2155762,7.20409322 Z M76.0616143,2 C74.8146643,2 74,2.80609002 74,3.86411056 C74,4.90036967 74.7908238,5.72989508 76.0139333,5.72989508 L76.0371667,5.72989508 C77.3079571,5.72989508 78.0993476,4.90032981 78.0993476,3.86411056 C78.0755071,2.80609002 77.3079976,2 76.0616143,2 Z M86.8041976,6.95048874 C84.8702857,6.95048874 84.0038929,7.99790755 83.5205667,8.73245583 L83.5205667,7.20409322 L79.8761714,7.20409322 C79.924419,8.21687707 79.8761714,18 79.8761714,18 L83.5205667,18 L83.5205667,11.9708054 C83.5205667,11.6478911 83.5444071,11.3261725 83.6402952,11.0948476 C83.9041595,10.4502147 84.5037738,9.78266458 85.5095667,9.78266458 C86.8291714,9.78266458 87.3561714,10.773129 87.3561714,12.2237722 L87.3561714,18 L91,18 L91,11.8093881 C91,8.49339883 89.2027762,6.95048874 86.8041976,6.95048874 Z\" id=\"Shape\"><\/path> <\/g> <\/g> <\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"link\" data-social-type=\"copy\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"18px\" height=\"19px\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 19\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"> <title>Group 7<\/title> <defs> <polygon id=\"path-1\" points=\"0 0 11.3597146 0 11.3597146 13.250495 0 13.250495\"><\/polygon> <polygon id=\"path-3\" points=\"0 0 11.4438464 0 11.4438464 13.237235 0 13.237235\"><\/polygon> <\/defs> <g id=\"Symbols\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"> <g id=\"Icons\/Social\" transform=\"translate(-115.000000, 0.000000)\"> <g id=\"Group-7\" transform=\"translate(115.000000, 0.000000)\"> <g id=\"Group-3\" transform=\"translate(6.640285, 0.000000)\"> <mask id=\"mask-2\" fill=\"white\"> <use xlink:href=\"#path-1\"><\/use> <\/mask> <g id=\"Clip-2\"><\/g> <path d=\"M9.6365839,1.06427739 L9.6365839,1.06407143 C7.63313006,-0.581342526 4.71799441,-0.287025772 3.06469376,1.72767436 L1.68152847,3.42787366 C1.2637913,3.94153775 1.3305731,4.70585509 1.8305341,5.13486964 C2.33069565,5.56409016 3.0749216,5.4955055 3.49265877,4.98184141 L4.8760246,3.28143615 C5.71089731,2.25863908 7.1949372,2.1243532 8.19104884,2.98176443 C8.20769415,2.99597567 8.22413891,3.01059882 8.24038313,3.02522198 C9.18174573,3.92361924 9.26838157,5.42383144 8.43691815,6.43015171 L5.5610895,9.96627791 L5.53461744,9.99634806 C5.38079871,10.1792405 5.20090901,10.3370058 5.00076417,10.4640831 C4.04676718,11.0718709 2.80719278,10.901748 2.04211006,10.0579301 C1.59709864,9.56877523 0.850065046,9.54303024 0.374169553,10.0002613 C-0.100522665,10.4562566 -0.127195273,11.2205739 0.315008503,11.7099348 C1.3991598,12.9045024 2.99670869,13.4575049 4.56377459,13.1800768 C4.80503134,13.1364133 5.04287882,13.0742134 5.27470991,12.9934771 C6.09434113,12.7094584 6.82152068,12.1980598 7.37542854,11.5155086 L10.2440375,7.98947441 C11.0680808,6.96832503 11.4617524,5.65182909 11.3372134,4.33183184 C11.2235039,3.05137889 10.6100339,1.87267016 9.6365839,1.06427739\" id=\"Fill-1\" fill=\"#000000\" mask=\"url(#mask-2)\"><\/path> <\/g> <g id=\"Group-6\" transform=\"translate(0.000000, 5.762765)\"> <mask id=\"mask-4\" fill=\"white\"> <use xlink:href=\"#path-3\"><\/use> <\/mask> <g id=\"Clip-5\"><\/g> <path d=\"M7.78481199,8.39527139 L6.54864687,9.91484383 C5.73222439,10.9339336 4.27946967,11.1129128 3.25127068,10.3214088 C2.2300908,9.49612727 2.05361038,7.97696676 2.85719793,6.92821874 C2.87083505,6.91050619 2.88447217,6.89299959 2.89851039,6.87569896 L5.82387388,3.27984437 L5.84553284,3.25492322 C5.99915102,3.07203079 6.17924127,2.91447144 6.37938611,2.78739415 C7.23972815,2.23645131 8.34754387,2.31595185 9.12506044,2.98449782 C9.2157072,3.06235067 9.30073868,3.14700021 9.37915214,3.23782854 C9.60657122,3.50207514 9.93486491,3.6513961 10.2784001,3.64665902 C10.6175233,3.64171598 10.9377951,3.48498047 11.155588,3.21764447 L11.1696262,3.20034383 C11.5426416,2.74620216 11.5342187,2.07930388 11.1497722,1.63546021 C9.42768425,-0.367088286 6.45118155,-0.55698335 4.50107292,1.21159465 C4.32298813,1.37306725 4.15713665,1.54813319 4.00472174,1.73555674 L1.08738009,5.32173121 C-0.548874157,7.35084854 -0.312430505,10.3492133 1.62043117,12.0813364 C2.56821124,12.921447 3.80678291,13.3317192 5.05377751,13.2188532 C5.20097822,13.2064956 5.34697566,13.1875473 5.49176982,13.1613904 C6.61362375,12.9593437 7.63039162,12.3585585 8.36398864,11.4636626 L9.59594229,9.94923914 C10.0136795,9.43578101 9.94709821,8.67146367 9.44693666,8.24224316 C8.94677511,7.81302264 8.20254916,7.8816073 7.78481199,8.39527139\" id=\"Fill-4\" fill=\"#000000\" mask=\"url(#mask-4)\"><\/path> <\/g> <\/g> <\/g> <\/g> <\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n            <span class=\"eh-social-sharing-button__copied_text\">\n            URL copied for sharing!        <\/span>\n    <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-5 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><h1 class=\"blog-template-title wp-block-post-title\">Understanding leave without pay in Canada<\/h1>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-template-meta-row is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-employmentherocom2025-custom-post-date has-sm-font-size\">\n    <span>Published<\/span>&nbsp;<time datetime=\"2026-03-26T23:02:50-04:00\">Mar 26, 2026<\/time>\n<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-sm-font-size\" style=\"border-left-color:var(--wp--preset--color--neutral-700);border-left-width:1px;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2)\"><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull blog-image-container has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full blog-template-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"678\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/leave-without-pay-canada-personal-sabbatical.webp\" alt=\"A woman relaxing and reading a book on a wooden dock by the water, highlighting personal sabbaticals or extended mental health breaks as potential scenarios for taking leave without pay.