Engineers Canada issues guide on parental leave

When a consulting engineer asks for parental leave, there are now new guidelines that will help firms establish the parameters.

“Managing Transitions: Before, During and After Leave” was published jointly by Engineers Canada and Geoscientists Canada on January 19.

The guideline includes extensive check lists and steps, “to help smoothly off and on ramp employees taking a leave of absence.”

In their news release, Engineers Canada and Geoscientists Canada said they are both dedicated to enhancing gender diversity. Currently women are under-represented in both professions.

“This guide will be a tremendous resource for new parents and for their employers,” said Kim Allen, FEC, P.Eng., chief executive officer of Engineers Canada. “The guide and its recommendations will go a long way to creating welcoming workplaces in the engineering and geoscience professions with good leave practices that will attract talented employees.”

“Geoscientists Canada is delighted to be jointly publishing this new guide together with our colleagues at Engineers Canada,” said Oliver Bonham, P.Geo, FGC, chief executive officer of Geoscientists Canada. “Experience and research has shown that without forethought, rejoining an organization can be frustrating, especially when expectations are not managed. The solution is to actively manage the transition and this guide outlines the steps to do so, ensuring that employees and employers know what to expect; that leaves of absence do not disrupt career progression or productivity; and that business continuity remains.”

The associations acknowledged the groundbreaking work done on the topic of parental leave by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Alberta (APEGA). Its “Women in APEGA” group created the foundational document upon which the new national guide is based.

To download the Engineers Canada/Geoscientists Canada parental leave guide, click here.