Vacation Requests & Entitlements

PSWs/Homemakers can request their vacation through the PSW app on their phones. If you are looking to take time off more than 10 days, please request this time off using our Leave of Absence/Time Off Request form and select “Extending Vacation Time” in the Reason for Leave section on the form.

Note: You do not need to take a leave of absence to cover vacation time as long as you have sufficient vacation entitlements available.

• Once your request has been submitted, it will be reviewed by your CSS/SC and/or Human Resources.
• Requests will be approved or declined based upon seniority and needs of the organization.
• Vacation requests can be submitted as far in advance of their vacation as possible, however, during desired vacation times (Christmas period and July/August) requests shall be submitted no less than eight (8) weeks prior to the intended vacation.
• The vacation period is from January 1 to December 31 in each year. Please refer to the chart below:
  

  Vacation Quarter	Last Day to Submit Requests	Approval No Later
  January to March	November 1	November 22
  April to June	February 1	February 22
  July to September	May 1	May 22
  October to December	August 1	August 22

• You will be notified of the approval or denial of your vacation request no later than three (3) weeks from the cutoff date of receipt of the request by the employee’s supervisor. You can check your vacation requests through the PSW App on your Circle of Care mobile phone to see if they have been approved or declined.  You are responsible to verify whether your request is approved or declined.
  
• Vacation shall not be accumulated from year to year and shall not be carried over the next vacation year.
• Employees will be given preference with respect to vacation periods in accordance with seniority, subject to the employer’s requirements as to sufficient availability of staff to meet the needs of the employer’s clients.

PSWs & Homemakers are entitled to annual vacation under the Collective Agreement. Vacation time and vacation pay are based on the continued service, calculated as of September each year. The following chart is a breakdown of vacation benefits: 

Please note that the time you book off your vacation is not paid, as vacation pay is paid out on an annual basis in September. If you would like your accrued vacation pay to be paid out in advance, you can email payroll@circleofcare.com. 

For any other questions about vacation time entitlement, please refer to the Collective Agreement.