\" class=\"wp-image-15027\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/leave-without-pay-canada-personal-sabbatical.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/leave-without-pay-canada-personal-sabbatical-300x199.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/leave-without-pay-canada-personal-sabbatical-768x509.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/leave-without-pay-canada-personal-sabbatical-576x380.webp 576w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/leave-without-pay-canada-personal-sabbatical-440x291.webp 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:66px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:30%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group sticky-side-panel is-vertical is-content-justification-stretch is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-11 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex wp-container-2 is-position-sticky\">\n<p class=\"has-lg-font-size\" style=\"border-bottom-color:var(--wp--preset--color--neutral-200);border-bottom-width:0.1rem;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--4);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--4)\"><strong>Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"content-single-table-content\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:70%\">\n<div id=\"content-wrapper\" class=\"wp-block-group content-wrapper has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-12 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--4)\">\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Leave without pay (LWOP) is a critical flexibility tool for your staff, but it\u2019s not a formal entitlement. We\u2019ve put together a blog to understand leave without pay, including why an employee might want to take it, how you can track leave without pay requests and tips for ensuring compliance around the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is leave without pay?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the CRA, leave without pay is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/public-services-procurement\/services\/pay-pension\/pay-administration\/access-update-pay-details\/pay-changes-in-your-life\/taking-leave\/leave-without-pay-personal-needs.html\">time an employee can spend off work without being paid<\/a>. Rather than being provided as an entitlement, it is instead an agreement between you as the employer and your employee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Canada Revenue Agency adds, \u201cYou can request leave without pay for personal needs for either up to 3 months or for more than 3 months but up to one year.\u201d We\u2019ll dive deeper into how LWOP can affect annual holiday entitlements later in this guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why might an employee want to take unpaid leave?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a range of reasons why your employees may want to take unpaid leave. Some reasons include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They\u2019re travelling for an extended period of time, but don\u2019t have enough vacation time<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They need to attend to personal responsibilities&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They\u2019re looking to complete educational studies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They\u2019re sick or injured but don\u2019t have enough sick time to cover the entire period<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They\u2019re taking care of health-related matters for a loved one<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important to note that employees cannot take unpaid leave without your agreement \u2013 this is considered unauthorized leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why should employers offer unpaid leave?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Offering unpaid leave can help boost your employer brand and attract top talent. There are a few benefits to offering unpaid leave, including keeping valued staff around, as they don\u2019t need to resign in order to take extended leave. It also gives your employees more flexibility and can support staff wellbeing, as they know they have options if issues arise.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does unpaid leave affect time off entitlements?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In Canada, taking unpaid leave does <strong>not<\/strong> change an employee\u2019s anniversary date or their &#8220;length of employment.&#8221; Under employment standards, an employee&#8217;s seniority continues to accrue even while they are on a job-protected, unpaid leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Impact on vacation time:<\/strong> The employee\u2019s entitlement to take <em>time off<\/em> (e.g., 2 or 3 weeks of vacation) remains unaffected by the leave. They are still entitled to take their full annual vacation time once they reach their original anniversary date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Impact on vacation pay<\/strong>: While the <em>time off<\/em> remains the same, the <strong>vacation pay<\/strong> (the money received) will naturally be lower. In Canada, vacation pay is usually calculated as a percentage of &#8220;gross wages&#8221; earned during the year (typically 4% or 6%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Calculation:<\/strong> Because the employee earned $0 during their unpaid leave, their total gross earnings for the year will be lower.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Example:<\/strong> If an employee takes 4 weeks of unpaid leave, their 4% vacation pay will be calculated based only on the 48 weeks they were actually paid.