Refreshment leave
Refreshment leave is a period of unpaid time off that allows principals and teachers to take a break and return to their role feeling rejuvenated. Learn how long you can take leave for and how to apply.
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Principals
If you have reached the professional standards that apply to your length of service as a principal in a primary, secondary or area school, you can take unpaid refreshment leave of:
- 1 school term after 3 years of working at your school, or
- 1 school year after 5 years of working at your school.
After you have taken refreshment leave you will need to work at the school for another 3 or 5 years respectively before you can apply for more refreshment leave.
You will only be able to take refreshment leave if your school is able to find a suitable relief principal to fill in for you while you are on leave.
Your employment agreement
Refreshment leave entitlements for principals are set out in the collective agreements as follows:
Clause 7.11 – Primary Principals’ Collective Agreement
Clause 5.6 – Secondary Principals’ Collective Agreement
Clause 5.7 – Area School Teachers’ Collective Agreement
Area school principals should refer to clause 5.7 of the Area School Teachers’ Collective Agreement.
Teachers
If you are a full-time teacher (or at least 0.8 of full-time equivalent) and have reached the experienced teacher professional standards in a primary, secondary or area school, you can take unpaid refreshment leave of:
- 1 school term after 3 years of working at your school, or
- 1 school year after 5 years of working at your school.
You will only be able to take refreshment leave if your school is able to find a suitable relief teacher to fill in for you while you are on leave.
After you have taken refreshment leave you’ll need to work at the school for another 3 or 5 years respectively before you can apply for more refreshment leave.
Your employment agreement
Refreshment leave entitlements for teachers, including the maximum number of teachers who can be on refreshment leave from a school at any one time, are set out in the collective agreements as follows:
Clause 4.9 – Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement
Clause 6.7 – Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement
Clause 5.7 – Area School Teachers’ Collective Agreement
How to apply for refreshment leave
To apply for refreshment leave, write to your school board explaining why you want to take leave and the time period you are requesting.
Your board can approve or decline your request. They don’t have to apply to the Ministry of Education.
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