Supports for those experiencing domestic violence
For an employee coping with domestic violence, health and wellbeing supports and resources are available through UBC as well as through external community services.
The following supports are intended to complement the newly legislated five days of paid leave for an employee who is coping with domestic violence.
Note: If you think someone is in immediate danger, please call 9-1-1.
Related resources
In BC, domestic and sexual violence leave is a job-protected leave of absence in the workplace. Learn more about this leave on the Domestic Violence Leave page.
If you are a manager of an employee requesting this leave, please view the Supporting employees coping with domestic or sexual violence page.
For guidance, please contact your HR Advisor or Manager or Faculty Relations Senior Manager.
Approving Professional Development Fund claims
UBC faculty and staff can access professional development funds to support career growth at UBC. As a manager or supervisor, you are accountable for reviewing the relevance of their claims as it relates to their role and career growth at UBC.
Professional development funds are available to faculty and staff based on their employee group. To learn more about eligibility, funding limits, deadlines and more, visit the Professional Development funding page.
What managers and supervisors need to know
As a manager or supervisor, you are accountable for reviewing the relevance of your faculty or staff's PD Fund claim as it relates to their role and career growth at UBC.
APPROVING THE CLAIM
Your approval is required as part of the claim process in Workday once the employee has submitted their claim. The purpose of your review is to determine the following:
- Does the PD Fund claim enhance the employee's knowledge, skills or performance in their current role?
- Does the PD Fund claim enhance their career growth at UBC?
If one or both criteria are met, approve the claim. If the criteria is not met, deny the claim or send it back to your employee for revisions.
Please note: You can consider your employee's future career prospects at UBC as a whole institution and support your employee to use their PD funds to forward or shift their career at UBC.
RELEVANCE
To understand if the PD fund claim is relevant, please review the faculty and staff employee guidelines according to their employee group.
Special Note: Sessional Conference Fund related claims are not routed to the manager for approval since the amount and activity has already been pre-approved by the Faculty Association . However, for the department reimbursements of the award amount, the questionnaire form still routes to the manager for approval since the manager needs to confirm that the correct worktags have been provided for the funds transfer.
Additional criteria checked by the PD Fund Team
When an employee submits their claim and before it is reviewed by their manager, the PD Fund program associate in Human Resources reviews it for the following criteria:
- Claim meets the initial eligibility and entitlement
- Submitted within the 90-day submission deadline for staff (and research associates) and within 12 months for faculty
- Applicable receipts are attached
- Total amount indicated with correct tax codes and currency exchange (if applicable)
- Each expense line has the appropriate PD fund category worktag selected
Questions?
If you have questions about how to submit PD Fund claims in Workday, please contact the Integrated Service Centre.
If you have questions about Staff PD Funds guidelines contact the Workplace Learning Associate in Human Resources at pd.funds@ubc.ca
If you have questions about Faculty PD Funds guidelines contact the Workplace Learning Associate in Human Resources at faculty.pd@ubc.ca
Inclusive recruitment
UBC is committed to building a diverse, inclusive, safe and vibrant workplace.
At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.
Why this matters
Creativity, growth, and innovation are enabled by having a workforce of skilled and qualified people who bring unique perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences representing the full range of race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, ability, background, beliefs and unique traits. Our differences will allow UBC to achieve and sustain academic excellence, and to continue to innovate and transform.
Looking forward, the university is focusing intentionally on building a diverse workforce, and creating an inclusive, flexible, and welcoming environment for all, including Indigenous Peoples and other historically underrepresented groups.
One of Canada's Best Diversity Employers
In 2025, UBC was once again recognized as one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers. This special designation recognizes employers across Canada with exceptional workplace diversity and inclusiveness programs.
Inclusive collaboration, excellence and resources
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) are vital components of fostering a progressive and respectful work environment within UBC. These principles align with the university's commitment to building a community where human rights are upheld, and equity and inclusion are integral to all areas of work.
In collaboration with UBC Talent Acquisition & Hiring Solutions and in partnership with the Equity & Inclusion Office and UBC Central Human Resources, we are dedicated to transforming recruitment and workplace practices. Our efforts aim to enhance the employee experience and support the university's broader mission to cultivate a more inclusive and equitable community.
UBC Campus Affiliations
- The Centre for Workplace Accessibility offers resources and confidential support to remove barriers for faculty and staff with disabilities and assists job seekers during the UBC recruitment process.
- The Equity & Inclusion Office at UBC promotes excellence and diversity through leadership, human rights advising, training, and community resources.
- The UBC Career Centre empowers students and graduates from all disciplines to explore their identities and contributions through workshops, advising, and industry connections.
- The Indigenous Portal, managed by the First Nations House of Learning, serves as a resource hub for Indigenous knowledge and culture.