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Handling unpaid leave requests&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re offering unpaid leave, follow these steps to ensure the request is handled fairly, documented properly, and remains compliant with employment standards:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Determine leave type:<\/strong> First, identify if the request falls under a <strong>statutory job-protected leave<\/strong> (e.g., pregnancy, parental, sick, or family medical leave). If it does, and the employee meets eligibility requirements, the leave <strong>must<\/strong> be granted by law.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Establish a request pathway:<\/strong> Create a clear process for employees to submit requests\u2014either through your leave management software or a formal written submission\u2014to ensure all requests are tracked in one place.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Assess operational needs (for discretionary leave only):<\/strong> If the request is for personal reasons (like a sabbatical or extended travel), review your business needs. Determine if you can accommodate the absence or if it would cause undue operational strain before accepting or rejecting the request.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Formalize the agreement:<\/strong> Once a leave is agreed upon, document the details in writing. This should include:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The start and end dates of the leave.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A confirmation of the return-to-work date.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A note that seniority and length of service will continue to accrue (as per Canadian standards).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Clarification on how benefits (if applicable) will be handled during the absence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Maintain records for compliance:<\/strong> Keep a robust audit trail of the request, the decision-making process, and the final agreement. This is essential for staying compliant in the event of a dispute or a Ministry of Labour audit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do I have to offer unpaid leave?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"698\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/leave-without-pay-canada-employer-employee-discussion.webp\" alt=\"Two professionals discussing information on a laptop in an office, representing an employer and employee reviewing company policies for leave without pay in Canada.\" class=\"wp-image-15028\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/leave-without-pay-canada-employer-employee-discussion.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/leave-without-pay-canada-employer-employee-discussion-300x204.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/leave-without-pay-canada-employer-employee-discussion-768x524.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/leave-without-pay-canada-employer-employee-discussion-440x300.webp 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In Canada, the answer depends on the <em>reason<\/em> for the leave. While you are not required to grant discretionary personal leave (such as for travel or a career break), you are <strong>legally required<\/strong> to provide unpaid, job-protected leave for specific life events defined by employment standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Mandatory (Statutory) unpaid leaves<\/strong>: As an employer, you <strong>must<\/strong> grant unpaid leave for reasons such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sick or personal emergency leave:<\/strong> Most provinces require a set number of unpaid days for illness or injury.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pregnancy and parental leave:<\/strong> Federal and provincial laws guarantee this leave.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Family caregiver\/medical leave:<\/strong> To care for a critically ill family member.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bereavement leave:<\/strong> Time off following the death of a family member.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reservist\/jury duty leave:<\/strong> For military service or legal obligations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>During these leaves, you cannot terminate the employee for taking the time off, and you must generally return them to their same position (or a comparable one) when they return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Discretionary unpaid leave<\/strong>: Unpaid leave for <strong>personal reasons<\/strong> (e.g., &#8220;I want an extra month off to go to Europe&#8221;) is indeed at your discretion. This type of leave depends on a mutual agreement between you and the employee. You have the right to deny these requests based on business needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do I have to agree to unpaid leave requests?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>It depends on the reason for the request.<\/strong> In Canada, leaves of absence fall into two distinct categories: <strong>Statutory<\/strong> (Legally Protected) and <strong>Discretionary<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Statutory leaves (You CANNOT decline).<\/strong> If an employee is eligible for a &#8220;job-protected leave&#8221; under provincial or federal law, you <strong>must<\/strong> agree to the request. You cannot decline these based on business needs or &#8220;busy seasons.&#8221; Common examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sick leave:<\/strong> (e.g., 3 days in Ontario).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Family responsibility leave:<\/strong> For urgent family matters or illnesses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pregnancy and parental leave.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bereavement leave.