Revised – High Risk Leave of Absence form

Tuesday July 7, 2020-

Urban – RSMC’s,

Please be advised that the NEW” High Risk Leave of Absence form is now available thru Canada Post’s Intrapost portal. You locate this specific form by accessing via, Resources>Forms>Human Resources Section>Leave Request

Reminder that the above newer form had been revised to satisfy the privacy and confidentiality of your medical information. And that if you had the older form filled out, you do NOT have to complete another one per the National bulletin dated June 29, 2020. below. If you need assistance, please see your shop steward or call our Local office.

In solidarity,

CUPW Royal City Admin.

Update: June 30, 2020

Members in the High-Risk Category and the High-Risk Leave Form
New Form

Many members have been asking about the new form for high-risk as it is not available on the Intrapost site. Canada Life has not yet provided the new form to Canada Post. We will notify the Regions once it is available.

We have been working on this file consistently and have tried to get this important information out to members in a relevant timeframe. If you are as dissatisfied with the situation as we are, we encourage you to let Canada Post know!

Old Form – 

For members who have filled in the old form or need to use the old form: We have reached an agreement that Canada Post will ONLY receive the information that would have been provided on the new high-risk form.

To qualify for leave, Canada Post is following the Federal list of conditions recognized as having an impact on the potential risks for complications when contracting COVID-19, but it is not an exhaustive list. If your doctor also indicates that you are high risk for other reasons, that has to be taken into consideration. Your doctor must sign the form, letting Canada Life know that you have an underlying condition, but all Canada Post receives is a yes or no answer. If you do qualify, you will stay off at 100% of your wage. If your doctor says you can return to work with an accommodation, Canada Post must ensure that they can bring you back with the proper accommodation.

Monday June 29, 2020

Since March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada recommended that individuals who fall into a high-risk category based on age or an underlying medical condition stay at home due to serious complications that may arise should they contract COVID-19.

The government put out a list of categories of individuals they consider high risk. To qualify for high-risk leave, Canada Post Corporation (CPC) is following this list:

  • People with medical conditions including:
    • Heart disease
    • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
    • Lung disease
    • Diabetes
    • Cancer
  • People with weakened immune systems from a medical condition or treatment, such as chemotherapy
  • Older Adults

Source : https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/people-high-risk-for-severe-illness-covid-19.html

The above is not an exhaustive list. Your physician can make the determination based on your medical history that you would be high risk and this must be taken into consideration when Canada Life is reviewing whether you meet the criteria of high risk. In cases of pregnancy your physician may consider specific factors in meeting the criteria.

At the beginning of the pandemic, CPC did not require medical documentation. Since provinces and cities are starting to open back up, CPC has directed their insurance provider Canada Life to start sending out a High Risk Leave of Absence Form. These forms are to be completed and returned to Canada Life.

Canada Life will review the medical information provided by your physician. Canada Life will then inform CPC with a yes or no that you meet or do not meet the high-risk category.

THE FORM

Canada Post had mailed out a form for members to take to their physicians, with a 14-day requirement to return to Canada Life. The Union objected to the form as we felt it was too intrusive. We were able to convince CPC to modify the form.

You can download the new form by going to the following link: https://mysite.canadapost.ca/irj/portal or on CPC’s Employee Self Serve (ESS) website.

**CUPW Royal City Local – As of June 29, 2020 , access to the new form for Ouarantine Leave – High Risk isn’t posted in the Intrapost portal, >Human Resources>Leave Request>CUPW Employees yet. This after a few minutes of searching in other various categories within the portal as well. The phone number 1-877-8585 listed at the bottom of the portal was contacted which turned out to be the Intrapost IT department. They referred this new form enquiry to the CPC Access HR phone number which is 1-877-9090. At this number, you will be prompted for your credentials, after which you press nine(9) to speak to an agent. At which after some unsuccessful attempts, the system hangs up. (presumably due to high volumes of calls?)

Keep checking this portal and if still no new form related to Covid Leave, please try contacting Access HR again.**

If you have already had your physician fill out the old form, you do not have to have the new one filled out. We also have an agreement that the consent that the member signed on the old form will only entitle CPC to the same information as the new form.

14-DAY TIME LIMIT

The form states that it has to be completed within 14 days. If this is not feasible, please contact Canada Life and let them know the date on which you are able to see your physician. Returning the form as soon as you can will ensure there is no pay disruption but if there is a problem seeing your physician, it is important that you inform Canada Life of this delay.

There should be no problem but if you encounter a problem, contact your Local.

PERSONAL DAYS, ANNUAL LEAVE AND ACCOMMODATION 

To qualify for the leave, you do not have to exhaust your Personal Days but you will have to take your pre-booked annual leave.

If your physician says you can return to work with accommodation, CPC must ensure they can bring you back safely with proper accommodations. Make sure to involve your union representative.

In solidarity,

Rona Eckert
National Union representative – Consultation