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Critical illness or family medical leave:<\/strong> To care for a seriously ill relative.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you deny one of these, you risk a <strong>reprisal claim<\/strong>, which can result in significant fines and an order to reinstate the employee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Discretionary leaves (You CAN decline)<\/strong>: If an employee asks for unpaid leave for <strong>personal reasons<\/strong> not covered by law\u2014such as an extended vacation, a &#8220;sabbatical,&#8221; or a hobby project\u2014this is entirely at your discretion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Business needs:<\/strong> In these cases, you <strong>can<\/strong> decline the request if there is a genuine business need for the employee to be at work.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Consistency:<\/strong> If you do agree to personal leaves for some employees but not others, ensure your decision is based on objective business criteria (like seniority or department coverage) to avoid discrimination claims.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are employees entitled to during LWOP?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While employees generally do not receive their regular salary during leave without pay (LWOP), they maintain several key legal entitlements in Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Statutory (public) holiday pay<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In Canada, an employee may still be entitled to pay for a public holiday that falls during their unpaid leave, depending on their recent earnings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The eligibility rule:<\/strong> In most provinces (like Ontario), eligibility depends on the <strong>&#8220;last and first&#8221; rule<\/strong>\u2014the employee must work their last scheduled shift before the holiday and their first scheduled shift after. If the absence was authorized by the employer (which LWOP is), they often still qualify.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The calculation:<\/strong> The amount they receive is usually a pro-rated average. For example, in Ontario, it is the total wages earned in the 4 weeks prior to divided by 20. If an employee has been on unpaid leave for those entire 4 weeks, their holiday pay would be $0. However, if they worked even one week of that period, they would receive a partial payment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Benefit and pension contributions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For <strong>statutory job-protected leaves<\/strong> (like parental or medical leave), the rules are strict:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Health benefits:<\/strong> Employers must usually allow employees to continue their health and dental coverage. The employer must continue to pay their share of the premiums unless the employee chooses to stop their own contributions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pension and CPP:<\/strong> For pension plans, many Canadian laws require the employer to continue matching contributions during protected leaves if the employee chooses to keep contributing. For discretionary leaves (personal leave), this is usually up to the employer\u2019s policy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Accumulation of seniority<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if the leave is unpaid, the employee\u2019s <strong>seniority and length of service<\/strong> continue to accumulate as if they were working. This ensures they don&#8217;t lose their place in the &#8220;queue&#8221; for future raises, increased vacation time, or notice period entitlements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How LWOP interacts with other types of leave<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/understanding-leave-without-pay-canada-childcare-1024x682.webp\" alt=\"A mother adjusting her young son's shirt outdoors, illustrating family responsibilities and childcare as common reasons employees might request leave without pay in Canada.\" class=\"wp-image-15029\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/understanding-leave-without-pay-canada-childcare-1024x682.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/understanding-leave-without-pay-canada-childcare-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/understanding-leave-without-pay-canada-childcare-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/understanding-leave-without-pay-canada-childcare-1536x1023.webp 1536w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/understanding-leave-without-pay-canada-childcare-440x293.webp 440w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/03\/understanding-leave-without-pay-canada-childcare.webp 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Employees might not always take leave without pay exclusively. Instead, they may use LWOP to add onto paid leave that they\u2019ve already accrued to give themselves extra time. Here\u2019s how each type of leave can interact with LWOP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">LWOP and sick leave<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>An employee may have an extended injury or illness that requires more time off than they\u2019ve accrued. To help their recovery, they may take LWOP after using up their sick leave entitlement until they\u2019re ready to return to work. It\u2019s also worth noting that this is when it\u2019s most likely that an employee may receive public holiday pay, as highlighted in the example above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">LWOP and parental leave<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In Canada, parental and pregnancy leaves are <strong>statutory job-protected leaves<\/strong>. While the employer does not pay the employee during this time, the federal government provides income replacement via <strong>Employment Insurance (EI)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pregnancy (maternity) leave:<\/strong> Generally up to 15 weeks for the person giving birth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Parental leave:<\/strong> Available to both parents. Standard parental leave is up to 35\u201340 weeks, and extended parental leave can go up to 61\u201369 weeks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Interaction with LWOP:<\/strong> If an employee does not qualify for EI, or if they wish to stay home longer than the EI period, the &#8220;extra&#8221; time is considered unpaid leave. However, most provinces guarantee the job will be held for the full duration of the statutory period (up to 18 months in many cases).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">LWOP and family violence or bereavement leave<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most Canadian provinces provide a specific number of days for these situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Domestic\/family violence leave:<\/strong> Many provinces (like BC, ON, and Federal) provide 5 <strong>paid<\/strong> days and an additional 5 <strong>unpaid<\/strong> days. If an employee needs more than 10 days, they transition into a longer-term unpaid LWOP.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bereavement leave:<\/strong> Usually 2\u20133 days. Anything beyond the provincial minimum is at the employer&#8217;s discretion or covered by a company-specific LWOP agreement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the main compliance rules around leave without pay?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In Canada, compliance is governed by the <strong>Employment Standards Act (ESA)<\/strong> of your specific province or the <strong>Canada Labour Code<\/strong> (for federal employers).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Written agreements:<\/strong> Always document the start and end dates of the LWOP. If it is a statutory leave (medical\/parental), you cannot require an end date before the legal maximum is reached.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Public holiday pay:<\/strong> This is the most common error. In Canada, we use a &#8220;First and Last&#8221; rule.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The rule:<\/strong> If a holiday falls during the LWOP, the employee is technically entitled to holiday pay if they worked their last scheduled shift before and first scheduled shift after.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The catch:<\/strong> Because the pay is calculated as a percentage of the last 4 weeks&#8217; earnings, if they have been on LWOP for more than 4 weeks, the calculation usually results in <strong>$0.00<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the risks of mishandling leave without pay?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In Canada, the consequences of mishandling unpaid leave are severe:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Reprisal claims:<\/strong> If you fire or discipline an employee for taking a protected unpaid leave (like sick leave), you can be forced to reinstate them and pay massive &#8220;damages for hurt and feelings.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Constructive dismissal:<\/strong> If you shift an anniversary date or reduce seniority due to LWOP (which is illegal in most cases), an employee may claim they have been &#8220;constructively dismissed&#8221; and sue for severance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Human rights complaints:<\/strong> If the LWOP was for a medical reason and you denied it, you may face a Human Rights Tribunal for &#8220;failure to accommodate.&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can leave management software help?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Leave management software, like <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/products\/\">91爆料<\/a>, can help you better manage leave without pay requests. Employees can easily submit their own leave requests through the 91爆料 Work app. And, with accurate tracking and less manual data entry, our software can help you reduce the risk of compliance errors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready to discover how the right leave management software can transform the way you track leave requests?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-2 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/request-a-demo\/\">Book a demo<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<style>\r\n#content-wrapper a, #content-wrapper p, #content-wrapper ol, #content-wrapper ul {\r\nfont-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--paragraph-2-m)!important;\r\n}\r\n<\/style>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-13 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Resources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-link-arrow is-style-link-arrow--3\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-btn-brand-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"\/resources\/?topic%5B0%5D%5B0%5D=Product\">View all<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-query blog-3-col-query-loop is-layout-flow wp-block-query-is-layout-flow\"><ul class=\"columns-3 alignfull wp-block-post-template is-layout-grid wp-container-core-post-template-is-layout-1 wp-block-post-template-is-layout-grid\"><li class=\"wp-block-post post-16721 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-uncategorised resource-type-blog\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border-color has-neutral-100-border-color has-white-background-color has-background is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-16 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"border-width:1px;min-height:100%\"><figure style=\"aspect-ratio:auto; padding-bottom:0;padding-top:0;margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/blog\/10-things-learnt-employment-hero-partner-summit\/\" target=\"_self\"  ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-GLOBAL-Website-resource-thumbnail-Blogs-7.webp\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"10 Things We Learnt at the 91爆料 Partner Summit\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:fill;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-GLOBAL-Website-resource-thumbnail-Blogs-7.webp 1600w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-GLOBAL-Website-resource-thumbnail-Blogs-7-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-GLOBAL-Website-resource-thumbnail-Blogs-7-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-GLOBAL-Website-resource-thumbnail-Blogs-7-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-GLOBAL-Website-resource-thumbnail-Blogs-7-1536x864.webp 1536w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-GLOBAL-Website-resource-thumbnail-Blogs-7-440x248.webp 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-15 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-14 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\" class=\"taxonomy-resource-type eh-resource-type wp-block-post-terms\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-post-terms-icon\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"icon-blog\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/11\/eye-logo.png\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/resources\/blog\/\" rel=\"tag\">Blogs<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/blog\/10-things-learnt-employment-hero-partner-summit\/\" target=\"_self\" >10 Things We Learnt at the 91爆料 Partner Summit<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-contrast-2-color has-small-font-size wp-container-content-2\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">Bold leadership, smarter partnerships and 10 key insights from 91爆料\u2019s Canadian Partner Summit. Discover what Canada\u2019s top SMB advisors&hellip; <\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<a style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600;\" class=\"wp-elements-9dfcbcb7662772ecb2d671e8976a6c51 wp-block-read-more has-text-color has-violet-500-color\" href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/blog\/10-things-learnt-employment-hero-partner-summit\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: 10 Things We Learnt at the 91爆料 Partner Summit<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/blog\/10-things-learnt-employment-hero-partner-summit\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"group-block-link\"><\/a>\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-16735 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-uncategorised resource-type-blog\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border-color has-neutral-100-border-color has-white-background-color has-background is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-19 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"border-width:1px;min-height:100%\"><figure style=\"aspect-ratio:auto; padding-bottom:0;padding-top:0;margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/blog\/arlene-dickinson-partner-summit-recap\/\" target=\"_self\"  ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1710\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Arlene-Dickinson-Employment-Hero-talk-scaled.webp\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Arlene Dickinson\u2019s call to Canadian business: Raise your hand higher\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:fill;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Arlene-Dickinson-Employment-Hero-talk-scaled.webp 2560w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Arlene-Dickinson-Employment-Hero-talk-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Arlene-Dickinson-Employment-Hero-talk-1024x684.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Arlene-Dickinson-Employment-Hero-talk-768x513.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Arlene-Dickinson-Employment-Hero-talk-1536x1026.webp 1536w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Arlene-Dickinson-Employment-Hero-talk-2048x1368.webp 2048w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Arlene-Dickinson-Employment-Hero-talk-440x294.webp 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-18 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-17 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\" class=\"taxonomy-resource-type eh-resource-type wp-block-post-terms\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-post-terms-icon\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"icon-blog\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/11\/eye-logo.png\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/resources\/blog\/\" rel=\"tag\">Blogs<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/blog\/arlene-dickinson-partner-summit-recap\/\" target=\"_self\" >Arlene Dickinson\u2019s call to Canadian business: Raise your hand higher<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-contrast-2-color has-small-font-size wp-container-content-4\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">Arlene Dickinson challenged Canadian business leaders at the 91爆料 Partner Summit to lead with courage and purpose. Read the&hellip; <\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<a style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600;\" class=\"wp-elements-9dfcbcb7662772ecb2d671e8976a6c51 wp-block-read-more has-text-color has-violet-500-color\" href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/blog\/arlene-dickinson-partner-summit-recap\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Arlene Dickinson\u2019s call to Canadian business: Raise your hand higher<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/blog\/arlene-dickinson-partner-summit-recap\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"group-block-link\"><\/a>\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-16661 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-uncategorised resource-type-blog\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border-color has-neutral-100-border-color has-white-background-color has-background is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-22 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"border-width:1px;min-height:100%\"><figure style=\"aspect-ratio:auto; padding-bottom:0;padding-top:0;margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/blog\/employment-hero-partner-summit-recap\/\" target=\"_self\"  ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-GLOBAL-Website-resource-thumbnail-Blogs-6.webp\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"From passion to purpose: Celebrating the heart of Canadian business at the 91爆料 Partner Summit\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:fill;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-GLOBAL-Website-resource-thumbnail-Blogs-6.webp 1600w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-GLOBAL-Website-resource-thumbnail-Blogs-6-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-GLOBAL-Website-resource-thumbnail-Blogs-6-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-GLOBAL-Website-resource-thumbnail-Blogs-6-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-GLOBAL-Website-resource-thumbnail-Blogs-6-1536x864.webp 1536w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-GLOBAL-Website-resource-thumbnail-Blogs-6-440x248.webp 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-21 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-20 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\" class=\"taxonomy-resource-type eh-resource-type wp-block-post-terms\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-post-terms-icon\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"icon-blog\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/11\/eye-logo.png\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/resources\/blog\/\" rel=\"tag\">Blogs<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/blog\/employment-hero-partner-summit-recap\/\" target=\"_self\" >From passion to purpose: Celebrating the heart of Canadian business at the 91爆料 Partner Summit<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-contrast-2-color has-small-font-size wp-container-content-6\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">Over 100 Canadian partners gathered in Toronto for 91爆料&#8217;s Partner Summit, with SMB founders, Arlene Dickinson, and more. Read&hellip; <\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<a style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600;\" class=\"wp-elements-9dfcbcb7662772ecb2d671e8976a6c51 wp-block-read-more has-text-color has-violet-500-color\" href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/blog\/employment-hero-partner-summit-recap\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: From passion to purpose: Celebrating the heart of Canadian business at the 91爆料 Partner Summit<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/blog\/employment-hero-partner-summit-recap\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"group-block-link\"><\/a>\n<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is leave without pay a formal entitlement? Learn how LWOP works in Canada, including CRA guidelines, impact on vacation pay, and how to manage employee requests.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":430,"featured_media":15027,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_lite_auth_enabled":false,"_lite_auth_trigger_method":"scroll","_lite_auth_scroll_percent":25,"_lite_auth_click_element_query":"","exclude_from_algolia":false,"reading_time":"8 min read","display_reading_time":false,"download_content_type":"","download_file":"","download_url":"","download_cta_label":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"resource-type":[30],"topic":[],"industry":[],"audience":[],"business-size":[],"product-tag":[],"funnel-stage":[],"region":[],"pain-point":[],"persona":[],"post_features":[],"class_list":["post-15020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised","resource-type-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/430"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15020"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15020\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15086,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15020\/revisions\/15086"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15027"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15020"},{"taxonomy":"resource-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-type?post=15020"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=15020"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=15020"},{"taxonomy":"audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audience?post=15020"},{"taxonomy":"business-size","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/business-size?post=15020"},{"taxonomy":"product-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product-tag?post=15020"},{"taxonomy":"funnel-stage","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/funnel-stage?post=15020"},{"taxonomy":"region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/region?post=15020"},{"taxonomy":"pain-point","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pain-point?post=15020"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=15020"},{"taxonomy":"post_features","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_features?post=15020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}